Willing to go the distance, literally: Abby’s Story
As part of AFC Toronto's Pride Off The Pitch campaign, writer Kevin Hurren spoke with supporter Abby about the community they've found through the club, the importance of creating inclusive spaces in sport and why they're willing to travel hundreds of kilometres to support the mighty maroon.
For most sports fans, there’s a maximum time spent or distance travelled you're willing to spend to watch a game. When it comes to AFC Toronto, Abby has yet to hit that limit.
“Yes, I went to the season opener in Vancouver,” says the London, Ontario-based 25-year-old who uses both she and they pronouns. “I'm totally willing to be the only AFC Toronto fan in the stands–hyping, screaming, jumping up and down–because I love my team.”
As if cross-Canada travel wasn’t enough, Abby makes the four hour round trip from London to Toronto for every AFC Toronto game–often padding her trip by hours on either end to make sure there’s enough time to prepare with the Vermilion Vanguard, AFC Toronto’s official supporters’ group.
“I always want to give myself enough time to get there with traffic and make sure I'm not late,” says Abby. “And then I want to be there at least an hour before gates open, so two hours before kickoff, when the team lets us into the stadium to set up our banners, flags, and make sure all of our supplies are ready. All of this stuff takes a while.”
For Abby, all the time spent on the road is more than worth it. “AFC Toronto and the Vanguard have brought me my very favourite people in the entire world,” she says. “It's only been a year and a bit, and I’m already sure this is the best thing that's ever happened to me.”
They’ve also learnt to appreciate the kind of welcoming, inclusive community at AFC Toronto because that hasn’t always been her experience in sports–especially after they came out at 15.
“When I was 17, during a game somebody on the other team called my teammate a gay slur,” says Abby, who played both soccer and hockey throughout her life. “I went to the bench and I was visibly upset.” At a different game a year later, an opposing player made fun of the rainbow tape Abby had put on her hockey stick. “I didn’t say anything back to them–but from the car I called my mom and just sobbed on the phone.”
Since then, Abby’s been determined to bring the warm feeling of family and closeness into sports for everyone. In London, she works for a company that runs adult recreational leagues–with a specific focus on the queer league. “It's been really awesome to be in a sports space and fight back against those old experiences that made me feel unwelcome playing sports.”
When they heard that Toronto would be getting its own women’s club, they saw it as another way to spread her joy, positivity and love of the sport. “I immediately knew I wanted to be part of building this new league. One of my first things was wanting to wave the flag. I will live and die to wave this flag.”
Do you remember your first AFC Toronto game?
Abby: It was a magical day. As part of the supporters’ group for the team, we had been working hard for months on chants, banners and flags leading up to the home opener. That first game was actually my first time meeting a lot of the other supporters in-person, and we immediately clicked. We lost that game, but we had so much fun that I barely even remember the losing.
What do you love about being an AFC Toronto fan?
Abby: We love our team and our team loves us back. The staff are constantly in communication with us and receptive to our ideas. Even on social media, they'll repost our stuff and they'll hang out with us. They've just been so lovely building the supporters’ group with us because they see it as an integral part of the club. We’re in touch with the network of the six supporters’ groups across the country, we hear about what their relationships are like, and they’re not like ours.
How does being queer impact your experience as a fan?
Abby: People introduce my friends and I as ‘the soccer lesbians’ because we move as a group. Even if there's no game, I like going to Toronto and hanging out with these queer friends and just the community that we have worked so hard to build that AFC Toronto has given us the platform for.
What advice would you have for other queer soccer fans who are maybe nervous about coming to a game?
Abby: I promise you the gay people are at the women's soccer game. We do our very best in our Vanguard section to be super open and inclusive to everybody. Sometimes you just have to do the first step of putting yourself out there and going. Then you see the people doing it. I am obviously very visibly queer, a lot of my friends are as well, so we're there and open to welcoming you.
Words by Kevin Hurren • For AFC Toronto
Check out the campaign on Instagram, @afctoronto, see here.