Creepy Guy At Your Little Sister’s Soccer Game There For Love Of The Sport

Story by Rick Ryan 

| Published Sep 22, 2009

Melvin Ridger has never played soccer, isn’t familiar with David Beckham and is pretty sure MLS is some kind of blood disease. But he is without a doubt the U11 Thunderstrike Girls soccer team’s biggest fan.

“I’d have to say what gets me out here is the excitement and effort that the team always plays with,” Ridger said. “I’ve watched a lot of youth sports in my day, but nothing quenches my undying thirst for pure athleticism like these eleven year old girls.”

Ridger has been a staple of the Thunderstrike crowd since the girls’ days of YMCA soccer. His dedication to the team is known throughout the fan base of parents, who acknowledge how hard it must be for him to make it to every game as both a bachelor and Lincoln’s fourth most successful ice cream man.

“Rain, snow or sunshine he is at every game,” said parent and snack organizer Lacey Cunningham. “He loves every aspect of the sport. Sometimes we’ll even see him watching practice from his car.”

Ridger is also known for his vast knowledge of all things Thunderstrike. Statistics, game times and memorable moments only skim the surface of just how much he knows about the team.

“Can you believe he knows what time I pick up my little Kimmy from school?” said an impressed Cunningham.

It didn’t take long for the girls to recognize just how important it was to have Ridger around. Having a fan like that in the stand doesn’t just make playing the game more enjoyable, it can also lead to wins. Laura Roberts, the Thunderstrike goalie, says that Ridger has given her some of the best advice when it comes to playing soccer that she has ever received.

“He’s nice and really smart about soccer,” Roberts said. “He’ll call me the night before a game just to tell me that if I go out there and break a good sweat it’ll all work itself out.”

Ridger appreciates the recognition, but it is his first experience with soccer that will stick with him for the rest of his life.

“I was hanging around a jungle gym like I usually do on Wednesday afternoons,” Ridger said. “I look over and I see these girls kicking around a ball. I was instantly drawn to them. It wasn’t their knee high socks. It was the look of joy on their faces.” And at the games today, it’s easy to see the joy on his.