From November 2014: The Tacoma Stars are back and so are the Satellites, a supporters group honoring the name of the original “Tacoma Stars Satellites Booster Club” with a new era of their own. The name was meant to return after the original Satellites banner that once hung in the Tacoma Dome was found recently. It wasn’t too long after that Tacomans were organizing around the new Stars of the Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) and then the Major Indoor Soccer League (MASL.)

“We’ve met a couple of times to paint tifos,” says one of the Satellites, Sandi Holdener. “Yesterday we hung two of them at the Tacoma Soccer Center. We will continue to meet and paint 2-poles during the season.” Tifos are signs and banners produced with love in support of local clubs around the globe.

The Satellites are “a mix of both new and longtime members,” Holdener says. “We have some members who have followed the Stars since 1983, and some that are new to the area within the last year or two that are excited to be supporting the team.” William Beritich is one of the old-school Stars supporters. “Me and Dale (Holdener) are fully old-school Stars supporters,” he says. “Many great memories of the Dome days. But there is new blood. People who have moved here since those days…and are really just getting introduced to indoor soccer.”

Tacoma Stars Satellites Open Facebook Group Page

The home of the Stars is also the place the Satellites are turning into their home. “Currently we have the area set aside across from the bleachers where the Satellites will congregate, just past the Far Post Bar. We are also working with John Crouch (Stars GM) to set aside a family area on the same side so Satellite families can be there with us,” says Holdener.

Holdener and the group will let their support develop organically. Says Beritich, “As we are all members of other SGs, we would love to bring as much supporter culture to the Stars matches as we can. Most of us feel wrong just sitting there watching a match. We want to be loud and seen, and to let our team know we are there for them. As this is all pretty new, I’m sure this season will have a lot of feeling out to be done.”

See also: Fan passion at the heart of Tacoma Stars revival

The Satellites hope to track the Stars away from Tacoma, too. “We are also working on getting others to travel/carpool to the away games so there will be some support for the team on the road as well,” Holdener says. “We are always open to thoughts and suggestions from others.”

Beritich expects the group will grow. “As for fans joining, we’re open. They are more than welcome to come join us in our section (As long as they are cheering on the Stars of course). If they want to be in on a more official capacity, the Stars are offering Satellite season tickets. They are the same price as normal season tickets, but come with a Satellite shirt instead of the normal Stars shirt. Also they have retired the number 83 for the supporters (The original Stars were founded in 1983). There will be jerseys available with the name Satellite and number 83.”

The Satellites will stand in a special section at the ShoWare for MASL matches, which kick off November 6th. See Stars ticket info here.