What are your reasons behind your support for a club team? What initiated your support or love for your club team? Were you ever able to prove your worth to your team, if so, how?
Bolivar is my team, need I say more? Jajaja I can picture Chico thinking of something to say. For me was, in short, we lived about 2 blocks from the stadium, one day my dad took me to a game, he wasnt wearing Bolivar stuff or Strongest stuff, he was JUST taking me. When I got there, the place was pretty full, we were somwhere in the middle and Bolivaristas mainly around us. People cheering loudly and although Bolivar lost that game I remember thinking "how could they lose, they should've won" and since then I have cheered for them. Oddly enough my dad is a fan of the sport more so than the teams. My oldest brother is a Bolivar fan and the middle brother is Strongest (middle child syndrome i'm guessing).
DC UNITED: Etch was considered a holy soccer icon back in the 90's, so to hear of him comming to DC UNITED, I became an instant fan. Besides, I always root for the home team, but I don't think I would have bought season tickets if he wasn't going to be on the team. Now I cheer for DC no matter what. The Strongest: This is new. I always cheered for any team in Bolivia. I never cared. I always saw my father cheering for Bolivar, but then again that was the only Bolivian team representing Bolivia in most of the international competitions we saw after he got me hooked. However, I'm begining to recall alot of things from when I was MUCH younger; he spoke of "The Strongest", there's alot of stories behind that team that relates to my family. For the past two months, I've been curious to find out what was his team, since he's implied Bolivar wasn't his favorite in the past, but I didn't care at the time to ask. Just recently I found alot of "The Strongest" stuff in my pops drawer. This solidifies he was a Strongesta fan. LOL! I'll still support any Bolivian team that plays internationally, but in the Bolivian League, I'm a new "The Strongest" fan.
For me Bolivar: Because my whole family are Bolivarista's, my dad had me going to soccer practice in replica uniforms when i was young in the early 90s, lol with the little shorts which the kids didnt understand back in the day. lol i got teased, but regardless, that love was always pushed onto me, and i never got the bug for the national team until the 93' qualifications( i was in bolivia at the time). My dad was so in love with the team, the passion, the players that it bit me too. Before that it was all about SNES and Street Fighter II, going outside and hanging out with friends, etc. lol Seeing the passion giong on in the streets, the happiness, it made me happy and opened me up to futbol. That passion for club and country brought me closer to my nationality, i went to bolivia as a teenager, to watch copa america 97'. That was probably the best time of my pre-teen years, watching our NT whoop everyones ass, take names, and control the game like we did vs. Argentina. We were unstoppable. I would cut out any clips or pictures of all my fav. players in bolivia, buying the newspapers, collecting all the little tidbits given out as promotion, lol i won a cool black and red patched coca-cola ball. And finally i saw them loose in the hardest final i ever watched. I and my father cried like little children after the game. I swear still thinking about it makes me tear and want to cry again. DC United: It all started and almost ended with etcheverry. I loved him to death, he was my hero growing up, i mimic'd eveyrthing he did, how he played, his feints, chips, moves, evne down to how he wore his boots when playing. I had to be just like him! His demise after 99' (on and off the field) was a painful one and that mixed with me growing up and alcohol/HS partying killed my love for the team, and for the sport all together, as i quit playing when i was late 17-18. I stopped watching soccer altogether, and was really sad at how i would hear stories about etch' from a close ex' trainer of his and mine (ex tahuichi). And not to mention having my first long term GF..... constantly 'having fun' It wasnt until I heard moreno was coming back that i started watching DC United again, i gave them a chance cause i wanted to root for moreno to kill it like he did before going to the Metrostars. Low and behold the first game i watch, he is wearing those F50 boots in a really loud yellow, he pulls his old moves and makes the guys he is taking on that day look like fools. And then it happened again, i was hooked. Since then with or without a Bolivian at DCU i will support them cause i realized i love the team because of the one time faith they put in bolivian stars. Also this revived my love for the sport and 2005- on i started playing again, and have been playing since! Sorry if this is long but this basically says it all for me.
Seleccion Boliviana I became a hardcore futbol fan the day Bolivia beat Brail in 93. I was 10 then and while my father would take me to his games (Bolivian league) every weekend I really wasn’t much of a fan until that day. I remember watching it with family friends and everyone being so happy when we shocked the world and gave Brasil their first qualification loss in history. From that day on I became a hardcore Bolivia fan, I would watch every game with my dad. I even remember going to the old bullets/capitals center in Landover to watch the Bolivia –Ecuador game….. The game that put us in the World Cup with the 1-1 tie I believe. After the game it seemed like everyone was honking their horns and everyone in the DC area was representing Bolivia. My dad went to the first game in Chicago against Germany and I remember being bummed because it couldn’t miss anymore days of school and had to watch it on tv. I was finally able to attend the game in Foxboro against S. Korea, that was a great experience for me at the young age of 11. Who knows when I will be able to see my beloved Bolivia in a World Cup again. Wilsterman I became a fan when I would travel to Bolivia during my summer vacations. Most of my family are Wilstermanistas and would remember going to games when I was in Cochabamba during the summers. One game that stands out was when we won the championship in 2000 against The Strongest, I was at the stadium that day and it was a great experience. DC United The whole Bolivian community was proud to have Etcheverry and Moreno playing for DC. I went to games off and on the first 2 years with my dad. In 99’ season I decided to work all summer so that I can get season tickets. From 99 to 01 I was a season ticket holder and would attend games with a good friend of mine. When I left for college I would no longer be able to attend games and the passion for DC started to fade away until the 04 season when the won the championship. When I came back to the area I started going to games here and there but it wasn’t until the 07 season that I purchased season tickets again. Now I am with the Barra Brava every home game and have traveled to NY, Columbus and LA (earlier this year) to watch DC.
When I was 7 years old my dad took me to my first game at the old stadium, before Siles. We walked down towards the field and he introduced me to Chupa Rivero the head of The Strongest barra. Chupa shook my hand and asked me if I wanted to wave the flag. I said yes sir. I looked up and it was this big flag on a 10 foot pole that looked like 100. He asked if I was sure I could do it, I said yes sir. I held on for dear life and waved it back and forth. My pops was smiling ear to ear, proud as a peacock. I was hooked for life. I support DC United but The Strongest is in my blood and in my soul.
Real Madrid: I was always a fan of Ronaldo, followed him where ever he went (can you say man crush?) and when he was part of the Galacticos.. well, can you say anymore? been following them for 6 years now. Real Salt Lake; I live in Salt Lake City, UT so its natural to follow your home team, though I was a DC united fan, but they have moved on without me Wilsterman!! Born in Cochabamba, again natural to be a fan of your home town team! try and watch as many games as I can but its kind of hard. oh well.
The Strongest: This has been my team since I 4 years old. Since the day that I Born in the U.S., I NEVER spent a summer here. Every summer i would go La-Paz,Bolivia with my little sister. At the age of 6 i joined the youth ranks of The Strongest and have been a fan since. Each year i would play in the high ranks until i got to the u-18 squad of the club when i was only 16(2 years ago). I was then offered along with another friend of mine to practice with the first squad and maybe make the team. Unfortunaty my summer ended and i needed to come back home to the U.S. It really broke my heart but felt fortunate to have been given that opportunity. By the way, that player/my friend who got the offer with me is now the first squad. His name is Alejandro Chumacero but everyone just knew him as Choco. Btw he's probably sick now. I hope he gets playing time.
^^Damn! Thats badass bro, i wish i could have had that kind of hook up at your age. Do you play now here in the area? Are you in the VA area?
i just play NCSL D-1 and i used to play in the dc united academy but it was a little to much for me as it was almost everyday and time consuming. Hopefully i'll play in college since im a senior in high school right now. This summer i'll be back in Bolivia and it'll be good to go back to the Strongest academy to see all their friendly faces. And yea im in Annandale, VA just 30 minutes(max) from DC Viva Bolivia
Nice bro! I used to play NCSL d1 also, have you talked to any scouts at any tournaments you attended or has your coach told you there were scouts watching you? Also what position you play out of curiousity?
i haven't been asked by a scout yet but i have been asked to join other D-1 teams, but hopefully by the end of the season i will(since we just started last week). If that doesn't happen, i'll just tryout in college(if their are open tryouts lol). btw i play left mid/wing
You can practice with with the team, but that's it. You can't play for a college team unless your taking classes with school. Just remember that college soccer is FAST! A lot of the players are just very good athletes, not soo much tactically gifted. I've practiced with the Towson squad, and I was just amazed by the speed/energy of every player on the team. Good luck!
Completely true! Even at the club level he is at i am sure he has experienced it. I remember playing the 'best team in the country' when i was 16 at the time, and really wasnt impressed with their play, nothing fancy, nothing technical, just a very strict 'german old school style' soccer. Quick passing, across the field, constant pressure, running, etc. They ran circles around us as we played possession, we beat them but not much. Very close game. (we lacked fitness though) This gave me the feel of what the 'best' is in this country, and i wasnt impressed. My club team at youth played that hispanic style of possession, 1-2, triangulations, etc. And that just doesnt exist at the college level, meaning no college coaches play that type of game. I am sure he's been exposed to this already though given his level of play so far.
haha, that kind of playin style can be so frustrating cuz their isn't much you can do about it. i bet it is much faster like u said since their are more physically trained in college. well, im content with how far i got if nothing ever happens. anyway thx for the info guys.
^^Im sure your talented, give it a shot. Have you tried out for ODP? How come you didnt attend that sueno MLS thing they had like march 22nd i believe? My buddy tried out who used to play with me back in the day and made it to the final 4 outta 600 people.
the mls sueno thing was always in my head but i always said to myself, " what are the chances of them picking me out of some many people". But i do regret not participating because i kno now that im good enough to play with those guys and have a some what chance of getting pretty far. but hey,next time for sure. thx though viva Bolivia
^^Dont get think like that bro, i am sure your talented, but dont quite fit in with the style of play here i n the US, its all about speed, and not so much touch, imagination on the ball, passing, etc. everythign that makes us bolivians what we are, especially when we beat argentina.
true man, yea im past that mentality now and im goin to move forward. In the end its all about effort and GANAS on the field. And the 6-1 win against Argentina demonstrates that in every detail. Viva Bolivia
the team looks like shit, I have NEVER seen them play like this before. They play wiht no latin finesss anymore, they dont have any possession players, anymore. I dont want to bitch about it here, but RSL was the better team today. Congrats. BTW are you bolivian or just a stalker.
I'm bolivian! haha my cousin used to play for the National team (Mojica)! but thank god he doesn't anymore. anyways, noticed you were a DC fan.
Ohhhhhhh your that guy! Ok cool. Yea you guys got lucky tonight (our coach is an idiot), i wish we could trade you Morales for Gomez. He is sick.
Morales = RSL , I wish he were our DP! he needs the raise and he is a steal for the amount we pay him! I will have to visit Washington when RSL plays there... Never been and I would like to check out the Barra Brava
^^Yea you should dude, its an awsome experience. Talk to Chico as he would probably help you out with a nice little tour of la barra' and introduce you to all the people there.