Julia Pulcher shares her story of how she became a Louligan.
More than just a member, Julia helps out on gameday in a number of ways but maybe most importantly she’s taken a leadership role with some of our younger members. She makes sure they’re all having fun and helps them learn the chants and gets them on the drums when she can. If you’re a younger member or will be bringing your kids to the corner, hook up with Julia on twitter at The Next Louligans.
Julia’s Story.
Where do I begin? The first time I ever heard of the louligans was after a discussion with my uncle over a professional team coming to St.Louis. After I had finished jumping up and down and generally being rowdy as all get out about it, my uncle told me about the group of supporters. He asked me what I thought about us potentially sitting with them. And, to be perfectly honest, at first I was smiling on the outside but extremely apprehensive on the inside. In school and other aspects of life I was going through a pretty bad rough patch with a lot of bullying and negative emotions surrounding me. I had grown pretty shy and quiet around a lot of people, and my confidence level was pretty close to being nothing.
One evening, my uncle decided to take me to the first chant practice at soccer park. When we got there people were still filtering in, but everyone seemed pretty comfortable and like they knew each other pretty well. My uncle introduced us to a few people and then we left to get some sodas and something from the shop, that was where I got my first ever piece of STLFC merchandise that I still wear proudly now. When we got back pretty much everyone was there and just kind of hanging out, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the two people leading the whole thing. My uncle urged me to go talk to them and introduce myself, and to be honest I was pretty scared of the two of them, just because they seemed so comfortable and natural with all of the louligans. Little did I know that those two, Jack and Liz, would become two of my mentors in the louligans.
Now before I finish I do want to fast forward to the event that made me feel like I had lots of support and friends in the louligans. The night of the home opener was the most special night that I think I have and will ever experience with the louligans. When my aunt, uncle, and I got there everyone was excited, it was the first time that we would get to show people what we were there to do and everyone felt it. The first march in was amazing, even though it was our first time we all felt the synergy. Everyone in the stadium heard us, and after being a bit awkward for the first couple minutes after the march, everything clicked for me. Suddenly, I had found my voice and I had joined in with the amazing noise making corner that is the louligan corner. For 90 minutes straight I and everyone around me screamed our hearts out. But this, while incredibly and fantastically exciting, is not what made me feel at home with the louligans.
What made me feel that way was after the match. After marching back to our tailgating spot, we all talked for a bit. Mainly because no one wanted to go home. However after a few minutes I felt the entracing spell that was the home opener, begin to wear off. And I began to feel myself go quiet again as I realized that soon I wouldn’t be with these awesome, uplifting people. That was until I felt the hand on my shoulder, and I looked over to see Jennifer Miller standing there. Word had gotten around about school and the bullies there. And not only her but also Brad, Spencer Reed, Liz, Sarah, and pretty much everyone else there talked to me. They told me everything was going to be ok and that life would get better. They welcomed me in, told me that I was ok and that I would always have a place with them. And for that I am extremely grateful to each and every one of them. And that was when I knew the louligans were more than a supporters group, the Louligans are my family. -Julia Pulcher
