Naturalists, cryptozoologists, and soccer fans had been mystified for years by what had been lurking around Northeast Indiana.
Sounds had been heard, calls like “Olé” … “Allez” … “Press” and “Goooooooal.” Fur had been collected, though the coloring mystified scientists, unable to identify what sort of species could possibly have Autumn Gold-colored mohawk fur.
Children have always been more adept at seeing this strange creature. One reported seeing it at The Old Fort, one of the area’s most famous landmarks, watching what appeared to be USL Cup soccer action on a cellphone. Another kid alleged to have seen an animal with soccer ball-patterned fur doing the backstroke in the Maumee River with a sign that read: “Just enjoying my hydration break.” And a child at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory swore to her disbelieving parents that she saw a creature practicing bicycle kicks deep in the foliage.
It wasn’t until a Fort Wayne Football Club staff member found the creature nesting at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium that at least one big piece came into focus: He was a fan of Fort Wayne Football Club.
No one is quite sure where he comes from, and while he shares characteristics with a gorilla, he is something quite different – a GOALRILLA, a highly energetic, soccer-obsessed species. And he’s found his home at 6411 Bass Road, where he’ll be a fixture delighting fans, young and old, and cheering on Northeast Indiana’s newest professional sports team.
There are theories that he’s from another world, sent to Earth – Fort Wayne, to be exact – after broadcasts of “Planet of the Apes” movies were viewed on his home world. Charleton Heston’s character in the original movie, George Taylor, was from Fort Wayne, and that character’s origins have been referenced in multiple subsequent films, so sending an ape to Fort Wayne just made perfect sense.
Others believe the Goalrilla is something else, a previously undiscovered species drawn to Fort Wayne by the confluence of the Maumee, St. Mary’s and St. Joseph Rivers. While scientists haven’t been able to confirm there’s much truth to magical properties of the waterways, the Goalrilla boasts that upon first dipping his toes into Fort Wayne waters he was immediately bestowed with encyclopedic knowledge of soccer and world-class footballing ability.
The Goalrilla chose the name FRIENDLY because it’s his favorite term in soccer.
Something he loves about soccer is the camaraderie, that it’s a universal language, a sport that needs little more than a ball to unite people from every culture and every corner of the world. A friendly competition is an exhibition between two teams, sometime from very different levels of play, and as a Goalrilla who dreams of getting on the pitch against professional players, while entertaining the sport’s youngest fans, the name just made sense to him.
Friendly is capable of playing all positions on the pitch, and he has a knack for scoring goals with a deceptively hard strike, but he is very passionate about goalkeeping, too – as evidenced by the four-fingered goalkeeper gloves he refuses to take off.
His favorite player is DaMarcus Beasley, a native of Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne FC’s Co-owner and Director of Football Operations, and the only man to play in four World Cup competitions for the U.S.
Friendly’s longtime dream is to face Beasley in penalty kicks at Ruoff Mortgage Stadium.
Friendly’s favorite treat to stay energized before going to the pitch is to consume frozen bananas. His favorites, with sprinkles, are available in the North Concourse at the Totally Bananas kiosk.
We’ve learned that Goalrillas are born with striking blue-and-white coloring, but when they reach the age of maturation, around 6, they shed that in favor of Autumn Gold and Black – just like Fort Wayne FC’s colors.
Now that he’s been identified, Friendly is eager to grow the sport of soccer in his adopted home of Fort Wayne, and especially excited about interacting with soccer fans young and old. Friendly was recently spotted observing residents of the Fort Wayne Zoo, where he took note of various gaits, mannerisms and calls made by zoo residents that particularly intrigued kids.
Scientists still have far more questions than answers when it comes to Friendly the Goalrilla, but one thing is certain: He has found his home with Fort Wayne FC.
