Welcome to “We are Common”. Every week, we will be introducing you to the people that make up Lansing Common FC. Since this is a community-owned team, this is your chance to learn about all of those who literally make Lansing Common FC what it is. We will start by introducing you to our board members, who were elected in January. Since then, they have been hard at work getting this team ready to play soccer in 2021.
Today, we introduce you to Geoff Sykes. Geoff is not only the Vice President of Lansing Common FC, he is also our designer. You may be familiar with his work if you know what our crest looks like.
How long have you lived in the Lansing area, and what do you enjoy most about it?
I’ve lived in the Greater Lansing Area since 2007, and the city itself since 2012. I love how Lansing has just about everything, but still feels small and familiar.
What was the moment or team that got you invested in Lansing soccer?
The first Lansing United match in 2014. I had always wanted a local team, so I went to the first match to check and see it was legit. Needless to say, I loved it from that moment on.
What professional or personal experiences have you brought to the board that have helped you contribute?
I work as a Designer and Product Developer at Moneyball Sportswear. It has allowed me to use my branding skills to help the club find its visual identity. Be on the lookout for awesome products in the future. Outside of that, I have experienced how other teams at similar levels do their game-day operations and have been using that to start to shape what our own game day will look like.
What is something important that the team needs to do to be as successful as we want it to be?
Members need to be in the business of attracting new members. To truly reflect Lansing, we need to keep reaching out into our community. Tell your friends and family about us. Tell your coworkers about us. The more people who are aware of us and feel welcomed by our members, the healthier we will be in the long run.
Where do you see Lansing Common FC in 5 years?
Existing. On a more serious note, I would like the club to field championship level sides supported by a community of individuals from all walks of life. On a personal level, I would like to see some form of youth academy or training program in the works. Long term bucket list goal…I would like a soccer-specific stadium to play in. Nothing fancy or anything. Just our own place to call home.
Over the next few weeks, we will be introducing you to the rest of our 6-person board. After that, we want to highlight other members as well. If you want to volunteer to be featured, please contact us at info@lansingcommonfc.com.
