A sure sign that the city is growing is its ability to support a diverse array of activities, and having a thriving soccer (futbol) club in your city is a sure sign that the growth is happening.
On Friday night the feverish and feisty soccer fans of our region will descend upon the Midtown neighborhood’s Houseman Field to kick off their 2016 season with their first home game.
This year, our two-year-old
Grand Rapids FC kicks off a home field match against another local team, the 2006-formed OLE SC.
What should make this match a lot of fun for the fans will be OLE SC style of soccer. OLE is an interesting team in that it, according to its website, practice “latican.” It is a hybridization of the words Latino (Lat-) and the word American (-ican), with means in short that they place an emphasis on our more U.S.-style of coaching but blend it with a Latino technique of ball handling in the field. Employing this method brings the best of both worlds to the field as the way one handles the ball (and when a team is firing on all the right cylinders) makes the game a lively visually sports feast for the fans.
But watching the game is only part of the fun as fans of the Boys in Blue (as our team is referred to by the die hard fans) will be filling the stands in what is looking to be a sold out game.
As the game goes on into the night you will notice something quite different than other sports as our local fans join in song rooting their teammates on to what I can only hope will be a win.
For the die hard fan, a stop at Bob’s Bar on Michigan must be on your list of things to do as the The Grand Army Pregame Parties are back, and in grand style. The festivities at this tiny watering hole on Michigan Street promises a few big changes, too.
For starters, Bob’s Bar drink prices will be lower ($4 craft beers, $3 Miller Lite and $2 Hamm’s). And because folks rarely carry cash these days, they are now accepting credit cards. All ages are welcome but this is reported to be a peppy crowd that takes to the sidewalks (often in song) as they walk to Houseman Field. The party at Bob’s Bar goes from 5 - 7 p.m.
So, come adopt a new team or just pop in as a just-for-the-day athletic supporter. (That’s your clue to pack your sense of humor or risk losing your kit in public.)
Admission: $8. Get your tickets here.