Rip City Runs Deep but Rose City Runs Deeper

The heartbeat of Portland is in its Thorns

Photo Credit: Kelsey Baker

Dear Stumptown Footy readers, enthusiast, fans, and critics:

Opening week of the NWSL season is finally upon us, and with that I thought of no better opportunity than now to introduce myself before we embark on this tumultuous Portland Thorns season together.

My name is Emma and I grew up in a small town in southwestern Washington, a place just along the outskirts of Portland.

My life has always revolved around sports. I grew up playing them, watching, and listening to them. A passion was so deeply ignited within me from a young age that after I went on to play Division 1 volleyball at the University of Portland, I have now managed to make a career out of them for myself.

More often than not on my TV at home growing up was some version of American football, or Portland’s own NBA team, the Trail Blazers.

But, the images of an overjoyed and overflowing Providence Park that were on the local news in the evenings lingered in my brain, and it was not lost on me the vital role the Thorns played in the narrative that made Portland “Soccer City, USA.”

The Thorns and their fanbase had introduced the nation to the power of women’s sports long before it became a trendy headline.

Photo Credit: Kelsey Baker

Now, at a moment in time where the future of women’s sports seems limitless, and Portland’s WNBA team grows nearer on the horizon, we can’t forget the team — and the league — who have set the standard for how this city shows up for its women in sports.

I have no doubt that the Lisa Bhathal Merage and the Thorns ownership will continue to foster opportunities of growth for the Thorns organization alongside their WNBA counterpart, as we have already seen as much with the announcement of the Thorns new training center.

I have no doubt the faces of the organization, like Soph Wilson and Sam Coffey, will continue to garner notoriety for this club.

However, as the NWSL enters its 13th season we can look back and marvel at how far we’ve come — and also see the climb that still lies ahead.

It’s hard to believe opening week has only just begun, despite the already insurmountable headlines this Thorn’s fanbase has had to endure. But this all just highlights the inevitable twists and turns we all face as sports fans.

So from me to you, despite the highs and the lows that are still to come this season, I believe this city can and will continue to show up for this team — the ones who have always shown up for us — and I’m so excited to be on this journey with you all.