Leah Soule never expected to be a soccer fan. The Burlington resident said she has been an “actively anti-soccer person” her whole life. She tried to play the sport as a kid but was deterred because she hated running.
“I was like, This sucks, and I literally never tried to watch it again,” Soule said.
But this year, one of Soule’s friends convinced her to enter the lottery for season tickets to the Vermont Green Football Club women’s team. Its inaugural season in the preprofessional USL W League kicked off in May. Soule won tickets for herself, two of her friends and her husband and has been to every home game this season.
“I went to the first game, and then I got completely sold,” she said. “I was moved. Like, deeply moved.”
At the Green’s semifinal match against Asheville City SC on Saturday, it was easy to see how Soule became a convert. The packed-to-capacity stands at the University of Vermont’s Virtue Field were a sea of sage, emerald and olive. The crowd included many fans, like Soule, wearing official Green jerseys; others had tie-dyed their own T-shirts. (A few attendees also wore England or Norway kits in honor of the FIFA World Cup match at the same time, periodically checking the score to report back to the crowd.) Some shirts bore the slogan “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports,” a phrase coined by the female athlete-founded brand Togethxr. Each time the Green made a successful play, the crowd created a drumroll by stomping on the bleachers, adding to the steady rhythm of drums, played by a group of fans, that pulsed throughout the match.
Fan support may have given the team the edge it needed in a close game. The Green won 1-0 and will play in the finals against Salmon Bay FC in Seattle this Saturday, July 18. To celebrate the victory, a small army of children rushed the field after the game to greet the players and get autographs.
Perhaps it was inevitable that the women’s team would attract such a devoted following. The men’s team has become a phenomenon in Burlington since its founding in 2022, regularly selling out games and, last season, going undefeated en route to a United Soccer League USL League 2 championship. Even without the boost from this summer’s World Cup, the Green have sparked soccer fever in Burlington.
Kate Gleason, a fan from South Burlington, said she was on vacation the last time the Green won the national championships, so she hopes she’ll have a chance to witness them win this year. Gleason has gone to Vermont Green men’s games for about three years and was excited to support the women when they officially joined the league.
Gleason said her favorite part about going to games is the atmosphere, especially the commentary from stadium announcer Tom Mientka-Proctor — who’s been known to rib refs and opposing players over the PA — which she finds hilarious.
Soule’s husband, Henry Bartsch, also said he enjoys the vibe at Vermont Green games.
“I’ve lived in Vermont all my life, and it’s definitely felt insular at times,” Bartsch said. “I’ve never experienced something like this, where everyone’s together and we’re just having fun.”
Soule echoed his sentiment. Though she grew up in Saint George, she only recently moved back to Vermont and said the soccer community at Virtue Field has made her feel confident in her choice to return.
“I have had the summer of my life,” she said.
Vermont Green cofounder Sam Glickman said women’s season tickets sold out before the season began and there have been “incredible crowds” all summer. He said it’s been gratifying to watch fans “show up in the same way that they showed up for the men.”
I have had the summer of my life.
Leah Soule
Glickman added that “the best football clubs are a reflection of the community that supports [them],” which is why the Vermont Green strive to cultivate a positive fan experience and support social and environmental causes.
At every home game during the regular season, Glickman said, a different local nonprofit speaks to the crowd at halftime. This Friday, July 17, for example, Migrant Justice will take the pitch during the men’s team’s home playoff game.
The team’s climate justice initiatives include sustainably sourced merchandise and a partnership with 1% for the Planet. This means it donates 1 percent of annual revenue to environmental nonprofits, most of which are based in Vermont.
To fans like Soule, the action on the field is just as important as the fervor in the stands. She said watching the players — who are mostly college athletes, including several from Vermont — initially drew her into the community.
“They’re so athletic and strong and powerful,” she said.
Even as a recent soccer convert, Soule said the rules have been easy to learn, and she’s quickly come to appreciate the beautiful game. In fact, she’s starting paying attention beyond state borders and recently found herself looking for soccer shirts on retail website Poshmark.
“A couple weeks ago, I was like, Wait, isn’t the World Cup happening? That’s soccer; maybe I’d like that,” she said. Now, the big question is what she’ll do after the World Cup ends.
“I gotta watch the English Premier League now,” Soule said. “That’s year-round.” ➆
The original print version of this article was headlined “Squad Goals | Fans rally to support the inaugural season of the Vermont Green FC women’s team”
The post Vermont Green FC Women Score Big in Inaugural Season appeared first on Seven Days.