As we head into Nationals, we wanted to take this opportunity to share a glimpse into Riot with our friends and family. We, of course, would love to have your physically present with us as we enter the culminating event of our season, but in lieu of that, we want you to be able to feel like you’re there. Here are some ways to follow along.
Ways to Follow Along
Luke Johnson of Fulcrum Media will again be video blogging for Riot.
Now, supporting a team isn’t just know WHAT happens, it’s knowing HOW it happens. How does the team act when nobody is looking? Do they actually spend that much time together? What IS it actually like to be on Riot? Here, we present to you a snapshot of what Riot is really like.
Practices
Riot is…
– A personal DJ for the months of April through October.
– Trash talk between the O and D lines.
– Getting better, every practice.
– Having a theme practice to support Pride weekend.
– An athletic trainer / injurer / trainer again.
– Really helpful when you’re coming off a night shift into a full day practice.
– Seeing each other 3+ times a week for team functions.
– Not understanding the dramatically different dynamics between the O line and the D line.
– Micro-community time where we meet is season-long small groups to strengthen our mental fortitude.
Tournaments
Riot is…
– Traveling to tournaments together in matching gear, because we can, and because we love Patagonia.
– Celebrating how awkward we are.
– Spirit circles. Lots and lots of spirit circles. We actually do take Spirit of the Game very seriously. We genuinely mean it when we ask you what we can do to make playing us a more enjoyable experience. Winning the Spirit Award at WUCC was no accident. It was the result of intentional work and conscious effort.
– Running Pro Flight Finale and strongly encouraging Spirit Circles by all teams in attendance.
– Playing with our opponents to show them how much we care and respect them.
– Believing in ourselves.
– Loving each other and ourselves.
– Surf the wave. We take the scores and the “get scored ons” in stride.
– Intense. Beginning to end, we are focused on the game at hand.
Workouts
Riot is…
– REALLY into Post Workout Selfies. It became our informal workout accountability system, and then became so much more.
– Hawks’ Box.
Social Time
Riot is…
– Showing up to a dinner and movie night and walking into a choreography session for Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”.
– An eternal dance instructor – routine and freestyle.
– Supporting our boys.
– Being supported by our boys.
– Finding ways for absent teammates to stay with us, even when they’re far away.
– A year round support system.
– Your counselor/therapist – socially, physically and emotionally.
– Going to pick up jerseys from a teammate and coming home with a new house plant too.
– Your BFF 4 life.
– A constant supply of group text messages, serious and silly.
– Riotters. Riot otters, get it?
– A family that fosters growth in all aspects of your life.
Words from the Team
“The majority of our team is in the Seattle area and can attend weekday practices/workouts/tracks. I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to spend time with all my teammates without the stress of having to give up the rest of my life. We all support each other in every aspect of our lives.” – Charlie “Cheide” Eide | #49
“If I can’t seem to do something, the answer is never to just be satisfied. The answer is to ask questions, to keep trying, and to figure out a different way that works for you. To play on riot means that I can always get better, that the team can always get better.” – Alyssa Weatherford | #25
“When I joined the team, I realized there was a lot more to Riot than the on-field interactions. Despite practicing, running tracks, and lifting together for several hours each week, we meet for lunch, movie nights, and drinks. Despite being super competitive during drills, we encourage each other and commend great plays and decisions. Despite the trash talk between that day’s o and d teams, during our breaks, we joke, dance, and check in with one another. Riot is my second family.” – Jillian Goodreau | #77
– Charlie “Dengue” Mercer | #81
Credits to Shannon O’Malley, Alyssa Weatherford, Jill Goodreau, Charlie “Cheide” Eide for article help.