THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND DECATUR FC:

‘THE GIFT WE’VE BEEN GIVEN’ 

Written by Jennifer Ellis 
Photos by Bree Hicken

Players from DECATUR FC returned home in May to more than just new teammates and coaches: they rejoined a community that puts heart at the center of women’s soccer.
 

In its 2024 inaugural season, the club aimed simply to keep its head above water, anticipating a modest turnout of 50 to 100 die-hard women’s soccer fans. To the surprise of nearly everyone, DECATUR FC not only exceeded its expectations for fan engagement, it shattered league-wide attendance records again and again.
 

More than 1,800 fans packed the stands of Decatur High School for the club’s home opener—a 5-0 win over crosstown rival, Atlanta Fire United—setting the stage for this grassroots-driven success story. That momentum continued with DECATUR FC breaking its own record two weeks later, with over 2,100 fans attending the second home game of the 2024 season.
 

By the end of the year, the club had found success both on and off the field, finishing second in the Southeast Conference with a 6-1-1 record, drawing more than 7,700 fans over four home dates.
 

This growth, according to club leadership, reflects more than wins and marketing. It’s the result of deep-rooted community support and the small-town spirit DECATUR FC calls home.
 

Joel Gould, DECATUR FC’s general manager credits the city’s size and walkable layout with fostering a uniquely tight-knit environment on game day.
 

“I think the best stat for us is that 70 percent of people live within easy walking distance of our stadium in the downtown area,” Gould said. “When you think about Premier League teams and how it’s just the community walking to the stadium, we definitely have that kind of feel here. You can come out and see our players practicing on the fields, it’s pretty accessible to everybody.”
 

With that accessibility in mind, DECATUR FC introduced a game-day ritual in 2024 aimed at deepening community connection and engagement. Festivities begin two hours before kick off, with player meet-and-greets, youth kickarounds, and activities in the downtown square. As kick off approaches, fans march together, chanting, accompanied by drumlines, the short distance to the stadium.
 

The connection doesn’t end at kickoff. Long after the final whistle, players remain engaged with supporters.
 

“Last year, our players would stay at the stadium 45 minutes to an hour just signing autographs. It was crazy.” Gould said. “Our community’s been so great to us—from the city and school system, who let us use the stadium, to the fans and local businesses. We do everything we can to give back and keep our players out in the community.”
 

When DECATUR FC faced off against Union 10 FC in its preseason home opener on May 23 at 7:00 p.m. (EST)—comfortably winning 8-1—club leadership was more aware than ever of the gifts this tight-knit community has to offer.
 

Its focus this season is on the Path to the Pitch initiative—a collection of youth-driven programs designed to make soccer, particularly women’s soccer, more accessible, equitable, and impactful for the Decatur community. 
 

The initiative includes: 500 free season tickets for underserved youth across Atlanta. The Sports Bra Project, which provides essential athletic wear to girls in need. A $10,000 donation to the Decatur Bulldog Booster Club to fund equipment, uniforms, and other sports resources. Partnerships with Soccer in the Streets and Laureus Sport for Good, offering year-round training, mentorship, and life skills programming for under-resourced youth.
 

Beyond providing these resources, DECATUR FC has launched ‘Wednesday Night Lights,’ a weekly event focused on building meaningful relationships between players and the community.
 

​Every Wednesday evening, DECATUR FC players host a free, introductory soccer clinic for girls ages six to 14. Coupled with a welcoming, family-friendly game-day atmosphere, the program ensures young girls—especially those who may not have had prior access to organized soccer—can find inspiration, connection, and fun through the sport.
 

“We developed the program to say, ‘Alright, everyone has been so great and generous to us. How can we give back as much as we can?’” Gould said. “We don't want there to be an access issue. We want everyone to come in and see what it can be like to play at this level as a young female. We view our games as a tool to generate interest in younger girls beginning or continuing to play soccer.”
 

These kinds of community-centered initiatives are no small feat. Gould credits the many people working behind the scenes, and the community at large, for the club’s continued success.
 

“It takes a big team to do all of this, and it takes a lot of support from the community and our clubs,” Gould said. “This is a perfect example of how it takes a village. We’re just lucky this community has embraced us the way it has.”
 

That support isn’t just fueling Decatur FC’s present—it’s laying the groundwork for something bigger. For the team, investing in youth isn’t only about the next generation of players—it’s about changing the culture around women’s soccer, one girl at a time.
 

“Sometimes seeing our players play who are really high level—SEC, ACC, Division 1 players—it's different to see them under the lights at a high school, I think it makes it seem more attainable for some of these young players,” Gould said. “It’s not Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It’s right here. And suddenly it’s like, ‘Wow, I think I could do that.’”
 

That sense of proximity is key. A Women’s Sports Foundation survey shows by age 14 girls are dropping out of sports at two times the rate of boys. For DECATUR FC, the mission becomes clear: start girls early and keep them engaged longer. Building the confidence of even one female player out of thousands is a worthwhile goal for the program. 
 

Gould noted keeping young women engaged is nuanced.
 

“It's about getting the right equipment for these young girls, and a sports bra, provides dignity and confidence and everything that allows a young girl to feel, you know, like she's in the right place and playing on the right field. And so in any way that we can be a part of those things, and make it easier, that's where we're trying to do.” Gould said. 
 

Even as the club eyes competitive success on the field, leadership is just as focused on making an impact off of it.
 

“We are trying to be the most competitive team we can. Period. End of sentence. On the field, and off the field, we are trying to set the standard and everything that the WPSL does, from our ticketing system to our website, our fan engagement, to our game day experience,” Gould said. “I think we have the number one and number two spots from all-time attendance last year. Our goal is to have all the top five this year.”
 

With personal ties to surrounding elite youth soccer programs like Inter Atlanta FC, TYSA Youth Soccer Club, and Gwinnett Soccer Academy, DECATUR FC is part of a broader movement within the area, working with organizations like Atlanta United Community Fund and Soccer in the Streets to drive progress forward.
 

“Right now, everyone's at least holding hands and facing in the same direction, we're all trying to solve the same problem and I think we all motivate each other to continue it,” Gould said. “I think that's the great thing about the Atlanta soccer scene, everyone is focusing on this together.”