Letter Back Home

Hi Eastside!  I'm on the Brooklyn Bridge here!!!

This is the uniform gallery at MLS offices.  Wearing home team colors of course!  :)

Maryann Boddy played soccer at Eastside FC from U11 through U18.  She assisted Tom Bialek with our G95R team for several years.  She went on to play for the Redhawks at Seattle University and the Women Sounders.  After graduating from SU, she took a position with Sounders FC in their marketing department.  Recently she was awarded an internship with the MLS in New York City.  We asked her to write and let us know how things are going.....

Here's Maryann's letter home from the Big Apple....

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Hey EFC!!

Life here has been a blast so far, filled with adventures and definitely some ups and downs, but mostly ups.

An extremely great couple took me in for the first month and a half and I've been living in their guest bedroom in the upper west side. Mark is a UW alum from SNOQUALMIE who manages a hedge fund out here and was in a fraternity with my uncle David. He and his wife Nicole have two boys under the age of 3 whom I love and tuck in for bed every night I'm home in time. They are great people and have made the transition smooth for me as I've been spoiled with my own bedroom, bathroom and Sunday family dinners.

As for the MLS, I've been learning a ton and am super excited to delve more into some PR projects out here. I'm responsible for managing and updating our Twitter account, actively engaging MLS fans and encouraging involvement from MLS clubs and soccer experts. I also help monitor all the major soccer blogs, whether a worldwide, MLS or US Soccer approach, we keep our ears peeled for any and all PR opportunities. Pretty soon here we'll be delving into some World Cup PR so I'm looking forward to that.

I've also been really lucky to help in the press box for the new Red Bull Arena opener in Harrison, NJ against the Brazilian club Santos as well as the inaugural home game for the expansion Philadelphia Union last weekend. They drafted Sebastian Le Toux from the Sounders this year who was a buddy of mine from a few yrs ago and he scored all 3 goals in the 3-2 win! Very exciting for him and brought a little comfort of home.

Aside from that I'm just enjoying all the sights, sounds and tastes of the city. I was going to play for the NY Magic and signed all the paperwork but the first weekend I got here I tore some cartilage in my knee and could hardly walk on it for a couple weeks. So, I joined a gym instead and have settled into the retirement life :-) I am still working out hard though so that when I come back I can keep up with the girls!

I have gotten robbed a couple times already, first my lock was cut at Bally's and all my belongings stolen, and second my wallet was picked from my backpack. So I've had to deal with all the good and the bad of the Big City but I'm definitely learning and taking it all in stride. Unfortunately it's all part of the experience!

I am moving into a 5 bedroom apartment this weekend and really looking forward to some adventures with my new roommates in Greenwich Village. With work and play it's going to be a great spring/summer.

Talk soon!!

Maryann