Markus Luke
ECS FC Director
Hi! My name is Markus and I am the director of the ECS FC. I was invited to play with the ECS FC in 2010. I jumped in with both feet (STUDS UP!) and have been a card-carrying ECS member ever since.
I took an active role in expanding the football club through the creation of new teams over the years, and in December of 2021, was promoted to club director. On any given Sunday, you can find me on the pitch managing and playing on one of our teams.
The Emerald City Supporters Football Club was born in 2008 with one team made entirely out of ECS members. The club has grown exponentially over the years, and is now the largest adult football club in the PNW including 11 teams playing in the GSSL, RATS, and Arena Sports Leagues. In addition, we have created our own internal league called the ECS FC Pub League, which provides a venue for adult beginners, some who have never kicked a soccer ball before.
Whatever your skill level is, we encourage everyone to get out and experience the joy of soccer. If you’re looking for a team, don’t hesitate to contact me This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For more info, find us here:
https://twitter.com/ecs_fc
Note: I never scored on Shawn Wheeler.
Rosie Minier
Finance Director
I fell in love with ECS for the tifo and now get to combine tifo, a life-long passion for soccer, and my third main love for spreadsheets and non-profit accounting all in one tidy ball. It's the best of all worlds!
I can be found on matchdays helping with tifo crew or choreos, then up front near the drums singing my lungs out. Outside of that, I'm behind the scenes crunching numbers and aligning the digits to keep everything running smoothly.
Sara Shields
Subgroup Director
Hiiiii!!!
I’m Sara Shields, you’ve probably heard plenty of people call me “Skank,” and yes, that’s my nickname!
I am the ECS subgroup director. I work closely with ECS leadership and Seattle area & regional subgroups, making sure our mentality as a supporter group is reflected every where our members can be found.
I’ve been an ECS member since 2010, becoming more active in 2013, eventually co-founding & serving as Vice President of Dry Side Supporters.
I love talking with fellow supporters and spreading supporter culture to interested people! Find me at Temple for pre-func., on the lower 121 capo stand or bellied up to the bar in Yakima for away matches.
Byeeeee!!!!
Follow Sara on Twitter: @srskank
Carrie Valderas
Director of Membership and Merchandise
Hi I'm Carrie and I'm the current Memberships and Merchandise (or just Merch) Director. A Sounder's supporter since 2009, I've been an ECS member since 2017 when my kid finally convinced me and now I wonder what took me so long. I can't imagine what my life would look like without my ECS family! I got involved with the Merch team in 2018 since I know how much volunteers help drive memberships and get the merch shipped out and wanted to make sure to do my part.
On game days you can find me at Temple, the Merch table in the stadium, or somewhere in 121 during the game. Come find me and learn how you can help our the Merch team with little commitment but a huge help grow ECS.
Find me on Twitter https://twitter.com/c_v and sometimes Mastodon https://mastodon.llarian.net/@c_v@c_v
Mindi Rice
Choreo Director
I attended my first Sounders match in 2017 and saw Clint Dempsey score a penalty right in front of the Brougham End. Instead of watching the players celebrate, I was distracted by the wild celebration happening in 121, 122, and 123. I joined ECS shortly after and was a regular at tifo production by the end of the 2018 season. To me, the magic of the Sounders, ECS, and this community is the bond between the supporters and the team. While the boys can hear us (wherever they may go) always, our displays are a love letter to bring us all together.
We love seeing new people come help with tifo - if you want to paint, sew, design, help with deployment or crew on match day, or something else, please reach out - tifo (at) weareecs.com!
Mindi is on most of the socials under her full name.
And you can follow ECS Tifo on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ECSTifo
Matthew Blackmon
Director of Home and Travel Tickets
Bio in work!
Monica Benz
Director of Partnerships
I’m born and raised in Seattle and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I went to my first Sounders game in 2014 sitting in club seats. I kept looking over at The Brougham End and wanting to be part of it. The next season, I had my GA ticket, ECS membership and haven’t looked back. Swing by Temple or the march table pre-match and say hi! I can help you with everything from getting involved with ECS, introducing you to local subgroups and helping locate the stadium frosé machine.
Follow Monica on Twitter: @ginganinjabenz
Timothy Wood
Tifo Crew Director
As a former Sonics fan, I was leery of getting involved with a new team. But after attending a few matches with my family, I got some extra tickets from a coworker in ECS and attended an amazing Open Cup match in GA at Starfire and was hooked. I attended only a few matches after that outside of the Brougham End. The last one was an infamous drubbing -- I kept looking over at the supporters and seeing how they kept singing no matter what, and kept getting *louder* on each setback. OK, that is what support means -- I'm in.
Fast forward some seasons and for the last couple, I've been privileged to help and eventually lead the Tifo Crew teams. We come in extra early on match days to set up capo stands, drums, flags, and all the other tools that help the section provide amazing support. I've also developed a love of sergers, paint, ropes, pulleys, and the joy of raising an enormous display that is aimed directly at just the eleven boys on the pitch, but hopefully inspires tens of thousands.
If you want to get involved, look for me under my flag in lower 122 and I can help get you started!
Follow Tim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tjw
Todd Soper
Director of Security
*please, no photographs*
My main responsibility is functioning as the point of contact for all communications with MLS Security liaisons, CenturyLink Security, Staff Pro, Alcohol Enforcement, Fan Engagement Teams and the various security teams/front offices and law enforcement organizations, home and away. Although it’s always a work in progress I strive to open lines of communication for educating the groups listed above on supporter culture and what our long term visions are for expanding our group. I also coordinate ECS Security team members with ECS Travel Monkeys and TIFO Crews to insure safe passage for our members and our property in and out of wherever we may go so we can continue to generate our atmosphere and properly support our boys on the pitch.
Follow security on Twitter: @ECS_Security
Tom Biro
Co-President
After moving to Seattle in 2009, I fell in love with this wild, crazy, amazing thing that is the impact the Sounders have on our great city and its people. I joined ECS after a few years of observing from afar (or at the bar, let’s be frank) and was pulled into our leadership group one day by former Co-President Greg Mockos, who asked that I help with our communications and social media. From that moment it’s been full speed ahead, and I’m proud to have dabbled in travel, tifo, design, and other areas where our volunteers do fantastic work every single day. As Co-President, I’m here to help our group flourish and grow, assist our leadership team in exceeding their goals, and be a conduit between the club and our support. And sometimes I post obnoxious things on Twitter.
Follow Tom on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tombiro