How did you become a Pilots' fan?

This topic got me to thinking how I first got hooked on soccer. In junior high school back in Philly in the late '50s, we used to go out during recess and play soccer. I didn't know what it was called, and I don't remember anyone teaching us how to do it, but we definitely were playing with our feet only and passing the ball and shooting for the goal. Every once in a while, we had a special event in the afternoon and got to watch a movie in the auditorium. One day, we had a movie and it was a soccer game -- I remember it vividly, Real Madrid v Eintracht (Berlin?). Now that I think about it, that was a very strange movie to show a bunch of junior high schoolers since the public schools in Philly did not play soccer. I wonder who set it up. What I remember most about the game was an early play when an Eintracht central defender launched a long ball down the field and Real Madrid's central defender timed a header perfectly and headed the ball back about 60 yards. Amazing!

In high school, I went to one of the Philly Quaker schools, which did have a soccer team and I started playing. Our coach had spent a couple of years playing soccer in England and taught us a short passing, ball control game. It was great because we were one of the two top teams in our league and the other team played a long ball game using very speedy outside mids as "wings." So, in the big games, it always was our passing, ball control game against their long ball quick attack game.

My father wasn't a soccer player, but he liked the game and occasionally would take me to see the semi-pro Philadelphia Ukranians play.

In college, I played for four years in New England. As I've related some time ago on another thread, my college games included playing a brief stint in what I believe may have been the greatest upset in US men's college soccer -- small, now Division III, Amherst vs national-champion-to-be Navy in the opening game of the season, with our winning 2-1 despite being outshot 35-2.

Out here, I was out of soccer for a long time, but began reading about the Pilots men and Kasey Keller. I went out to a game to check them out and was amazed. I particularly noticed, as someone else mentioned, how great he was at throwing the ball from the box to midfield. I went to games now and then and after a couple of years started going to the women's games. I preferred the women's games and went by myself for several years. My wife came to one or two games, and then I got her to start going to all the games in the late '90s. Since then, we've been Pilots' women's soccer nuts. After the quarter-finals against Notre Dame, we decided we'd better get season tickets in the future and did that with a bunch of Pilots' soccer acquaintances. We had gotten to know some of the player parents, so we got a block of tickets next to the seats the Pilots hold for player comp tickets. That way, we've gotten to know lots of the parents, seeing them at Merlo obviously, but also whenever we've been able to travel to away games.

Our wedding anniversary is in mid-December, so we always figure that if the Pilots make it to the Final Four, it's a great way to celebrate. We save Mileage Plus miles all year so we'll be able to get tickets at the last minute if they make it. December 2009, here we come!

UPSF

Eintracht Frankfurt

As you might imagine from my nom de post I was born and raised in London. My dad supported Tottenham so I did too. We dodn't go to games though except for a couple of times. My dad played rugby so he was busy on Saturdays and there's no way a kid goes to a soccer game olone back then. My grandfather was a season ticket holder at QPR so we used to go and see them. Rodney M<arsh was a star for them.

I played soccer in college on a club team. Then did not play until I turned 30, then played Over30 for 12 years before retiring. More recently i've coached my daughter's team.

I don't remember my first UP game but i think it was the seasobn before Christine Sinclair came to play. Probably a club deal where you could buy tickets and raise money.

Then I read the advance press about Christine and came to the first game that season and was hooked from that point on.

This is easy....THE 2005 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM!

I'd say I was a "casual" Pilot fan before then. Walked up to the ticket booth on game day and sit where-ever I wanted. But then...the 2005 Season changed everything for me! HECK..the whole City of Portland also picked up on it! Whatever...IT is????... The 2005 team had it!

I think THAT team set the highest standard of play! They're overall quality of play was unmatched! They had all the right ingredients! Exceptionally skilled players....working together as a TEAM! Fantastic chemistry! They were soooo smooth on the pitch! I've never seen ball movement to be as fluid and effortless as they had consistently managed a game! For me... they defined why soccer is a beautiful game!

The most poignant affect of their play that I noticed was seeing "defeat" in the eyes of opponents...usually before the half! They wore out teams with the chase. And you could see that opponents had no answer for it! Couldn't do anything about it! Even packing the box ....didn't stop the blood letting!

I'm a hard-core Pilot fan because I believe Clive set the foundation for the UP soccer program to consistently deliver teams of high caliber, class and panache! The 2005 team is the best example of having all the right components in place and representing the pinnacle of Clyde's vision for the program. They were great ambassadors for the game of Socccer and the University of Portland!!

GO PILOTS!!!

i originally became in amor of soccer when the nasl came to portland. stood in line as a teen for i dont know how many hrs waiting for playoff tickets. all i know is that the line started at sw 20th/salmon an the box office was at 18th/morrison. many,many hrs!

as for when i became a u of p fan, i can tell you in a heartbeat! i had been hearing about tiff her entire career an decided that i had to see her with my own eyes. i went back to work an told a co-worker who enjoys soccer an told him, 'she f****** brilliant!!' it was the last regular game of her senior season.

since that day, i take days off to watch the girls play!! an if i cant get the days off, i work trades.

I'm a little late on this topic but thought I'd weigh in. I became a fan while going to school at UP 1989 - 1993. I remember my pre-admissions counselor in the fall of '88 mentioning that the men's team was headed to the Final 4. I also remember Kasey Keller when he still had quite a bit of hair.

In my freshman year, the men were the team to watch. And I remember those games on the muddy field before Merlo was built. The women were up and coming, and there was a buzz on campus when it trickled down that Tiffeny Milbrett had signed a letter of intent. My last big memory of that time period was when Mia Hamm and North Carolina came to town for a match. Portland was spanked, but the crowd was overflow, and it was a good sign of things to come for women's soccer on The Bluff.

My wife, on the other hand, I introduced to the women's team in 2005. I think she's disappointed now whenever they don't go undefeated and win a championship. LOL