For April I’m challenging myself to an A-Z photo a day excluding Sundays and in addition to any regular posts that come to be.
Today is Tuesday, April 22nd, and we are on the letter S.
S is for Soccer and for Seattle Sounders Soccer Team
A couple of Joshua’s teams.
A couple of Dan’s teams.
Katie’s team.
There were a couple years in Junior High and High School that the boys played on the school team together. That was a fun treat.
It’s no secret that I have been a soccer fan since our kids started playing in their early years and continued into high school.
World Cup 1994 was in the United States and that solidified our national and international love of the sport. World Cup is coming back to the United States, Mexico and Canada in 2026.
After their soccer glory days were over we became fans of the Seattle Sounders and our son has had season tickets from the beginning, since 2009.
In 1994 our boys were 15 and 13. We flew to Southern California to catch all the World Cup excitement we could. We found the U.S.A. training facility in Southern California and were able to see some of the team practice and get an autograph.
After finding the training ground we also found the hotel where they were staying and managed to meet up with most of the players who were very approachable and happy to sign the team poster.
Dan and I were able to attend a game between Brazil and Cameroon at Stanford Stadium.
Josh had tickets for games at the Rose Bowl.
Participating in this historical event was thrilling for our family.
After World Cup the boys still had years of soccer left to play before their Soccer glory days were over.
Since 2009 we’ve enjoyed professional soccer in person in the United States, Canada, in England and Scotland and Italy. Whenever we travel to the United Kingdom with Josh and Laura, a futbol match is in the itinerary.
Josh and Laura have been able to attend a few Major League Soccer Championship games along with regular games in several states. I was able to attend two of the championship games that ended up being in Seattle, 2009 and 2019. In 2009 Seattle hosted but didn’t play. We’ve all been to Seattle Sounders games but Josh and Laura have enjoyed the most games in person.
Josh and Laura trying not to freeze in Toronto in 2016! We won the championship!
Then in 2019 the kids got me a ticket to enjoy the MLS Cup Champions game and Seattle won again! It’s amazing to win a championship on your home field!
And now I get to watch our ‘Grands’ play soccer.
Great Uncle Arnold wrote this poem in a letter to Greg’s mom about our boys playing soccer. 
Playing Soccer in the Rain
It’s raining steadily and hard,
So puddles, growing in the yard
Spill over, and run down the street
Past where this street and others meet.
The boys play soccer in the rain
They run and strive with might and main
To kick the ball into the net
In spite of getting soaking wet.
The teams they play on won 1st prize
It’s good that they could realize
Success for all the joy and pain
Of playing soccer in the rain.
The letter S was covered satisfactorily here today.
Hope your week is starting well.
This photo above is from their victory celebration in Toronto, Canada.
2016 Seattle Sounders MLS Cup Champions! Look at that sea of supporters behind them!
The following day the Sounders flag was raised by Coach Schmetzer and Governor Inslee at the capitol building in Olympia, Washington.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 