Colin Deval, account executive and public relations specialist at Core Creative in Milwaukee, fell in love with the game of soccer early on, but his time abroad changed his love of the game into a passion for not just the sport, but also the culture and the heritage behind what has become more than a game for him.
“My trip abroad is really what turned soccer into ‘futbol’ for me,” Deval said. “My love for the game itself was transformed into more of an affection for everything ‘futbol,’ as I learned to understand the driving forces behind the game, the teams, the leagues and ultimately the culture.”
Deval is a familiar face at The Highbury Pub, which calls itself Milwaukee’s place for everything futbol. He has helped produce a newsletter and the MatchPricks blog that is filled with content related to futbol happenings for the community, he said.
“I love everything about it,” Deval said. “I started out waking up at six in the morning and watching the matches by myself in my living room, but for the past five years I’ve been able to come to the Highbury and watch the game with a community of people who have the same affection as I do. I’ve made some of the best friends of my adult life through watching games at the Highbury.”
In August, Deval has a nearly two week trip to Prague planned where he will not only be able to take in the sites and sounds of the city, he’ll also be watching some futbol. On the trip, Deval plans to take in some of the Poland League games, the Czech League games as well as the Championship League qualifying rounds, he said.
“I’m really excited for the trip, it should be quite the experience.”
