DENVER — Denver Summit FC plays their first match this weekend, but its most passionate fans are already in midseason form.
The 14ers — a newly formed supporters group named for Colorado’s famed 14,000-foot peaks — are bringing chants, drums, flags and an unwavering sense of pride to Mile High City soccer. Their mission is simple: create a home-field atmosphere so electric that visiting teams want no part of it.
“They’re chanting, there’s drums, there’s flags, there’s smoke, there’s all sorts of things,” said Emily Walsh, one of the group’s leaders. “Your passion is unending. You will stand on your feet for the entire duration of gameplay to make sure you’re cheering your team on, whatever it takes.”
The National Women’s Soccer League expansion club will make its home debut March 28 at Empower Field at Mile High, and anticipation is soaring. More than 50,000 tickets are already sold, according to the organization.
Supporters groups like The 14ers are often referred to as a team’s “12th player” for their role in driving energy in the stands and creating a unified fan culture. For Summit FC, they’re also helping build the club’s identity from scratch.
“Support groups really are about bringing community together around the team and around the sport,” Walsh said. “The camaraderie, the sense of joy that this sports community brings is incredible, and people just want to be a part of that.”
Summit FC community relations director Joann Moreira-Lopez called The 14ers “the heart” of the franchise’s fan experience.
“The building and support of their overall organization builds a lot of environment, builds the atmosphere in our stadium,” Moreira-Lopez said. “We want other teams to be afraid to come play here at home.”
Moreira-Lopez was part of the early volunteer movement “For Denver FC” that helped display the city’s appetite for women’s professional soccer — from watch parties to crowds that packed bars at 7 a.m. for televised matches. That grassroots energy carried into the successful NWSL expansion bid.
“We’re operating as a startup, but we’re building everything from scratch, and we’re doing it with the best intentions,” she said. “It’s about time that we have a women’s professional soccer team here.”
For Walsh, it all comes down to connection.
“Everybody is grounded in that excitement, that joy and that passion for women’s soccer, for the Summit itself, and just being in community with other people who enjoy having a good time,” she said. “That energy is palpable, and I want to do what I can to make sure that community thrives.”
If you'd like to find out more information about the 14ers and join the club, you can visit their website.
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** game played at DICK's Sporting Goods Park
other home matches scheduled to be played at Centennial Stadium