In Our Eyes: Rekindling the Flame

ECS member Andrew “Crollaa” Crollard tells his story about how Sounders FC and ECS have given him a new lust for life. Photo by Melissa Brassard.

The Sounders and ECS changed my life. This isn’t something that is easy for me to talk about, and have kept it to a very close circle. I was suffering from depression in March. My entire life was turned upside down in the few months preceding the Sounders’ inaugural season, leaving me feeling lost and alone. This is the story about how I regained passion.

March 28, 2009; My first SSFC match and encounter with ECS.
I bought two tickets to the game against Real Salt Lake. I have played soccer since I could walk and decided it was time to “support” the local team and jumped on with the marketing the FO did. I (or I should say my dad) bought my scarf and jersey, we followed the band for the march to the match, we just came as fans of soccer. I looked starry eyed at 122 seeing a community that came to cheer their heads off.

April 11, 2009; My first day in 122.
I snuck into 122 for this match, wanting to feed off of the energy brought by the ECS and contribute to the songs I knew. I yelled my voice hoarse and my shoulder was sore from spinning my scarf over my head. I had a blast and was sold. I was ECS at heart.

Or so I thought.

July 1, 2009; We all hate Portscum!
Before this match I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand the passion the ultras felt. I didn’t understand that my role was to do everything I could to help the Sounders win, not just to watch the game intently. This game changed it all. Seeing the exuberance and dedication that the rest of the ECS emitted in Portland made me realize that going to a game wasn’t for my enjoyment (though I really do enjoy it). It was to will my energy into the hearts of those in rave green on the field, so they can give that extra bit of effort that might lead to a good result.

August 20, 2009; The tears of joy.
My dad and I have second half of the season tickets in 122 above the walkway, way in the back. I ended up playing the role of capo up there (though by default since I was going to sing anyways). I talked to BlurryGil about getting some song sheets printed up so I could pass them out to people around me. The real capos started up Horto Magico toward the end of the match so I threw my voice in once again. When I called “We are the blue!” I was overwhelmed with emotion when about 50 or 60 people near me replied back, full voice “We are the blue!” I practically started crying because I felt my energy being redoubled by the people around me, focused toward the field and for the rave green.

September 2, 2009; The cup.
My dad and I walk up to RFD and are welcomed outside by some ECS. We order some food and beer and watch the people start to funnel in. Then someone starts up a chant and the bar erupts in song. We march through the streets of DC, and sing on the metro, a unified voice reverberating off the walls of buildings in DC. A fountain of unbridled elation exploded after Le Toux + Levesque = Le goal. Our community that traveled to DC to give so that the Sounders on the pitch could win a trophy sang until they turned the lights out on us. After the trip my dad said it was the most fun he’d had in years.

I want to thank you all for being a part of my life. Even if I haven’t met most of you, I want to thank you for helping me to realize what this group and team means to me: friendship, dedication, community, perseverance, elation and pride. But most of all, passion.

See you on the terraces,
Andrew “Crollaa” Crollard