Futbol Frenzy: Fans Find Community
Gina S-Kerry doesn’t blend in at FC Dallas soccer tailgates. She stands out.
Part fan, part organizer, part community builder, S-Kerry has become a fixture in the parking lot before matches.
“They always make a comment like, oh my gosh, I never see a female,” S-Kerry said. “My kids, my mom, my nieces, nephews, neighbors. I wanna come join you. It looks like you’re having so much fun.”
Her Instagram page shows the energy she brings to game days.
The tailgate experience
For S-Kerry, a soccer game day isn’t just about the match.
“Well, you have to be ready to go wild,” she said. “Because we go wild, especially when we score goals. Like, everything will be on the air.”
Clay Massey, another FC Dallas fan, said he got into soccer to impress a girl. He came to an FC Dallas game and met people in the tailgate community.
“I was hooked. I had to come back,” Massey said. “But not with that girl. The relationship did not last. But the game stuck.”
Massey said the community aspect keeps him coming back.
“I mean, just look around,” he said. “Like, that’s something I think that has always impressed me, is that the groups out here have built that community.”
The highs and lows
During a recent match, S-Kerry was not in the supporters section. She was at a concession stand, watching the game on a TV with family.
When FC Dallas scored, S-Kerry was back on her feet, back in the moment.
She said this is what it means to be a fan.
“You ride the highs, you survive the lows,” S-Kerry said. “And you keep showing up.”
S-Kerry said soccer is more popular than many people realize.
“People need to get out and experience it before they decide to say, nobody likes soccer in America,” she said. “It’s bigger than people realize.”
No matter how the game goes, S-Kerry said she’ll be back in the parking lot, ready to go wild all over again.
The FIFA World Cup tournament kicks off in June. There are 104 matches scheduled.
