I have always been big into sports.

And by “into,” I mean watching, not participating. I wish I could say I am athletic, but in reality, my hand-to-eye coordination is severely lacking. And when you add in moving objects, it gets even worse.

However, watching sports — watching sports I can do.

When I was younger, baseball was my favorite. I used to watch it all the time with my grandpa. Then, once I was in high school, I began to appreciate the pure magnificence of football. Countless hours have been spent watching the Seahawks, in the good times and the not-so-good times (there really isn’t a bad time when you are watching football).

But there was one sport that I never really got into watching, besides NASCAR, which really isn’t a sport in my mind (driving a car around in a circle? It’s not really a feat of athleticism). Soccer had eluded my interest — until this year.

I didn’t even know Seattle was getting a professional soccer team until shortly before the season opened.

But then I started dating my boyfriend. A soccer nut. Also one of the roughly 21,000 season ticket holders. So, although I knew nothing about the sport, I found myself attending games, loud crazy games. I had to ask questions constantly and found myself mostly yelling just to yell.

But then things started to change. I began to figure out just what the heck was going on. I began to love the atmosphere of the crowd, the chants (oi oi oi, Sigi Sigi Sigi), and the players themselves. Watching Steve Zakuani turn up the speed and race past an opponent, pretty much anything Kasey Keller does, and seeing poor Nate Jaqua, the tallest guy on the team, walk into each home game with the smallest kid, stooped over to hold their hand.

It’s also great going to games, knowing that there are more Seattle Sounders fans going to games than any other team in Major League Soccer. The league average attendance is around 15,000 and the next highest attended stadium is Toronto, who pull in close to 20,000. Seattle’s average attendance is about 30,000.

The truth is, Seattle needed something in terms of sports and soccer has more than filled that void left by the Sonics for many people.

Before starting to watch the Sounders this year, my only impression of soccer games was a bunch of drunken fans screaming loudly and getting into fights.

Well yep, there is some drinking, although mostly down in the Emerald City Supporters area. They are kind of the epitome of what I thought soccer was about. However, in reality, it’s a lot like an American football game, with fans of all ages yelling and supporting their team. You do get to throw in bit of fun European phrases. Personally, I have quite a bit of fun yelling things like “ref’s a wanker” and “J’aime Le Toux.”

Today, the MLS season hits the halfway mark with the all-star game (for which Seattle has the second most players on — seriously, how long has it been since a Seattle team could say that?). Today, I take stock in what I have learned about the “world’s game.” Even though the offsides still throws me well off, I think I am doing pretty well. Plus I have the rest of my life to enjoy watching the Sounders and pick up on the finer points of the game.

Sounders ’til I die.