by James Whitely - SGN Staff Writer

For the first time ever, the Seattle Sounders FC, a Major League Soccer team, participated in a soccer-themed fundraiser event at a Gay bar on June 23. The 'Sounders FC Autograph Party,' held at the Elite, drew Gay and straight soccer fans from all over Seattle.

Sounders FC players Taylor Graham (DF) and Roger Levesque (FW) signed autographs and posed for pictures from 6-9 p.m. at the Wednesday-night soccer party.

"As an employee of the Elite, a Sounders fan and a member of the TEAM Seattle board, I worked with the Sounders players to set this event up," said Steve Nick, primary organizer of the event. A soccer player himself, Nick holds a gold medal from last year's Outgames.

TEAM Seattle is a locally based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to financially assisting LGBT athletes in getting to national and international tournaments.

"There are organizations like them all over the states," Nick told SGN.

The event featured a raffle with Sounders FC prizes, like tickets to games, Sounders gear autographed by the entire team, and other Sounders merchandise.

"The Elite has a really big soccer following, and there is a really big Gay and Lesbian following for the Sounders. I thought that it would be really great way to introduce the Sounders to their Gay community and vice versa," said Nick.

Over 200 soccer fans showed up for the event, raising about $350 for TEAM Seattle. "I don't think a lot of people realized how big the Gay following is," Nick told SGN, "especially with the overall soccer fan base in Seattle - adult soccer is huge, youth soccer is huge."

Nick is pleased that he and the Elite could be a part of such an important coming together.

"Knowing they were so open to doing something in the Gay community & it was really, really cool," said Nick. "I think it also really solidifies the Elite as a soccer bar. & We want to make the Elite the home of Gay Sounders fans on Capitol Hill." The Elite hopes this won't be the last time the Seattle Sounders make an appearance on Capitol Hill.

A true lover of the game, Nick will be playing on the TEAM at the Gay Games in Cologne in early August. Right now, however, he's happy to just be watching the World Cup.

"I think it's going to be Brazil or Argentina." Nick told SGN.

Team Seattle exists to facilitate, provide, and promote opportunities for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community and their friends in all sports and at all levels of ability.

For more information on TEAM Seattle, visit: www.teamseattle.org.

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