To our community,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We did it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After years of dreaming together \u2014 and finally stepping onto the pitch over these past six months \u2014 we\u2019re reaching the end of our inaugural season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout my life, soccer has always been more than a game. It\u2019s been a way to connect people, to inspire one another, and to build something bigger than ourselves. This game has the power to bring out the best in a community \u2014 and together, we\u2019ve shown exactly that here in Maine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether you\u2019ve been with us since before we even had a name, you\u2019re a season ticket member, cheering from afar, or somewhere in between \u2014 your support is the heartbeat of this club. And what we\u2019ve built together is something truly special. You can feel it \u2014 in the stands, on the streets of Portland, across state lines and around the world. This isn\u2019t just a soccer team; it\u2019s a community that believes in one another. Something that brings us all together\u2026 a beacon of joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This particular\u00a0game is special for a number of reasons. Not only could it be our last home match, but it also marks the anniversary of the Lewiston shooting. At the 18th minute, we invite you to stand in honor of the 18 victims together as a community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With playoffs on the horizon and the chance to bring postseason soccer home to Maine, I want to take a moment \u2014 no matter what happens next \u2014 to say thank you. Every single one of you has helped make this possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a reason I love walking through the stands on matchday. Meeting you, hearing your stories, seeing your pride. It reminds me why we started this in the first place. Hearts of Pine has always been for the people, and I\u2019m just lucky to have played a small part in it. This has been more meaningful than I ever could have imagined, and I know we\u2019ll all carry the memories of this first season with us for the rest of our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thank you for always leading with your heart \u2014 and for being the soul of this club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yours in building community through the beautiful game,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gabe Hoffman-Johnson UP THE HEARTS!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" To our community, We did it. After years of dreaming together \u2014 and finally stepping onto the pitch over these past six months \u2014 we\u2019re reaching the end of our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1395,"featured_media":12917,"template":"","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","sec_enable_news":false},"sec_news_tag":[440,537,397],"sec_sponsor":[],"class_list":["post-12914","sec_news","type-sec_news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","sec_news_tag-gabe-hoffman-johnson","sec_news_tag-community-hearts-of-pine","sec_news_tag-portland-hearts-of-pine","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/strong>Founder, Portland Hearts of Pine<\/p>\n\n\n\n