In his monthly letter, Portland Hearts of Pine founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson tackled the club’s recent struggles on the pitch by urging fans to hold the team accountable but also remember that having lofty goals will inherently lead to hard stretches.
Hoffman-Johnson’s message, which was released Tuesday, addressed a number of issues, including the club’s plans to build a new stadium at Cassidy Point and its successful work in the community, while thanking everyone who plays a role in the Hearts family.
The founder then went on to discuss Portland’s current five-game winless streak that has dropped it to 12th place in the USL League One season.
“I’d be doing us all a disservice if I only wrote about the good stuff,” Hoffman-Johnson’s letter stated. “The results haven’t been going our way, and we’re heading into the business end of the season with 12 matches to play. We all know how much joy this game can bring, which is exactly why the tough stretches sting.”
Hoffman-Johnson, who is also the club’s chief community officer, explained that Portland is working to build a new standard for lower division soccer. He added that he was speaking of both the results on the pitch but also what happens off of it.
“That’s a lofty goal, which is exactly why we pursue it,” he wrote. “In a season where things haven’t been going our way on the pitch, it can be incredibly hard and frustrating.”
Losing is difficult, Hoffman-Johnson wrote, but a few losses won’t define the current team nor its future.
“We must have clear, unyielding eyes in both our reflection on this stretch and our preparedness for the matches ahead, but we also have to be measured in response when we come up short,” Hoffman-Johnson wrote. “This club is a project larger than a single result, and we have to continue to put the work in daily to improve, to be the best version of ourselves.
“We have to pick ourselves up, we have to stick together, and we have to go again.”
Portland will try to break its winless streak at 7 p.m. tonight at One Knoxville SC. Fans can watch the game on ESPN+, which is a paid subscription site.
Lastly, Hoffman-Johnson reminded fans of the upcoming Heartsapalooza, which returns for its third annual celebration of soccer, music, and community. The free event is at 5 p.m. September 10th at Thompson’s Point. You can RSVP for it here. RSVPs are not required but help organizers plan for the event.