We Stan: Orlando Pride

I’ve always been a fan of sports – the usual suspects of baseball, college football, and Olympic sports being a given, but women’s sports have always been top of the list. Being from the southeast, but never any large city, I usually just aligned myself with the closest team in the region. When the NWSL started up, Washington had a team, so naturally, I was a Spirit fan.

In 2016, while my ex-husband and I lived in southwest GA, Orlando became the newest member of the NWSL, and one of my favorite players was their first pick. I’d been a fan of Ashlyn Harris way back when St. Louis still had a women’s team in the WPS (RIP Athletica) and still a fan when she played in Washington and now as the face of the Orlando Pride? Season tickets were almost immediately purchased.

Despite living in Canada for three years, up until this season (for very obvious reasons), I’ve been able to make multiple games each season. I met one of my bff’s the very first game, and now she and her partner are our couple bff’s. Grace and I owe our meeting to the team as I was in town when we matched on Tinder. Our first “date” was the 90’s night game a few years back. She met my Orlando friends at a game. In summers past, it wasn’t unusual for us to head to a game and walk home hitting up a pizza place for a slice as we walked in the dark.

It’s usually stupid hot out and humid as all hell, and frankly, our team isn’t that good (even with some big name players like the legendary Marta!!!), but we’ll still be there because it’s a good time and if on the off chance it’s a win? It’s the best time ever!