Community Outreach

Portland Timbers' Nat Borchers helps local high-school student nab prom date | SIDELINE

Nat Borchers in training with the Portland Timbers

Nat Borchers is making all kinds of fans in his new city.


Already a favorite for his Portlandia-approved beard and, of course, his abilities on the field, the new Portland Timbers center back provided an assist to a local high schooler in need of a prom date.


Borchers, acquired this offseason after seven years with Real Salt Lake, was giving a speech Monday at Lakeridge High School in nearby Lake Oswego as part of the Timbers’ support of AC Portland, a local partner in the club’s Stand Together charity initiative.


The speech was to be about setting and achieving goals, but Borchers gave the crowd more than they bargained for.


According to the Timbers website, Nick Rooney, captain of the Lakeridge boys soccer team, asked for Borchers' help in asking out Erin Elliott, captain of the girls soccer team.



During the speech, Borchers called Elliott out of the crowd and asked to see how many times she could juggle a soccer ball. When signing a jersey for her, Borchers then added an extra question: “Erin, will you go to the prom with Nick?”


Erin said yes, and the rest is history. The heartwarming moment can be seen in the above video.