Why does one become a football team supporter?

When J was a little boy (I am talking 6 years of age) he attended the local school where Rugby League was the most popular sport for boys and netball for the girls. Each Saturday there was a game arranged for them to participate in and as their age increased so did the seriousness of the game. After each game on Saturday mornings the boys and their families (including parents) all climbed on board of the coach’s table top truck (a practice that most would have a heart attack over these days lol) and head off to Cumberland Oval to watch the might Eels play. This was back in the days when there was no Parramatta Stadium and indeed, Cumberland Oval was a local footy field with a small grandstand and a picket fence surrounding it. The grounds held a full-capacity crowd of 6,000 spectators and each Saturday when J’s team and family went to watch the Eels play they would cheer the Eels players onto the field. Grandma and the other Mums would take a picnic lunch for the rest of the group to enjoy. This was to be the beginning of a lifetime of cheering on the Eels.
When you hear or read stories like this one can appreciate the simplicity of that era as well. Could you imagine families crowding onto a table top truck to putter six kms to a local park or dropping your boys to a park with no thought to stanger danger, providing luch for the crowd and not even knowing half of them, etc. One didn't have to purchase a ticket into the game and access to the players was much easier. Life was so uncomplicated back then.
I remember in 1981 when Parramatta secured their first-ever premiership the old grandstand at Cumberland Oval was dismantled and souvenired by the fans in preparation for the construction of the new “Parramatta” Stadium which took two years to build.
Over the years J’s young footy team had many visits from the Parramatta team. He said that he can remember names such as Bob O’Reilly, Dennis Fitzgerald, Ken Thornett and Terry Fearnley, (just a few of many) often visiting their coaching afternoons to encourage the boys indeed, one year they received their trophy at the presentation picnic from Bob O'Reilly. This held more value to the young J than did his trophy.
I have often wondered whether personal appearances at public functions from prominent players were simply in the name of good public relations for the club. When you talk to people like J and hear the influence and inspiration that these players have on them, I can understand the value of visits to young local teams. In this particular case, the visits sealed long-term support from local families that were just working class families and went on to hand down a legacy of encouragement to the generations that were to come. Yes, my children are also Eels supporters’ lol.
So what makes a supporter of a Rugby League team? It is history, outreach and

What Were The Results?????

It is with great sadness that the Eels lost yesterday's grand final but wow....was I glad that J, Ms K, Mr A and myself attended. The atmosphere was electric with a sea of yellow and blue flags everywhere. Immediately around us were a mixture of Eels and Storm supporters that had fun trying to out-sing and out-flag each other lol. Although the Eels dragged behind the Storm for the entire match it did not stop the Eels fans from cheering on and on and with each try scored by Eels players there was an ear-deafening cheer from all around the stadium. The comaraderie was wonderful regardless of which team one followed as everyone was there to enjoy the day.
Even though the Eels lost they did everyone proud. The Storm were deserved winners, playing better on the day however, Parramatta remain the success story of 2009 after being wooden spoon contenders just seven rounds out from the finals. They turned a very ordinary year of footy around to capture the imaginations of the public by making it to the grand final. Their run from so far back at 8th position to second has certainly put the heart back into rugby league. Indeed at one stage of the competition it pooked as though they would not even make the semi-finals. I read a comment in yesterday's paper about how most people, sport's teams and businesses perform best when thei backs are to the wall, which is what has happenend here in this case, so regardless of a win or loss, the mighty Eels did everyone proud and will be a force to be reckoned with next year.
The age groups also fascinated me. Fans ranged from babies asleep in parent arms through to teens, middle-aged people to the very elderly. So next year I look forward to following the mighty Eeels as part of the Blue and Gold Army when the Rugby League returns in 2010.....GO THE EELS!!!!!!!