GUEST COLUMN: Runners success a community effort

Runners familia! What can I say? We've made it through season five, and this accomplishment is huge! I don't think many of you realize how important this is for our community. It shows that you are part of the equation that gives this community hope and positivity we all so desperately need.

First, I would like to thank our fans for their continued support cheering us on even during our lows of the season. Thank you to the many businesses and organizations that partnered with us in season five. Every business and organization have provided such amazing support for our team as we work together to help each other grow. That's why we call you partners! Thank you to our players for your dedication to this team!

I'd also like to give a huge shoutout to the unsung heroes of our organization: Our game-day staff! Thank you so much for your belief in our vision and dedication to our product. It's because of you that our game-day operations are awesome and fans enjoy the experience.

I don't think many truly know our story. We try to tell it as best as we can with the goal to inspire others in the community when they feel all hope is lost.

The idea of the Runners started seven years ago out of the need to make New Mexico sports the best that it can be, and we've worked incredibly hard to create something from nothing. We purchased the league license for the market and we got to work with a partnership packet to offer businesses in the community.

Businesses believed in what we were working to accomplish, and from that foundation we were able to put a program together on the field. This included reaching out to the community to invest in our team through season ticket purchases. We have amazing season ticket holders that have been with us since the beginning, and we are so grateful that you've believed in what we wanted to bring to the table.

Going back to our first season, we really didn't know what to expect. We were officially New Mexico's first Major Arena Soccer League team in history, and we knew that many people here didn't really know what the sport of arena soccer consisted of even though the sport had been in the U.S. since the 1970s.

I didn't know what was going to happen to even make the first season happen. We were able to settle in with a head coach and assistant coach that came in tandem.

I'd like to give a shoutout to head coach Steve Famiglietta, who since the beginning understood what the purpose of the Runners organization was all about; he played the arena soccer game at the highest level and would go on to be the oldest goal scorer in professional arena soccer history through our organization at the age of 57 during our 2022-23 season.

A major shout out of gratitude goes out to assistant coach Nick Famiglietta. Because of his soccer training as a youth (by his father), his understanding of the technicalities of soccer was a perfect fit to give us a runway to pull a roster of players together.

Steve and Nick have been crucial in maintaining the product on the field while our family works the organization outside of soccer, including the game-day experience. These partnerships are important and symbiotic to build a product for the community.

One of my goals that I continue to work toward is to bring our local sports teams together as one #TeamNewMexico. This only happens when all organizations put their egos aside and become selfless with the reminder that we are all a part of this community and must do our part to lift it up. There is a lot of progress here, and it's exciting!

In the offseason, we will be working to build a winning program for season six that breathes tradition. The community's help is needed for this to happen. Sports economics dictate that if fans are buying tickets, coming to games and supporting the teams in every way possible, this gives sports organizations a chance to invest in higher-level talent. This is the plan, and we need you to play a role in order for us to accomplish this.

I am officially challenging you to invest in our team by purchasing season tickets, buying merchandise, partnering your business with ours, sharing our content on social media, as well as spreading the word to your family and friends about what the New Mexico Runners are all about! I want to see more of you in the stands next season; I want to see more of you wearing Runners shirts and hats.

Let's continue to give our community something to be proud of and embrace. Let's give our community a beacon of hope and positivity. That's why our catch-phrase is "Run As One."

My wife Kathryn, my boys Ezekiel and Lukas, and myself thank each and every one of you. See you in season six!