Independent Supporter Groups exist for the Kansas City Wizard’s are essentially bands of people who have clubbed together to co-ordinate support, social and travel activities surrounding the Wizards. I was made aware of them pretty soon after I started coming to see the Wizards and I sneeringly decided that I was above joining such a group. A few years later I am a paid up member of the Hillcrest Syndicate and while I still like to sneer a bit I am glad that I am.

When I first started going to the odd game at Arrowhead it was largely a social exercise with bands on England friends. We’d sit, laugh at the football and leave drunk. The problem was I actually love the game and as they quit coming, and I started coming more and more I became an isolated band of one. The Wizards moved to Community America Ballpark a couple of years ago, I had season tickets and after a while got bored of coming to games on my own. The problem was I didn’t know anybody. My break through finally came when I went on a road trip to see the Wizards play in St Louis. It was probably the most miserably hot weather I have ever endured at a game and the 0-0 draw with FC Atlas one of the most dour games I can remember however on the trip I got talking to a few guys and from there managed to meet plenty of other people.

I started looking at the Hillcrest Syndicate group as something “the guys belonged” to and after seeing the charitable events they were taking on decided it was finally time to make the leap. Had I elected to join the group earlier my days of watching games essentially alone would have come to an end earlier. These days I look at Wizards games as not only games of soccer but also social events. I turn up early and tailgate, have a few drinks, chat with people that I have come to regard as friends and it just makes the entire experience more fun.

I decided a few weeks ago to run a series on the various supporter groups. Robert Houghton, who leads the Hillcrest Syndicate was the only person to answer the requests for info I sent out. So in a series of one here is the low down on the Hillcrest Syndicate. If you are a member of the other groups, and wish to get some info out drop me a line by sending email to james@kcwfans.com.

Hillcrest Syndicate

Description of the group

Hillcrest Syndicate is made up a mixture of the “old guard” of the Cauldron (several members were part of the original Mystics supporter group from the early days of the Wizards) and newer supporters in the section, we are the largest Independent Supporter Group in the Cauldron. We are open to all Wizards supporters. Annual membership is $20 per person, and that gets you: a Hillcrest Syndicate t-shirt, Syndicate decal for your car, a membership card, Syndicate discounts at official Wizards watch parties, discounted single game tickets, voting rights for Syndicate Leadership positions, an opportunity to present the Man of the Month scarf to a player on field prior to a home match.

How many members do you have?

Current paid membership sits at around 50

What kind of events do you run outside of the Wizards?

Hillcrest Transitional Housing Walk for the Homeless, Pub Crawl for Cancer, Tour de Cure, Relay for Life, Race for the Cure, Light the Night, Memory Walk. Information about the various events is located here: http://www.hillcrestsyndicate.com/getinvolved.html

Meeting places

Where can people meet members of the group? We tailgate prior to Wizards home games in the Northwest corner of the CAB parking lot, and the majority of member stand in the right front area of the Cauldron during the games (no requirement to do so, that’s just where most of us ended up).

Do you have Websites or Facebook profiles that people can check out?

www.hillcrestsyndicate.com and there is a Hillcrest Syndicate Facebook page as well that is updated regularly.

Are you actively recruiting? What kind of people are you looking for?

Yes, we are actively recruiting. We are open to any and all Wizards fans, whether they stand in the Cauldron or not.

How do they join?

There are a couple of ways to join: you can join online, using PayPal, at http://www.hillcrestsyndicate.com/joininfo.html
Or you can join in person at any Wizards game by stopping by the tailgate or at any Wizards away game watch party.