NASHVILLE SC FAN LOOKS FORWARD TO WHAT’S AHEAD, BUT WILL ALWAYS VALUE WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
NASHVILLE – 16,000 miles away from her original home, Nashville SC fan Kathy has planted her roots in Music City. The Australian native treasures the culture she came from, but has thrived while building a new life in Tennessee. Supporting local soccer has played an important role in making Nashville her home.
“We used to go to some of the Metro [Nashville Metros, USL PDL] games years ago,” Kathy said. “The first [Nashville SC] game we went to, we just fell in love with NSC.”
During Kathy’s first Nashville SC match with her neighbor Rosie at Nissan Stadium, she immediately noticed the diverse fan base that the club attracts. Meeting supporters with different nationalities and backgrounds created an exciting environment that had them hooked.
“We saw people from all different countries,” she continued. “I’m from Australia originally and Rosie’s from Brazil. We had people from Sweden; there was an Italian guy there. It was just fun.”
Shortly after that match, Kathy became a season ticket member for Nashville SC and has been devoted to the club ever since. She appreciates that soccer breaks down the barrier between fans and players, another quality that sets the game apart from other major sports. The closeness allows her to see the player’s reactions on the field first-hand and gives her the opportunity to speak with some of them after the match, too.
“With football, you have the helmet. Ice hockey, you have the helmets on,” she said. “You can see the passion of the player’s faces in soccer. You can tell who’s really giving it their all and who maybe needs to pick it up a little bit and meeting them afterwards and just identifying with them has been everything.”
When asked about her favorite Nashville SC moment, Kathy reflected on the gameday feeling rather than a specific date or event. For her and Rosie, the match is more than just a night of soccer; it’s a time machine.
“Someone asked [Rosie] that very question…and she said when we walk into the park and see a game, and when we see the players on the field she feels like she’s 20 years younger,” Kathy said. “It’s just a great night from the minute we get there until, win or lose, the minute we get home.”
With Major League Soccer coming in a few months, Kathy can’t help but reminisce on the club’s current venue. She’s looking forward to the move, but will never forget the place that the club first called home.
“It’s exciting to get the MLS,” she said. “But I know for sure I am going to miss these days of First Tennessee Park because it’s just so intimate there. I’m excited for soccer in Nashville. We’ll get season tickets with MLS and it will be good, but these days, Rosie and I were talking about just looking back, these are great.”
A new stadium, crest and colors are ahead for the club, but through all of the change and transition, the passion that Nashville’s supporters bring week in and week out will not just remain, but will thrive. Kathy is proud to have supported soccer in Nashville when a new chapter began years ago and will be in the stands for seasons to come.
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