A Note from SoB President Matt Ansbro
Moving on....Sort of.
“A Ginger in Dallas” or “Please Pass the Sunblock”
It’s hard to believe it has been 6 years. 6 years with Sons of Ben. 6 years of my life spent with all of you. 6 years of work, of great times, of pain, of unbelievably memorable moments. 6 years. And now? Now, my run comes to an end....sort of.
On May 13th, I’ll be starting a new job with Apple in Dallas, TX. Relocating for a job is something we’ve never done before but my family and I are very excited for our new, upcoming adventure and the opportunity that this presents. It also means saying “goodbye” to a lot of friends, family, and a way of life we’ve loved for so long. The great thing is that in this day and age in which we live in, “goodbye” is never really “GOODBYE”. Between Facebook, Twitter, Skype, email, text messages, and every other online method, we’ll be around.
While my family and I will be moving to Texas, I will still be actively involved in helping run Sons of Ben throughout the remainder of this year. Many of the day to day activities that go on behind the scenes will still be happening just like normal but the on site efforts will be handled by members of the current leadership. A top priority now will be the work on a full transition plan to help identify the future leaders of the group going into the 2014 season. The current leadership has been amazing this year and I can’t thank them all enough for all of the support they’ve given me and for all of the hard work they’ve done this year for Sons of Ben. I’ve always been a big proponent of ensuring that those that help lead this group are the people that have dedicated their time to help support it and these men and women have exemplified that philosophy. Volunteerism is a major part of our organization so if you aspire to help lead Sons of Ben in some capacity some day, please, follow their lead: volunteer and be active.
On a more personal note, I can’t tell you how much fun I’ve had over these last 6 years with Sons of Ben. From the moment I joined, I knew we had something special and it’s continued to be just that. I don’t want to rehash our history over this time but I am very proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far. We’ve had great times together for sure as well as suffered through some not so great times. 2012 absolutely sucked to put it bluntly. It’s a year I’m still trying to forget as I’m sure you all are. However, from what I’ve seen so far this year, it looks like the doldrums of the previous year have passed and we’re back to having fun both in and out of the stadium. This is what Sons of Ben was always about: Supporting the U, having fun doing it, and enjoying each others company. There will always be things we need to improve and build on but I have no doubt that Sons of Ben will continue to grow and become an even more dominant voice in MLS and most importantly, for the Union. It’s all because of the passion you put into it and I’m thankful to have to have been a part of it all this time.
I’m not going to get into thanking individuals here. There are way too many people that I need to say thank you to and I much prefer to do that in person. This upcoming game against Seattle on Saturday will be my last, for awhile at least. I hope to share a beer with many of you, sing with you, and just have a blast before I head out.
Lastly, in 2014, the Union will be playing FC Dallas in Frisco, TX. That’s where we’ll be living. I really, REALLY, hope you ALL make the big road trip for that game!
Sincerely,
Matt Ansbro President Sons of Ben