I love this game more than anyone.

I've heard it a million times from a million different voices: I love this game more than anyone. I've heard it from players during biopics or interviews. I've heard it from fans at far-away games. I've heard it during early morning pick-up games. I've probably said it to myself a few times too.

I've learned from following soccer for 10 years that there's no one way to love the game. Some love tactics and managerial styles, while others like betting odds and fantasy games. There are the tiki-taka passers or the kick-and-run crowd. I've met fans who never miss a home game and fans who never miss an away game. There are academy stars and Sunday league starters. The historians, fashionistas, feminists, ultras, LBGTQIA+, agents, advertisers, administrators, referees, and book nerds like me all have a place at the game's table.

What I tried to do with the website was report on games at the United Premier Soccer League and National Premier Soccer League levels. They were the most accessible levels I felt I could access without competition. I was afraid, you see, of admitting how much I enjoyed the game. I was worried that my colleagues or students would find out, that they would ask apparent questions about my loyalty to my profession. It's why I've never been big on social media, either. When I sit at my desk and scroll through headlines, books or look at old pictures, I feel I'm cheating on my career. As much as I, along with millions of others, I'm sure, would love to become a voice in soccer, it will only happen with work.

That's why I aim to start over. I loved bringing a bit of the flare of each place I went to while reporting on the match. It's something I hope to do more of, even retrospectively. I don't mind talking about books or magazine articles either, especially for those that share the love I do.

I hope you find my open-ended questions, data-driven hot takes, and adventure-seeking travels entertaining. At the very least, I want to inspire you to go out and admit you love something as much as I love soccer. Even if children and coworkers confront you about it.