SAN JOSE — Will Shrum needed a green beanie and two Summit FC scarves in the 75-degree California weather.
Shrum’s excessive layers on a beautiful San Jose day were warranted by his diehard fandom, as he was one of a couple dozen members of the 14ers who traveled to PayPal Park for Denver’s inaugural match against Bay FC.
are the supporters group of Summit FC, comprising of about 350 fans who are focused on supporting, engaging, and growing Colorado’s community of pro women’s soccer fans.
Shrum, the vice president of the 14ers’ board, says the group “evolved from the chrysalis of For Denver FC,” which was the grassroots campaign that started the movement to bring a National Women’s Soccer League team to Denver. The 14ers are a 501(c)(7) non-profit organization, and fans can join for $33 dollars a year.
“I attended watch parties with For Denver FC going back to last year after the team was announced, and our membership has really grown in the last year,” Shrum said. “Part of the responsibility of the 14ers is to set the culture to be inclusive everyone. We want to have a great time at every match. But everyone needs to have a great time, and that includes the other (team’s fans).”
The 14ers who traveled from Colorado were hosted by the , the supporters group for Bay FC. The two fan clubs drank beers and ate food together ahead of the match at PayPal Park.
Shrum, who plans to attend the majority of Summit FC’s road matches this season, says the 14ers will invite opposing clubs’ supporters groups to their Denver tailgates for home matches, starting with “The Kickoff” on March 28 at Empower Field when Summit FC will shatter the attendance record for a U.S. professional woman’s sporting event.
The 14ers will have their for home matches this season at Centennial Stadium, a bleacher section where fans will stand for the entire match.
The supporters group has already planned out several chants, including riffs on Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” (“I can see us scoring in the thin air tonight”), Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” (“Summit, Summit, Summit” instead of “so good, so good, so good”) and Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (“cuz there ain’t no summit high enough”).
Aurora couple Greg Nuccio and Ame Nuccio, who are also part of the 14ers, also came to San Jose for the inaugural match. Ame Nuccio says that being a part of the supporters’ club “is all about the vibe.”
“It’s the feeling of supporting a team in a small college town,” Ame Nuccio said. “Everyone rallies around the team, and when you wear your Summit shirt out in public, people don’t go, ‘What’s that?’ … Through the 14ers presence, we hope we are helping raise the profile of this team, especially when you go to a game.”
