I wasn’t much of a sports fan before I met my husband. He has teased me about how I manage to know so little about sports despite being a high school cheerleader and spending many years on the sidelines. Honestly, I was mainly there for the vibes, snacks, and social life. I met one of my best friends of almost 25 years because we were both dating guys who played on our college soccer team. Those relationships didn’t last past college, but our friendship did. I never could have imagined how much sports would shape my life or how many of my favorite people would come into my life because of a game.
My husband has always loved Alabama football, growing up watching games every Saturday with his family and friends. I actually considered myself an Auburn fan (for those who may not know, Auburn is Alabama’s biggest—and I mean HUGE—rival). Again, I didn’t care all that much about football or the teams, so my now-husband was delighted when I told him I’d gladly switch teams for him. That might have been the day he knew he’d marry me—I’m mostly joking.
Football was and still is a major part of our lives. My husband and I started dating in September of 2004, so football season was upon us. The first time I met his parents, we went to their home to watch an Alabama game. Casey and I were just getting to know each other, and it felt like the perfect way to meet his family. There was a shared focus as we sat together, enjoyed good food, and cheered for the Crimson Tide. It was easy and comfortable. I felt right at home and knew I could see myself back on his parents’ couch for many games to come.
We got married a little over a year later, and football continued to be the highlight of our fall. Almost every Saturday from August through November, we’d gather with friends to watch games, often hosting at our house and filling the kitchen with plenty of food to share. One couple came over for a church small group we were hosting, and we quickly discovered our shared love of Alabama football. Of course, we invited them over for a game. That turned into watching almost every game together for years, and they became our best couple friends.
That same familiar feeling of comfort and belonging I’d felt during that first game with my husband’s parents came back every time we gathered with these friends. We’d wear comfy clothes, pile our plates with snacks and chili, cheer and commiserate together, and linger long after the game ended (especially in our young married days, before the babies came along). What started as a friendship built around Alabama football became so much more. We became so close that we eventually chose them as our children’s godparents.
When we moved to Indiana in the summer of 2022, one of the things we knew we would miss most was watching games with our friends back in Birmingham. We may have left Alabama, but we didn’t leave behind our team. Our very first weekend living in Indy, my husband met someone in a gas station parking lot after noticing Alabama decals on his car. They struck up a conversation that, of course, began with “Roll Tide!” They talked about possibly watching some games together that fall. He met another Alabama fan at church shortly after, and they made plans to watch games together too. This became a whole thing. This will be our fifth season watching games together, and it has created that same sense of community here. There’s something about screaming, celebrating, and sometimes cursing alongside one another that can turn strangers into friends way faster than everyday life ever could. Our kids look forward to these game days just as much as we do. They call these friends “uncles” now, and these guys have become an important part of our lives. Just like our friends back in Birmingham, they show up for our family beyond football. They come to our kids’ birthdays and celebrations, and we’re there for each other in hard times, too. In both Birmingham and Indy, football brought us friends who became family.
Here in the great state of Indiana, our passion for sports has expanded into basketball. We are now die-hard Pacers fans. I went to my first Pacers game with that same college best friend, who was in town visiting, along with our families. I honestly wasn’t that excited about attending a basketball game, but I immediately fell in love with the energy at Gainbridge Fieldhouse—the atmosphere, the vibes, the camaraderie, all of it.
Since then, we’ve attended Pacers, Colts, Fever, and Indians games with friends, and it never disappoints. Win or lose, I always come away feeling like it was a night well spent—and somehow a little more connected to the people I was with. There’s something about rooting for a common team that creates an almost tangible sense of togetherness.
My husband and I had such a great time at that first Pacers game that we decided to start going more often, even buying half-season tickets the following year. This became our go-to date night, and I look forward to the games all year long. I now refer to basketball season as “the most wonderful time of the year”—and I mean it. I love that basketball season is longer (more games to look forward to) and that it happens during the coldest, dreariest months in Indiana. Knowing I can grab a soft pretzel or nachos and a slushie cocktail while cheering on our home team is such a bright spot in those seemingly never-ending gray days of January and February.
Throughout our 20 years of marriage, sports have brought us together as a couple and with others. Now we are entering a new season where our boys are the ones on the football field. We get to cheer them on, watch them learn and grow, and connect with other families on the sidelines. I know there will be long practices, early mornings, hot afternoons, and probably some moments when we wonder why we signed up for this. But I also know it will be worth it. We have already seen how something as simple as gathering around a game can grow into friendship, community, and family. Now we get to watch our kids begin that journey for themselves. I don’t know yet what friendships or memories will come from these seasons, but I have a feeling we’ll look back someday and realize it was never just about football. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that you may think you’re showing up for the game, but you never know who will show up in your life.
