Minnesota United’s new goalkeeper Matt Lampson will play his first game in front of the Loons’ diehard supporters in the home opener Saturday.

With chants echoing, flags waving and good-natured rowdiness emanating from the fans’ sold-out sections in the enclosed east end of TCF Bank Stadium, it will be a bonding experience unique to soccer. But it won’t be Lampson’s first impression of how Loons fans rally behind their players.

Weeks after Lampson was traded from the Chicago Fire, Saturday’s opponent for a 1 p.m. kickoff, Minnesota fan Ben Krouse-Gagne emailed the LampStrong Foundation to strike up a connection with the Loons’ largest supporters group, the Dark Clouds. Lampson, 28, overcame stage four Hodgkin lymphoma after his senior year of high school and started the nonprofit in 2014 to provide financial and emotional support to pediatric cancer patients and survivors.

“It was incredibly meaningful to me, the support that I’m already getting without even playing in a (home) soccer game yet,” Lampson said. “I’m hoping that it can be a great partnership.”

Across the world, soccer-supporter groups have been connected with violent or racist hooliganism, but Minnesota’s groups debunk those stereotypes with standards for inclusion, rules for fan conduct and growing emphasis on community service. The Dark Clouds and fellow United supporters groups, True North Elite and the Red Loons, have plans to become independent affiliates of an official nonprofit umbrella they hope will enhance financing and volunteer efforts.

The groups met Thursday to discuss amenities of sections set aside for them behind the south goal at Allianz Field, the $200 million, St. Paul stadium that United plans to open for the 2019 season. Dark Clouds board member Abe Opoti called on supporters group members to pledge five hours of community service during 2018 as part of a larger goal to eclipse 10,000 hours and be the volunteer gold standard among supporters groups in the U.S.

The Dark Clouds, with more than 1,300 members, started their Silver Lining charitable arm in 2012. They had 148 volunteers at 15 events last season for a total of 1,035 hours of community service. That’s up from 726 hours from 104 volunteers in 2016.

“I’m glad to hear that Matt was struck by us reaching out,” Krouse-Gagne said.

True North Elite’s charitable outfit, Keepers of the North, also plans to help LampStrong with the “Change for Change” donation jar they routinely pass around at pregame and away-match watch parties.

TNE, which has about 150 members, strives for each member to serve the community primarily around the Midway neighborhood that surrounds Allianz Field. Some Midway residents have been critical of the impact of the stadium rising from the corner of Interstate 94 and Snelling Avenue, citing parking limitations and noise concerns on game days. United has tried to mitigate those concerns, and supporters are looking to chip in, too.

“We want Midway to look at the team and its supporters as a positive for the neighborhood,” said TNE member James Norungolo.

‘EXACT SYMBOL’

On Saturday, Lampson will meet and take photos with a cancer patient or survivor, something he started during his first pro stop in Columbus, continued in Chicago and even does during road trips.

“I wanted to use my platform as a professional athlete to do good,” Lampson said. “A lot of people are outspoken now with their own agendas and stuff like that, and I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Lampson’s parents, Christopher and Mecy, gave him perspective on the impact they saw him having on cancer patients and their parents. “They said, ‘You are the exact symbol of hope of what their child can be once they are done with treatment.’ That’s when it started to click,” he said.

Lampson was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma weeks before his high school graduation. Through a year of chemotherapy and radiation, he gained 100 pounds and then fully regained his soccer career at Ohio State before turning pro with his hometown Columbus Crew in 2012.

He has forged ties to children’s hospitals in Columbus and Chicago and has begun visits to University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.

RED CARD FOR RACISM

An “ALL FANS WELCOME” rainbow flag in front of United’s supporters section at TCF Bank Stadium, and in 2013 the club became the first local pro team to hold gay pride events.

Dark Clouds member Nachiket Karnik of St. Paul has dealt with racism and holds up the inclusion practices as a badge of honor. He felt called to action when he learned of racism directed at the Idaho Juniors youth team in Boise. The club’s under-11 team has players from Bosnia, Ethiopia, Palestine, Colombia, Mexico, Portugal and Israel and combines to speak eight different languages, said club president and coach Jeromy Tarkon.

Parents of children from other teams have been a problem, said Tarkon, who received a letter warning him to “be careful” because of his role with the club.

Through a campaign called “Red Card for Racism,” Karnik and fellow fan Bridget McDowell are raising money to bring the Idaho Juniors to Minnesota for the Schwan’s USA Cup in Blaine in July. Tarkon’s initial reaction was skepticism. Related Articles Houston Dynamo scores twice in 2nd half to tie Minnesota United

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“At first it was fear because why would somebody do that for our kids? How legitimate is this?” Tarkon said. “When I was able to start communicating with Nach, he and Bridget are some of the most giving and kind people.”

As of this week, more than $8,000 of a necessary $24,000 has been raised to cover travel expenses, logistics and maybe a Loons home game. They have set April 8 as a deadline to reach their goal before airfares are set to increase.

Karnik said his effort is part of a larger focus “to send a message to the greater soccer community in the world and to say when there are these incidents, there are more that stand against it. If you want your voice heard on this, you should speak out.”

Minnesota United’s diehard supporters are backing up those words with action.

TO DONATE:

Red Card to Racism

LampStrong