My name is Jon-Michael Drain and I am from Douglasville, Georgia. I have been a die-hard Georgia Force fan with my father since the 2006 season. My mother hooked me and my father onto Arena Football when she purchased tickets through her work for us to the Georgia Force first game of the season against the Colorado Crush. We both went into the game with our minds wide open as to what we would see, as we had never before seen an Arena Football game. Although we only had college football and the NFL to compare it to, what we saw would far surpass our expectations.

Immediately, we were greeted by the League Commissioner through a video presentation, telling us of the AFL Fans’ Bill of Rights. We had never been greeted with such hospitality as fans and been made to feel that we were not only there to watch a game but to contribute to a sport that would revolutionize football as we know it today. We felt that we were welcome there and that we were important as to what was going on. No other game from any other league had given us this feeling before. Me and my dad were addicted to the game and would be faithful Force fans to this very day.

Not only did Arena Football make us feel like we were a part of something special as fans, but it also gave me and my dad a very sacred time together. We invested in season tickets throughout the years and rarely missed a Force game. These games brought me and my dad together in such a special way that words cannot describe. My parents divorced in the summer of 2009. This rocked my family and split us apart in many ways. However, the Georgia Force games offered solace to me and my dad – an escape, if you will. We went to the Philips Arena or the Gwinnett Arena and checked our troubles at the door. No other team offered such a getaway and sense of camaraderie as the Force did for us. We continue this feeling today having already invested in Force season tickets for the upcoming season. My dad and I will be a part of the Force Faithful with our boom buckets in hand, making noise for those who dare enter our house.

-Jon-Michael Drain