Connect with us

Maine

Deering Memorial Field – Maine Footy Tide

Published

on

Deering Memorial Field – Maine Footy Tide


Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00

Deering Memorial Field
129 Ludlow Street
Portland, Maine 04103

Tide’s Rolling In

The summer of 2023 saw semi-pro soccer come to Portland, Maine’s largest city – the Maine Footy Tide of United Women’s Soccer looks to fill the gap in the development of female soccer players, from collegiate soccer and the professional ranks both stateside and overseas.

Since its inception, the Tide has looked to make an impact both on and off the pitch. Not only has Maine Footy strived to put a highly competitive team on the pitch, but also to provide training opportunities for girls in Portland and the surrounding community.

Advertisement

Food & Beverage   4

Portland has an active food truck scene, which extends to the food options available at Maine Footy matches. Just inside the gates, numerous food trucks offer a wide selection of culinary delights.

The Mainely Burgers truck offers eight different burger options, served on a choice of a potato bun, gluten-free bun, or bed of lettuce with beef or veggie patties. The truck also offers chicken and gourmet hot dogs, with sides including various types of fries, buffalo cauliflower, and onion rings.

The PB & ME truck puts a creative twist on the childhood classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich; their PB tacos are a unique take on Uncrustables, made with flour tortillas. They also offer several grilled cheese and other grilled sandwich options.

Local coffee shop Aroma Joe’s serves a variety of cold drinks, while other trucks provide seltzers, frappes, floats, root soda, and the uniquely Maine soft drink, Moxie.

With food trucks, it is not uncommon for the selection to change throughout the season, but visitors can count on a well-rounded number of options when it comes to food here.

Advertisement

Atmosphere   3

Maine Footy has played both their seasons at Deering Memorial Field (also called Memorial Stadium), which is a no-frills public high school sports facility that has hosted high school football, soccer, and lacrosse over the years. The venue was also home to the Portland Phoenix of United Soccer League 2. Seating here consists of aluminum bleachers on each side of the field; the once well-manicured grounds now seem overgrown with trees and shrubbery, however, rendering one of the entrances nearly unusable. The far side bleachers offer relief from the setting sun behind the west-side (home) seating.

Downtimes in the match, such as when the ball is out of play, when players are setting up for a corner kick, or when a player might need to be tended to by a trainer, are often filled with ad reads, acknowledgments of Maine Footy supporters, and announcements of post-match activities. Tide goals are celebrated with the familiar blast of a lighthouse foghorn, accompanied by Kernkraft 400’s Zombie Nation.

As the summer sun sets behind the homeside stands, sitting in the nearside bleachers becomes nearly impossible. However, while the larger home bleachers provide relief from the setting sun, the swampy pond behind the main seating area harbors many mosquitoes as dusk turns to night.

Neighborhood   3

Memorial Field is located in Portland’s Deering Center neighborhood – mostly surrounded by single and multi-family homes, as well as the neighboring high school’s athletic facilities, it does not lend itself to many major points of interest. However, there are a few local restaurants and convenience stores within walking distance where you can grab a quick bite or drink; Quality Shop, Pat’s Meat Market, and Rosemont Market and Bakery are all excellent options for a quick sandwich.

Downtown Portland, the center of the city’s attractions, is roughly three miles away on the Portland peninsula and features boutique shops, restaurants, and a handful of Maine’s renowned craft breweries and seafood dining spots. For craft beer enthusiasts, the epicenter of Portland’s craft beer scene can be found in the Riverside neighborhood on Industrial Way, which boasts no fewer than six breweries on its industrial loop.  For family-friendly entertainment, the Children’s Museum & Theater of Maine is located at nearby Thompson’s Point.

Advertisement

Considering the overlapping seasons of Maine Footy and the Portland Sea Dogs, both can be easily paired for a weekend of sports in Portland.

Fans   3

Maine Footy draws a decent-sized crowd comprised of both families and community members. Portland has a strong soccer following, recently strengthened by the future United Soccer League member, Portland Hearts of Pine.

Fans enthusiastically support the Tide, cheering for strong defensive plays, shots on goal, earned corners, and saves. However, the lack of a supporter group is somewhat disappointing. However, with the formation of Hearts of Pine came its supporters group, Dirigo Union – it would be nice to see that group supporting soccer across the city, including Tide matches, to create a truly special atmosphere at Deering Memorial Field.

The Tide’s youngest fans might be the most dedicated, bringing homemade signs to encourage their favorite players, and staying well after matches for pictures and autographs.

Access   3

With many homes around the stadium, Memorial Field is truly a neighborhood facility, easily walkable for many fans. As much as Portland tries to be bike and public transit-friendly, it just is not there yet (although they do at least try).

Advertisement

For those arriving by car, there is ample street parking and a parking lot available at the north end of the stadium. Although the parking is far from optimal, given the seating is on the opposite side of the facility from the parking lot, at least the area around the field is paved, which does make traversing much easier. A wheelchair ramp adjacent to the fieldhouse makes the bleachers accessible for all, as well.

Return on Investment   2

Admission to Maine Footy matches costs $20, with the profits “supporting scholarships, community outreach, and other initiatives that benefit the Tide and the community”. Even with proceeds going to worthy causes, the price of admission can be a bit tough to swallow. For comparison, tickets to local summer collegiate baseball in the area run $5, and minor league baseball in the city starts at $15.

Extras   3

Flags representing the countries of origin of Maine Footy’s players are displayed at the entrance to the field.

Fans are allowed to vote for the player of the match by scanning the QR code in the program to register their vote.

Following the match, Maine Footy players host a meet and greet with their youngest fans; this goes a long way in establishing a strong connection with the community, and with those who come out to support the team and its players.

Advertisement

Final Thoughts

The impact that teams such as the Maine Footy Tide can have on a community like Portland’s can never be underestimated. Maine Footy had a successful first season in Portland, building strong community support and furthering that success in its second season. Mainers are a highly dedicated group of backers of their own, and with a roster comprised of several former Maine high school stars, it is easy for the community to get behind the team.

The Tide’s primary goal is to provide a platform for women to showcase their soccer talents, either to improve for their upcoming collegiate season or to use the experience as a stepping stone to a professional soccer career. In addition, however, Maine Footy also looks to play a role in inspiring and supporting the next generation of female soccer players in their soccer journeys, and all signs point to a strong future for both the team and its community impact.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Maine

Opinion: Voter ID referendum is unnecessary, expensive, and harmful to Maine voters

Published

on

Opinion: Voter ID referendum is unnecessary, expensive, and harmful to Maine voters


The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com

Anna Kellar is the executive director of the League of Women Voters of Maine.

This past November, my 98-year-old grandmother was determined that she wasn’t going to miss out on voting for president. She was worried that her ballot wouldn’t arrive in the mail in time. Fortunately, her daughter — my aunt — was able to pick up a ballot for her, bring it to her to fill out, and then return it to the municipal office.

Thousands of Maine people, including elderly and disabled people like my grandmother, rely on third-party ballot delivery to be able to vote. What they don’t know is that a referendum heading to voters this year wants to take away that ability and install other barriers to our constitutional right to vote.

Advertisement

The “Voter ID for Maine” citizen’s initiative campaign delivered their signatures to the Secretary of State this week, solidifying the prospect of a November referendum. The League of Women Voters of Maine (LWVME) opposes this ballot initiative. We know it is a form of voter suppression.

The voter ID requirement proposed by this campaign would be one of the most restrictive anywhere in the county. It would require photo ID to vote and to vote absentee, and it would exclude a number of currently accepted IDs.

But that’s not all. The legislation behind the referendum is also an attack on absentee voting. It will repeal ongoing absentee voting, where a voter can sign up to have an absentee ballot mailed to them automatically for each election cycle, and it limits the use and number of absentee ballot dropboxes to the point where some towns may find it impractical to offer them. It makes it impossible for voters to request an absentee ballot over the phone. It prevents an authorized third party from delivering an absentee ballot, a service that many elderly and disabled Mainers rely on.

Absentee voting is safe and secure and a popular way to vote for many Mainers. We should be looking for ways to make it more convenient for Maine voters to cast their ballots, not putting obstacles in their way.

Make no mistake: This campaign is a broad attack on voting rights that, if implemented, would disenfranchise many Maine people. It’s disappointing to see Mainers try to impose these barriers on their fellow Mainers’ right to vote when this state is justly proud of its high voter participation rates. These restrictions can and will harm every type of voter, with senior and rural voters experiencing the worst of the disenfranchisement. It will be costly, too. Taxpayers will be on the hook to pay for a new system that is unnecessary, expensive, and harmful to Maine voters.

Advertisement

All of the evidence suggests that voter IDs don’t prevent voter fraud. Maine has safeguards in place to prevent fraud, cyber attacks, and other kinds of foul play that would attempt to subvert our elections. This proposal is being imported to Maine from an out-of-state playbook (see the latest Ohio voter suppression law) that just doesn’t fit Maine. The “Voter ID for Maine” campaign will likely mislead Mainers into thinking that requiring an ID isn’t a big deal, but it will have immediate impacts on eligible voters. Unfortunately, that may be the whole point, and that’s what the proponents of this measure will likely refuse to admit.

This is not a well-intentioned nonpartisan effort. And we should call this campaign what it is: a broad attack on voting rights in order to suppress voters.

Maine has strong voting rights. We are a leader in the nation. Our small, rural, working-class state has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country. That’s something to be proud of. We rank this high because of our secure elections, same-day voter registration, no-excuse absentee ballots, and no photo ID laws required to vote. Let’s keep it this way and oppose this voter suppression initiative.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Maine

Maine Democratic Party leader won’t seek reelection

Published

on

Maine Democratic Party leader won’t seek reelection


Maine Democratic Party leader won’t seek reelection

Bev Uhlenhake Maine Democratic Party

The chair of the Maine Democratic Party announced Thursday she won’t seek reelection when members select leaders later this month.

Bev Uhlenhake, a former city councilor and mayor in Brewer and former chair of the Penobscot County Democrats, has served as chair of the state party since January 2023. She is also a previous vice chair of the party.

In a written statement, Uhlenhake noted some of the recent successes and challenges facing Democrats, including the reelection of Democratic majorities in both the Maine House and Senate last November, though by narrower margins, and winning three of Maine’s four electoral votes for Vice President Kamala Harris.

Advertisement

“While we have laid a solid foundation from which Maine Democrats can build toward even greater success in 2026 and beyond, I have decided to step away from Maine Democratic Party leadership for personal and professional reasons, and will not seek reelection,” Uhlenhake said.

Party Vice Chair Julian Rogers, who was also elected to his post in 2023, announced he also won’t seek reelection to leadership, but will resume a previous role he held as vice chair of the party’s committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging.

Democratic State Committee members will vote for the party’s next leaders in elections to be held on Sunday, Jan. 26.

« Previous

South Portland debates natural vs. artificial grass at planned athletic facility



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Maine

Shenna Bellows sworn in for third term as Maine Secretary of State

Published

on

Shenna Bellows sworn in for third term as Maine Secretary of State


AUGUSTA, Maine — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows was sworn into office for her third term Wednesday.  Governor Janet Mills conducted the formal swearing-in of all the constitutional officers, which includes Bellows, State Treasurer Joseph Perry, Attorney General Aaron Frey and State Auditor Matthew Dunlap. In her remarks following the swearing-in, Bellows shared a message of transparency and accessibility in continuing to serve the people of Maine. “It is incumbent upon us as elected officials to make government work for the people of Maine,” Bellows said. “We must reduce bureaucracy, improve efficiency, modernize our systems, and above all, bring people together in community to make life better for the people of Maine.”

The Department of the Secretary of State includes three bureaus: The Maine State Archives, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions.

Advertisement

Bellows emphasized her commitment to ensuring free, safe, and secure elections, modernizing government services, and preserving Maine’s history through the State Archives. She highlighted the importance of standing up for the rule of law and democracy, referring to the legacy of Civil War General Joshua Chamberlain and referencing the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. “This is our Chamberlain moment. We must stand up for the rule of law and do the right thing even when it is hard. As your Secretary of State, I pledge to always ensure that we have free, safe and secure elections and that we adhere to the Constitution and the rule of law in every aspect of everything that we do,” said Bellows. Bellows, Maine’s 50th Secretary of State, previously served two terms in the Maine Senate from 2016-2020 and was the executive director of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine before her election in 2021.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending