As the Seattle Sounders prepare for their eighth-straight MLS Cup Playoffs appearance, we're celebrating the highs and the lows that brought us to this place. In honor of the #ThisMoment campaign, we asked our supporters to share their favorite Sounders moments on Twitter for a chance to win tickets to Thursday's Western Conference Knockout Round match. These are some of the winners who will enjoy the chance to make more special memories with us on Thursday.
Tickets are still available for the match (7 p.m. PT; FS1, UniMas; KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360am) and can be purchased online, at the CenturyLink Field box office and the downtown and Renton Pro Shop locations.
MLS Watercolors
A few months ago, I started posting pictures of drawings and watercolors on Twitter as @MLSwatercolors inspired by my love of soccer and favorite team, the Seattle Sounders. They made my friends smile and got us hyped for our favorite players and upcoming matches. Since then it has evolved into hype posts before games, tributes to players, reactions during away games, and even contributing posts on my favorite Sounders blog, Sounder at Heart.
When I got the chance to attend the Vancouver away match on the ECS bus, I connected with a bunch of new friends who were just as hyped for the Sounders current run as I was and many of whom had seen the drawings. One of them (a fellow artist) had this awesome little travel watercolor set with him and we took advantage of a break at a rest stop to each do a quick painting inspired by the day. I gave it to another new friend there that day who had just lost his apartment in a fire, and he displayed it in his hotel room to make it feel a little more like home.
Sharing art is so special to me. Sharing time and energy with fellow supporters is so, so special to me. The memory of that day is eternally special to me because of this strange and beautiful family of which I’m proudly a member.
Anthony Garcia
February 23rd of 2016, Sounders were up against Club America & we were gonna wear our new jerseys. I had an idea which was to make a poster to ask for Clint Dempsey's jersey. The poster said, "Can I Have your jersey Dempsey? I went down to the tunnel with my poster during half time & Clint Dempsey slapped my poster & I knew I got his attention. After the game was over, Dempsey swapped jerseys with another player from Club America but did not leave me hanging. Dempsey ran up to me & took off his shorts & gave them to me. It was an unforgettable day, I got to record the amazing free kick Dempsey scored & when he gave me his shorts. Thank you Clint Dempsey once again, can't wait till you return!
Sandra Pawley
While cheering on the Sounders during a home game against Sporting Kansas City, it started to down pour. Everyone around us started to break out their ponchos, or rain coats. I look left to see all my friends prepared for the rain, except Ian. We all commented and laughed about how he was going to get soaked, especially his head. The scarf was his response. He couldn't of been more proud of himself and we couldn't of gotten a better picture. Supporting Sounders and making memories with friends.
Mark Burson
In May of 2012 I was introduced to the Sounders by a girl I recently met. She had 8 tickets to a match for her birthday and invited me along. Our relationship progressed along with our love for the Sounders and, after attending nearly every home match in 2013 and '14, we became season ticket holders. Our passion grew to the point we even named our labradoodle Sounder. We were married on 20 August 2016 and on the 21st there was a home match versus the Portland Timbers. As my family is from Portland and my mother-in-law had never been to a match, #ThisMoment was the best way to end our weekend wedding celebration. In addition to our parents and a few close friends, we had over 53,000 of the leagues most passionate fans to help celebrate our marriage and an emphatic victory over the Timbers (sorry mom & dad).
Sierra Landholm
This moment was my first real introduction to the Seattle Sounders. I grew up watching my siblings play soccer and fell in love with the sport early on. The inaugural match was four days after I had turned 14 and I was wide-eyed and smiling the entire time. This team has been part of my life. Seeing Zach Scott start his first regular season match and then seeing him receive a Golden Scarf at his last was something I'll always remember.
Leslie Monday
I am a 6 year breast cancer survivor - and we are season ticket holders.
When I was diagnosed, my oldest son was in 2nd grade and my youngest, Beckett ( in the photo) was in preschool. Both our boys play soccer and it was one of the things that remained "normal" throughout me surgeries and treatment - soccer. Their practices and games and watching our Sounders. I am truly blessed to be a survivor and to have the love and support and ability to talk about my experience and hopefully encourage just one other person to get a mammogram.
Christopher Urquhart
Over 120 ECS members took the plunge and took planes trains and automobiles to the second biggest club stadium in the world to support the mighty rave green at Estadio Azteca.
The match didn't turn out as we would have liked, but that didn't dampen our spirit. After the final whistle we were quickly escorted by police in riot gear into police vans and were tearing through the streets of Mexico City to what was agreed was a much safer location for dropoff.
Sounders away trips are the best, and international trips are even better. Don't hesitate and just go and you'll have experiences to last a lifetime!
Liam Hughes
The Dry Side Supporters were founded this season to recognize the growing community of fans on the east side of the Cadcades. Many Dry Siders trek to home matches from Yakima, Wenatchee, Tri-Cities and other parts of the Columbia basin while others gather at a partner bar in Yakima on match day. The Dry Siders are a diverse group, united by love of our boys in rave green and devotion to supporting as a family, bound by the tendrils of the hop vines that adorn our scarves.
Hanne Poulsen
I’ve been a long-time Sounders fan and it’s been amazing to see the team grow. Looking back at photos from the the A-League and USL days is even better when I get to compare photos like the ones I’ve got with Zach Scott - in 2002 and 2016. Watching a player like Scott start and end his career with the Sounders has been incredible. What other team has a player that’s provided 15 years of service to both the team and to the community? #EBFG #ThisMoment
