Today is International Women’s Day. The Vancouver Southsiders Board of Directors would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous contributions women make each and every day to the betterment of our organization and to the growth of supporters culture in British Columbia.

Our “Southsisters” march to BC Place with the best of ’em and sing their hearts out every match.

They volunteer as capos, tifo creators, charitable fundraisers, away days stewards and board members.

They turn out in great numbers at our rallies and social events.

They make our recreational teams a success as fierce competitors on the pitch and curling rink.

They set an outstanding example for newcomers who are just learning what it means to be a football supporter.

When the Southsiders first formed in 1999, it was a small but overwhelmingly male group that worked very hard to convince the Whitecaps and their fans what a proper match day experience should be like and how supporters had a critical role to play in that process. Since then our numbers have grown exponentially and hundreds of women have stepped forward to say “I want to be a part of that and I can help make it even better.” For that, we are extremely grateful.

Thank you very much to each and every one of you who raise a Southsiders scarf with pride. You keep us honest and accountable, and you motivate us to be better leaders in our community.