The Guanacaste Sports Association (ADG- Asociacion Deportiva Guanacasteca) has games of glory but also has games that are complete failures. However, ADG’s fan club doesn’t drop its guard or miss any event in order to support the team, and the group has been christened La Gallada.
Although the definition of the Spanish word gallada carries the negative meaning of a gang, for ADG fans this name is more linked to a family-like unity and a commitment to the Nicoyan team.
“We are a group of friends who meet with the sole purpose of supporting the Guanacastecans. Here, on the contrary, the word gallada comes from camaraderie. We are a big family,” commented Adal Barrantes, a member of La Gallada.
Barrantes also explained that they have never liked being stereotyped with the term barra (a group of hooligans), since it is always associated with disturbances and conflicts on game days.
“People say barra and always think of violence. We are simply a fan club. We are all friends. We have never made problems, nor do we walk around with drums or horns, which are common in barras,” said the fan.
The Genesis of La Gallada
The history of this fan club is not very long-lived. According to Michael Vargas, two years ago, they noticed that the same people were always going to support the Guanacaste squad and since then, they thought they should join together.
“We decided that we had to unite and we started to have breakfast together, and each time the group has gotten bigger. During the week, we spend time talking through WhatsApp about the games and we get along very well,” Vargas said.
La Gallada is distinguished from other supporters by white shirts that have the Colonial Church and the ADG crest on the front and La Cruz hill on the back, with the name of the fan.
Every Sunday after the games, their meeting spot is Camino al Estadio bar, where the owner, Ezequiel Caceres, known as Chequelo, livens up the afternoon with chicharrones (pork rinds), and they even call him “El tata de La Gallada” (La Gallada’s dad).
“I was director of the ADG for five years and I love supporting it. The guys arrive at the bar every Sunday and we call these meetings “tarde juvenil” (youthful afternoon), Chequelo commented.
Currently more than 40 fans are members of La Gallada, and during the month of December, they adopt a poor family to give them food and other products that are basic needs.
Win or lose, members of La Gallada affirm that they will always root for the ADG and they hope that this family that they have formed grows more with Nicoyans who wholeheartedly love the Guanacaste jersey.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKSod8m_i8I&feature=youtu.be width:550 align:center autoplay:0]
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