Over the summer I was able to take August to a Mariners game, just the two of us, and I even took Ciárán to a baseball game just the two of us. There were no events were just my daughter and I attended, and thankfully I was able to remedy that on Saturday by taking her to her first Sounders game.
I happen to like soccer/football more than baseball – maybe you remember my thoughts on the World Cup. The schedule just doesn’t work out, unfortunately for me to attend many games. This last Saturday, however, it did, and it was a perfect opportunity to do something with just my daughter, but also take her to a sport which the boys had not been to before, making it all the more special.
There was a bit of an adventure with finding parking (found street parking, had to feed the meter for an hour, as opposed to paying $25-40 in a lot) but we arrived at Pioneer Square with plenty of time to spare. No, that’s not where the game was held, but it’s where fans rally beforehand. Sound Wave, the marching band, showed up as usual. Unfortunately we weren’t in a great position to see them.
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We were, however, in a great position to see the three US Open Cup trophies on display. While the MLS championship has eluded us (so far) this is a big deal, and certainly cause for celebration.
When the call came, we marched to the stadium. I had Déla on my shoulders and she held my scarf above her head. I’m not sure if it’s like this where you’re from, but the march to the match here is a display of team colors with chants and song. About half the fans have a team scarf, which is used not only for warmth (needed on that chilly October night) but also as a display of fandom and unity. We hold our scarves high as we march to the stadium, and it really is almost a carnival-like atmosphere.
Adding to the carnival atmosphere are the various activities around the stadium. Most are related to the sport, such as dribbling a ball through … well, I’m not sure what the point was, but Déla did it and had fun.
We found our seats, got some food, and settled in to watch the match. At various times Déla would scream at the top of her lungs “Go Seattle Sounders!” She could never remember the name of the other team (San Jose Earthquakes) so she referred to them as the “Stinky Dinks.”
It was an exciting match, and we had a great time. It happened to be the last regular game of the season, at the end of which famed goal keeper Kasey Keller will retire. There was record attendance, over 64,000 seats were sold, sort of a big deal in the sport, especially in the United States.
Déla enjoyed the game, and more than that she enjoyed having time with just me. These types of things are important for me as a father. I not only want to give the kids their own special experiences, but share my life with them, and hopefully when they get older, they will share their lives with me. Attending a sporting event might not be the best “quality time” available, but it helped to create a positive memory. And if she is so inspired to take up sports, then by all means it would be fine with me.