Whoa! I looked at the screen again and the words were still there. I was reading a message board of one of the original supporters groups of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club. These guys had a whole thread about me, the newly-elected Director of Marketing and Merchandise of Section 8 Chicago, the independent association of Fire supporters. “Thanks for the warm welcome,” I replied in Polish. “Great to know that my countrymen are so eager to work with me. Vodka shots, anyone?”
This was 2007, my first year as a season ticket holder. I had been a soccer fan all my life, but new to the ultras world.
Growing up in the Krakow area, which has two competing clubs and one of the most charged derby clashes you can imagine, I was never encouraged to follow either team or go to games. Stadiums were not considered a safe place for a teenage girl. I focused on playing basketball, but always thought of football as the sport and watched international competitions on TV. Then I went to Chicago.