A letter from the US
Dear schwatzgelb.com,
My name is Jake Vertin and I am almost 17 years old. I live near San Francisco, California. And like all of you, I love Borussia Dortmund. My mom is from Dortmund (Sölderholz) and for as long as I can remember, I've been a BVB fan.
Before moving to California, I lived in Atlanta, Georgia, where I attended the Atlanta International School and studied German for five years, from kindergarten to 3rd grade. It was during these years that I became a BVB supporter. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, Fox Soccer Channel would broadcast bundesliga matches. I remember watching games during the times of Amoroso, Rosicky, Koller, Lehmann, and the Meisterschaft. It was 2002, and Dortmund, as we all know, won the title that year. Perhaps it was their success mixed with my mother's passion that made me so passionate.
Luckily, I have always been in close contact with my mom's family. I try travel to Germany as often as I can to visit them and to keep up my German language skills. I have come to know Dortmund fairly well and I understand the importance that BVB has to its residents. BVB is in their blood, and I see that it is the same for everyone in my mom's family. I also feel BVB in my blood, even though I am thousands of miles away in sunny California.
The first time I was in the Westfalenstadion was in 2003 for a Champions League qualifier against Club Brugge, which unfortunately BVB lost. Since then, I have been to four Bundesliga matches with my Uncle, all which we have won. My Dad, who is Californian, was completely blown away by the supporters on the Sudtribune. I remember him telling me that he couldn't help thinking that the sudtribune was like something you would have seen in the 1940's in Germany, with all the organized movements and chants. Surely, all it takes is one visit to the Westfalenstadion to see passion at its purest.
The bundesliga is surely the most interesting and exciting league in the world. The long lasting traditions (except Hoffenheim of course) and the overwhelming passion for the game are trademarks of the league. Its fans like the fans on the Sudtribune, or perhaps even the Schalke Nordkurve, though I hate to say it, that make this league so special. In the United States, there is absolutely no tradition when it comes to soccer. Here we have franchises, which are sort of like businesses. If business is bad, a team can move to another city. This happened recently with the San Jose Earthquakes, who were forced to relocate to Houston, Texas, becoming the Houston Dynamo. Clearly this would be absolutely unthinkable in Europe, for a club to move to another city. Only during the World Cup does soccer become popular among the American people. But for most Americans, the US soccer team is just another team to watch and root for if they are doing well.
I am very excited for the upcoming season. Hopefully BVB will be able to maintain their success in the Bundesliga while at the same time travel around Europe in the Europa League. I plan to watch as many games as I can, even if it means waking up at 6:30 Saturday morning or excusing myself from class for a weekday Europa League match (if my mom lets me... last year she let me watch the derby at home on a Friday so I have high hopes).
Borussia Dortmund gives me passion and something to believe in, and they will always be a part of who I am. I just hope that we soon get the success that we deserve!
From California,
Jake Vertin
