Community Kicks has been continually buoyed through this difficult year by the generosity of the community that it is so grateful to serve. The spirit of the holiday season is strong within the AFCAA Family, as well, as the program has received an incredibly generous donation of $2,500. The donor, Erik Zimmerman, is a long-time supporter of AFC Ann Arbor and is a regular in the supporters’ section as a Main Street Hooligan.
The relationship that Zimmerman has with the club and the community is deep. His love of sports started at a young age as he noted how he was a fan of football, baseball, and soccer all throughout his youth. In 2014, though, that sports fandom was about to hit a bit closer to home. “I remember seeing local news articles about a group that was trying to start a soccer team in Ann Arbor,” he stated, “And from then on I was very interested in following the team.”
Almost immediately, Zimmerman became easily recognizable as a superfan. “During the first few seasons, I went to every home match unless I was out of town and quickly developed a love for the team,” he would say. Zimmerman’s attachment to the side even ran deeper than just the club, but also with the staff: “I was friends with Coach Rudland for a few years before he joined AFC Ann Arbor, so I was excited to see how the club would progress under his leadership.”
Indeed, Rudland and Zimmerman had known each other through a number of years, initially meeting by attending the same church. “Erik is a sports fanatic and we have been fortunate to have his support over the past 5 seasons,” Rudland would say. “Both he and his wife are very generous and their gift to Community Kicks is nothing short of amazing.”
Zimmerman’s desire to help stems partially due to the year that has been. “My wife Bethann and I had been discussing ways that we could do more to try to safely help others during the pandemic, preferably through groups or activities that our family could continue to be connected with in future years as well,” he would say. “Supporting Community Kicks was one of the first things that came to mind.”
Knowing what he knew about AFC Ann Arbor as well as the people behind it, Community Kicks was a natural choice to support. He stated, “Over the past few years, I’ve gotten to know AFCAA Chair Bilal Saeed well and see his passion, shared by AFC, for making the community a better place.” He would learn more about Community Kicks and he noted that it seemed like “a perfect fit” in regard to his family and supporting them with a donation.
When asked about what it is about AFCAA that Zimmerman appreciates so much, he said, “There is so much about being an AFC fan that I really enjoy and admire that it is difficult to focus on only a few things.” However, Zimmerman noted three key things about being a supporter that stand out. First, he noted the gameday experience, specifically the style of play, as he said, “The roster is always loaded with talent, including countless current and future professionals, and the team plays an exciting and well-coached brand of soccer.”
Zimmerman also noted the family-style feel of the club and its supporters. “MSH and other fans of the team become lifelong fans of each player as he or she pursues their dream of playing pro soccer (or whatever other life goals they hope to achieve after their time at AFC), and it seems like the players have that same connection with AFC as well,” he said. He would also add, “The team owners and players often talk about AFC being like a family, and fans are welcomed as part of that family as well.”
Finally, Zimmerman said that the DNA of the club is excellent. Noting how soccer is just one part of the club, he said, “The owners, and club itself, care deeply about the community and prioritize making a positive impact off the field, through programs and other activities such as Community Kicks.”
In times like these, with no on-field season, this has never been truer as time-after-time fans continue to support the club and causes around the club in so many ways. Earlier this summer, after announcing no competition for the entire year, the club shifted focus on expanding its reach and have helped distribute over 30,000 “Learn Soccer” lunch bags around the state.
Supporters and people like Erik Zimmerman are essential to the club. Whether it’s him serving as a snare-drummer as a supporter on away days, crafting spreadsheets to calculate the club’s playoff match-up likelihoods, or through incredible donations like his recent one to Community Kicks, what Community Kicks does would not be possible without the support of the community. We are extremely grateful for Erik and the Zimmerman Family’s donation, and we extend a massive thank you for their continued support and their donation.