The Lavender Legion

Leigh Nieves, USA

Goal Click and Women in Soccer teamed up to tell stories of soccer in the United States from the perspective of women making their mark, from cheering in the stands to working in the soccer industry. Leigh Nieves is the President of the Lavender Legion, an official supporters’ group for Racing Louisville FC in the NWSL based in Louisville, Kentucky. Leigh told us about the ups and downs of the first season of the group and the exciting growth of the soccer community in Louisville.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your football life?

My name is Leigh Nieves and I am President of the Lavender Legion, an official supporters’ group for Racing Louisville FC in Louisville, Kentucky. I have grown up loving women's soccer, which is usually a surprise to many people that I meet. I am not athletic. I was a theatre arts major. Essentially, I was the least likely person to be into any type of sport.

Despite these facts, I always had a love for women's sports and particularly, the US Women's National Team. For me, they were the epitome of a mixture of how women and femininity in general can also be strong and badass and excel in a typically "male field". In 2015, I started closely following the NWSL and absolutely fell in love with the league. Flaws and all, this league really introduced me to so many more aspects of the game that were not as readily consumable at a national level. Not only that, but…this league is FUN TO WATCH. 

When it was announced that Louisville would be getting an NWSL team, I immediately wanted to get involved. When I became President of their supporters’ group, I truly had no idea the rollercoaster I was in for. Reflecting back on the first season (especially through these photos) has made me realize the incredible work and amazing memories that were made by all 300+ members of this group. I know that this is something I want to be involved in for as long as possible. 

What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?

Most of these photos consist of various supporters at meetings, gatherings, and home matches during our inaugural season in Louisville. We had such a fun array of personalities that joined us this year.

I wanted to show the excitement and community that we were able to cultivate this season. We had a pretty eclectic mix of people who joined us. Some have been soccer fans for years and some had never watched a match before in their lives. Ultimately, it may sound pretty simplistic, but I just wanted to show the fun memories we were able to make. 

What is your favourite photo?

My favorite photo is definitely of our first official march to the match. We had no idea how many people were going to show up and we ended up having a crowd. Once we got inside, we planned on walking through the concourse and continuing to chant until we got to our section. It was amazing to see the people inside the stadium join in and chant while we were walking. It felt like we were making a true communal environment where people were here and excited and ready to support Racing.

Are there any good stories connected with the specific people or teams you photographed?

The bagpiper was probably one of my favorite people who joined us this season. We just got a DM that said, "Can I bring my bagpipes?" and we were like "um... yes!". He had the best energy and was there rain or shine. Another favorite absolutely has to be the fan that showed up in a T-Rex costume for Nadia Nadim's first match. We found out that was her nickname and so we went all in. She even noticed and had a laugh, so it was great to see her realize how much this fanbase was embracing her.

How has Covid-19 affected soccer in your community?

From strictly a supporters perspective, we had to form an entire group over Zoom calls, emails, and social media, which was not exactly the easiest thing to do. We were able to establish a fanbase of people who were already supporters, but finding new people to grow the community was a challenge. 

Our members were really great about telling their friends and family about us, but it definitely was hard to "spread the good word" so to speak. Once vaccines became available and people were more comfortable being in public, we definitely saw our group expand and more people joining in supporting these women, but those first few months were rough!

Why is soccer so important for the USA and its people?

Soccer culture in the USA has always been so interesting to observe. Your typical American soccer fan is usually much different from your typical international football fan. This sport is not the most popular sport in the country. This sport gives people a chance to learn about different cultures without even realizing they are doing so. I truly believe that soccer in this country can bring people together in a way that no other sport is able to do. Of course no community is perfect, but the way this sport has grown and the ferocity of its fans is really promising for the impact it can make here.

What are the opportunities for women in soccer in the USA, on and off the field?

Women in soccer have a very unique position of not only being able to inspire a fanbase, but to inspire youth as well. In the past, this inspiration had strictly come from a soccer playing standpoint. Inspiring people to play their hardest and achieve whatever goals they are aiming towards. In the past few years, and especially after this past NWSL season, we have seen the transition to players using their voices to stand up for what they believe in and bring attention to injustices that they or their teammates have experienced. I can only hope to see opportunities grow as this sport develops more of a platform.

What does football mean to you and your Louisville community?

Louisville has always been a soccer city, but I do not think we have really been able to showcase that until this season with Racing and the opening of Lynn Family Stadium. This sport gives an opportunity to not only show off the fact that we can embrace a professional sport, but can also form a cool mini-community around something other than college sports. For me, it has given me a chance to connect with other people I would have never met in real life. As cliche as it sounds, it really has been about the human connections and experiences that made this year and this sport meaningful.

What are your ambitions for Lavender Legion?

As a group, I want us to grow into a true asset to this team and this community. This year we have done a great job at bringing the energy and making the players feel welcome, but we want to do more! We really want to get involved in more events around the community to create awareness of our group and bring in as many people as possible who want to support Racing.