There’s a group of people on the Gold Coast who come to the Austworld Centre each week to train for a big match on the weekend, but they’re not the SUNS players.
They’re the SUNSCREAMERS; a passionate throng of SUNS members responsible for leading the club’s cheer squad during the season.
The SUNSCREAMERS are a group, led by their skipper Julie Somers, who can claim to be some of the most devoted Gold Coast fans in the world.
Somers told SUNS Media she enjoyed the responsibilities that came with the job.
“I work with the SUNS’ Liaison Officer to create the best environment we can for the SUNSCREAMERS in order to be great club representatives which is probably the most important thing,” Somers said.
“I pass information to the SUNSCREAMERS around changes in AFL or Club policies, and provide training and induction for new SUNSCREAMERS.
“We get together to make the banner during the week prior to game day and often have some good brainstorming discussions which I convey to the club.
“Game day is my busiest day starting with distributing equipment through the bay, ensuring that the banner is "poled-up" and ready to go pre-game, organising the on-field team, and ensuring that the banner is removed from the poles and packed up post-game.
“I'm really lucky to have a great team of people who assist with all of this, not just on the Gold Coast but also our fantastic people in the southern states - Victoria, South Australia and also across in Western Australia.”
Somers is one of the club’s original foundation members.
Signing up in 2009, she believed it was important to show her support when the license for an AFL team on the Gold Coast first became a reality.
And the reason she’s continued to stand by the club is simple: to be a part of something special she’s helped create.
“We have the opportunity to build something really valuable - to build history - from scratch,” Somers said.
“We haven't seen success on the ladder yet, but we will!
“I firmly believe that if you want something badly, you need to do all you can (as small as that may be) to make it happen.
“I want this, I want the club's success, and I want to be a small part of it!”
When normality returns and football is back on the calendar, you can guarantee Somers will be there with her dedicated band of SUNSCREAMERS by her side.
For more information on how to join the SUNSCREAMERS, click here.
