The crowd is passionate at Boston Banshees games. Photo by Ali Tousignant via alitousiphotos.com.
Quincy, MA– Boston’s newest professional sports team, the Boston Banshees, played their second home game– the team’s fourth game of the inaugural season in Quincy on April 19. It was one of the first nice days of spring, with temperatures in the upper 70s and a strong breeze. Banshees head coach Kitt Ruiz said that the weather presented a challenge for her players, who hadn’t had much chance to practice in heat yet, but the 1,500 or so fans who packed the stands at Veterans Memorial Stadium enjoyed the change.
One group of a half dozen co-workers in t-shirts and sunglasses attended the game together. They caught my ear as one woman tried to explain an offside play by comparing it to hockey. Her companion was wearing a Boston Fleet hat and laughing along.
I spoke to the pair about what drew them to the Banshees game. Meg, the Fleet fan, and Cheryl, the rugby fan, met while working for the Girl Scouts. Cheryl told me that she used to play rugby at Colby Sawyer College and then with the Charles River Rugby Team, until she tore her ACL.
“I was a loose head prop for the two years [at Colby Sawyer], and I played second row for my first year [with Charles River].”
For new fans who aren’t familiar with rugby terminology, Cheryl explained her positions:
“When the opposing teams kind of lock together into that big mess on the field, that’s the scrum. And the props are the people in the front row and then the second row is just that, the second row of people. So usually bigger, stronger folks pushing against each other trying to get the ball.”
Meg had taken Cheryl to a few Fleet games in Lowell, so Cheryl returned the favor:
“I suggested that Meg should come and watch some rugby. And we would try and teach them as much as we could.”
Meg, meanwhile, had a long history with hockey:
“I played hockey my whole life, starting when I was like three. I’ve been following women’s professional hockey since the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and through all the iterations of National Women’s Hockey League, PHF, now to the PWHL. And I’m a grad student at UMass Lowell, so I’ve been a season ticket holder for the past two years and I’ve loved going to the games. I’ve loved seeing a lot of these elite players have the chance to play in some big venues and have consistent support.”
Now that women’s rugby is starting to professionalize as well, it seemed like the perfect time to take in a game.
“Professional women playing sports,” Cheryl said simply. “Why not support them, and get this team kind of up and running?”
The pair became aware of the Banshees’ inaugural season at a Boston Fleet game. Some of the Banshees players attended a tabling event at the Fleet’s ‘Women’s Empowerment Month’ Unity Night, alongside groups like the NWSL’s Legacy FC and the Boston Marathon.
With Cheryl’s help, Meg is starting to get a feel for rugby:
“I’m used to basically hockey and that’s it. I maybe know some of the rules of soccer, but this game’s a bit more intense, and there’s more physical contact, players doing all different kinds of things. Like you have to be strong, but you also gotta be fast, you gotta be sneaky. So it’s been fun to watch and pick up on what they’re doing.”
They’ve also noticed similarities between the games:
“A lot of good camaraderie amongst the team and you can see when they get kind of get into a flow with things. When they’re making their way downfield and the players are already anticipating where the ball is going to go so that they can support their teammates. And I think it’s very similar to a good hockey team in that level of support.”
Cheryl and Meg were both very grateful that it was a warm day, particularly since the first Banshees game in Massachusetts a few weeks prior was cold and rainy. Meg said that it made a good change from cold rinks and that hockey fans would enjoy coming to a rugby game:
“There’s plenty of hits and that intensity that they brought to the PWHL with adding hitting. Then you can get to see rugby and definitely a lot of– the drum is fun. That’s something new and it is nice to just be outside, be in the sun, enjoy that.”
‘The drum’ is one of several I’ve spotted at WER games this season. Similar to soccer games, a fan bangs on the drum periodically during gameplay and leads the crowd in chants and cheers. The fans in Quincy are very energetic, often getting up onto their feet to cheer, and waving around signs and cardboard cutouts of players’ faces.
The success of the team– currently second in the league with 21 points– certainly contributes to the environment at the games.
“The season’s been going amazing,” said Cheryl. “I love being able to follow them and see all the clips from their games and whatnot. They’re killing it. They’re doing absolutely amazing, which is really awesome to see for their inaugural season.”
Cheryl ordered her Banshees merch before she made it out to a game; unfortunately, she picked a sweatshirt.
“Not a day to wear it,” she said, squinting out at the field.
I asked if the atmosphere at games would be comfortable for queer hockey fans. Meg answered confidently:
“Oh yeah, there’s a lot of queers here.”
After laughing, they expanded:
“I think it’s a really great friendly environment. You can see a lot of members of the queer community around. So, yeah, it’s fun.”
Cheryl agreed: “We’ll let the hockey fans come join us. Everyone’s welcome.”
“You’ll explain the rules,” Meg added.
“I’ll do the very best I can.”
Games are broadcast live and on-demand on DAZN
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