BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - Katie Bond traveled halfway around the world to see her hometown team, Chelsea FC.
As part of Soccer Celebration, the interactive fan zone located just outside Toyota Park at the Sierra Mist All-Star Game, she posed for a photo with Kansas City Wizards defender Jose Burciaga, Jr. after getting his autograph. But there's no doubt about it: Bond was here to see Chelsea, especially defender John Terry.
"I love him, I've had lunch with him before," she said.
Bond, 25, was able to have lunch with Terry as part of a Chelsea community event. She has season tickets for Chelsea, and if there was any doubt to her allegiance, she was sporting a Chelsea jersey. The blue jersey, of course, had Terry's name and number emblazoned on it.
Bond wasn't exactly ready for the many kicking games dotting the All-Star Soccer Celebration. She was wearing open-toed shoes. But she appreciated the event, nonetheless.
"It's different from England," Bond said.
Bond was anxious to see the new players for Chelsea. The All-Star Game was a chance for her to become familiar with some new players, and a new opportunity for a fan that follows her hometown team to every match.
A fan to celebrate, to be sure. And perhaps one that will also become a fan of Major League Soccer thanks to a little up-close-and-personal time.
Nicholas Taylor, 9, made a bit of a trip himself. He hails from Petaluma, Calif., and soon found himself in a slightly cramped soccer field, but he had no problem with that fact.
"You save energy playing on a short field," Taylor said.
The area featured a four-on-four game on what amounted to slightly smaller than an average backyard. How small was it? The goalkeeper scored on a deflected shot.
Taylor worked on his dribbling skills during the game. He plays wing for the Sonoma County Lions in the North Bay San Francisco area.
"It will help me become a better player," Taylor said.
Joe Fowler, 8, had a short commute with his father from Stager, Ill. He just wanted to do mainly one thing at Soccer Celebration.
"I wanted to do the shootout games," Fowler said.
Fowler plays with a traveling team, the Crete Hawk Flyers. He plays defender and goalkeeper.
"I wanted to put my leg and muscle into it for my shot," Fowler said.
Fowler may be a defender at heart. He doesn't think goalkeepers move around much.
"On defense, when the ball comes down you can attack the goal, you get to move around a lot more," he said.
Riley Moore, 5, of Sedalia, Mo., got a chance to reconnect with Kansas City players Jimmy Conrad and Burciaga. Moore also landed Burciaga's autograph. But the highlight in Bridgview was making a Burger King commercial with Conrad.
"We dribbled together," said Moore.
A celebration covering soccer, with fans from abroad following their local team, and a domestic fan finding his local heroes 500 miles down the road.
Thomas Foote is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
