So you got invited to a soccer match. Also please note that it’s a “match” although I will call it a game out of stubborness.

Oh no! What do I even need?

• Please wear purple or a jersey (if you need something festive sometimes I can provide one). A neutral color is okay as well, but super don’t wear pink or whatever the colors are of the opposing team. It will be better to just be prepared, the Wall has made people change their clothing.
• Bring either a clear bag or a wristlet that is no bigger than your hand. They will turn you away otherwise which would be a bummer.
• If you want to bring a poncho, you can but usually we are under the cover enough that we won’t get rained on.
• You won’t need tickets. I shall get the tickets using our ticket trading system.

Things to Keep in Mind

• Prior to the game, we might march. That is when everyone chants and walks down the street together. Sometimes, we have purple smoke. If you have purple smoke, hold it kinda away from your body as it can stain clothing and also can burn.
• There are no seats on the wall so you will be standing the whole game (we usually sit during half time)
• We are in the “splash zone.” There are certain chants that require water to be thrown on the crowd so you may/will get wet. Also the water is usually cold.
• I might leave for portions of the game. If I am at the game, I might be assigned as a capo (chant leader), but I’m typically placed on central stand which is borderline directly in front of where we stand.
• To stand in our section, you will need a bracelet. I shall get ya’ll the appropriate bracelets.

Some History

• There are three recognized supporter groups. Ruckus is the largest group. We are part of the Ruckus. Iron Lion Firm is usually called ILF is the other supporter group for the boys team. I would say we have a hostile truce between the two groups. The alliance between the two groups has waxed and waned since I’ve been affiliated with Ruckus.
• The other supporter group is actually for the women’s team. They are the Black Swans. Some members of the Ruckus are also Black Swans.
• Every year there is an election to select leadership for our group. Bios are written. People get interviewed about their vision for our group, etc. When I first started in the group, I remember feeling like the whole process was intimidating and extra.

Hello adventurers!

Do you like sports? I love sports! I couldn’t tell you who my favorite player is or even what the positions mean. But sports have a special place in my heart. Once upon a time, my father really wanted a son. Instead, he got three little girls. My father was awesome and he…well…he got creative. My sisters and I grew up with sports. I was playing or watching sports ALL THE TIME. My sisters grew up to be quite sporty and I have my sports watching role down to a science. For example, I know what a full court press is. Maybe you do too, but it makes me feel fancy knowing what that is.

Watching sports is such a fun time and its a little strange as well. And I know people take the strangeness for granted, but when else in life can you watch others run around, while you lounge eating snacks and feeling no urgency to assist in anyway? If I was at work and my coworkers were running around and trash talking others because they were dressed differently, I would feel all sorts of different. Thinking about that image always makes me smile.

Sporting events are never the first thing to come to mind when I am wanting to do something, but I really need to work on changing that. Especially since, if you aren’t picky about seating, it can be a fairly affordable outing. Sometimes, you can even get cute giveaways, like how I got my cute “Go Magic” sign above.

One of my favorite parts of watching sports is that it is an awesome excuse to eat some not very healthy food. Not super into hot dogs, nachos, and other typical sporting event cuisine? That’s okay, because I have an alternative for you! There is this movement going on in sports related to an elevated dining experience coupled with the typical sporty atmosphere of a stadium or arena. For instance, the Amway Center which is home to the Orlando Magic has such an establishment.

The Amway Center has a restaurant called Jernigan’s and it is on the club level. You can buy fancy schmancy seats and add dining within Jernigan’s for an additional fee. I did not take this route, because I am not fancy schmancy. I wish I was, but I have student loans. Instead we bought tickets in the 10 dollarish range and made reservations for our entire party at Jernigan’s.

As an added bonus, you don’t have to call a reservation in, there is an online reservation option. Seating is also on a first come first serve basis as well, but why take the chance when reservations can be made online? We were seated on “the ledge” which overlooks that court. It was a really great view and we ended up sitting there for the entire game.

The dining was buffet style and cost in the $60 range per person. This price does not include drinks. However, it can include beverages (beer and wine), when you are a Loge Ticket Holder. The buffet had all your typical buffet staples: charcuterie, salad bar, pasta options, a meat carving station, and more. It is also my understanding that the offerings also change which is nice, so then you won’t be having the same thing over and over again depending on how often you frequent the games. The food is also available until the end of third quarter when there is a last call for food and drinks.

My favorite part of this dining experience was the sundae bar! It was so fun. There were other dessert options like cookies and cheesecake, but I was all about that sundae life. They had fun toppings like hot fudge, caramel, coconut shreds, sprinkles, and crushed oreos. I was in heaven. It was a great way to end the night.

Unfortunately, the Magic ended up losing the game, but I had such a fun time cheering them on. I definitely need to add this to my “go to” list when I have no idea what to do, but need to get out of my house to feel like a human being. Yes, I could have been doing something work related or more adulty like running errands or cleaning, but sometimes I need a “me” break to get out and do something and this was just what I needed.