LouCity Lady Capos!
If you missed last Wednesday’s game then you missed a phenomenon. One we haven’t seen at a LouCity game to date. Two of our LouCity Ladies were on the Capo stand leading our fans in cheering on that 4-1 victory over Sporting KC II.
Melissa Potter was the very first woman Capo for the Coopers and is also one of the founding members for the LouCity Ladies. She is currently serving overseas with her wife, Angie, but her legacy lives on. Melissa left a void in the Capo Corp, especially one for female representation, that Katie Harper wanted to fill.
Katie received a lot of encouragement from the Capos, including her husband, to get up on the stand. Katie says she was nervous about stepping up into the spotlight because she’s generally a very quiet and shy person but loves “building the energy in the stadium to encourage our boys to keep fighting on the field. I don’t participate to be in the spotlight. I genuinely love our team and our fans and just want to try to do my part to make the game-day experience fun and entertaining both on and off the field.”
“(Jorge) said I’ve been ‘training’ for years and that I’m ready. It’s one thing being in the front of the crowd dancing, yelling, and singing loud with your back turned, but facing the other way with eyes on you was kind of intimidating. Last night there were only 3 Capos present, so I thought I’d step up and offer some relief to them…, so I said, ‘What the Heck? And Jorge’s gonna be mad he’s not here tonight to see this!”…But I did it, and it wasn’t so bad. Climbing down the stand in my boot was scary though!”
– Jessica
“I, of course, was inspired by Melissa Potter. When she and Angie moved away I felt there would be a huge void in the Capo Corp in general, especially with no other women being represented in the Capos. I was interested in stepping in to fill the void (although no one could fill Melissa’s shoes,) but was nervous about stepping up into the spotlight because I’m generally a very quiet and shy person. My husband and several friends were already Capos and really encouraged me to go for it. I finally got up the courage to try it and I haven’t looked back. I love being able to help lead our fans in songs and chants. I love building the energy in the stadium to encourage our boys to keep fighting on the field. I don’t participate to be in the spotlight. I genuinely love our team and our fans and just want to try to do my part to make the game day experience fun and entertaining both on and off the field.”
– Katie
The encouragement from the Coopers has continued to grow as Jessica McGraw was also approached by one of the Cooper Capos recently about getting up on the stand. Jessica decided to do just that this past Wednesday night and joined Katie Harper in front of the crowd as a Capo. Jessica said, “It’s one thing being in the front of the crowd dancing, yelling, and singing loud with your back turned, but facing the other way with eyes on you was kind of intimidating. But, I did it and it wasn’t so bad.”
Jessica has now joined the ranks of amazing women leading our fans from the Capo stand. We look forward to seeing more LouCity Ladies taking the stand to cheer on Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC in the years to come.
