My Astros fan experience began back in the days of the open, red star logo. I would watch the games with my family from time to time, and I proudly wore all my brother’s hand-me-down Astros shirts, jerseys and baseball caps. My brother had a Lance Berkman Russian nesting doll which I thought was the coolest trinket I had ever seen, and my childhood piggy bank was a commemorative tin in honor of the Astrodome. I wasn’t necessarily an avid fan back then, since I had Lower School priorities to worry about, and the hype around the team eventually wore off. My family and I rediscovered our love for the team during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

My family was luckily spared in the torrential downpours and remained unflooded throughout the consistent rain. We were still stuck in our home while the skies wreaked havoc upon Houston, and our only source of entertainment was following the new-and-improved Astros. 

With nothing but time on our hands, we watched the games and learned the personalities of the players. Just like Jose Altuve, we literally fell in love with Justin Verlander and how he gives a little hop after every pitch. We talked about how teeny-weeny ‘Tuve is, and we quickly chose our favorites, mine being George Springer while my mom went for manager A. J. Hinch. 

My family’s love for the team hasn’t dwindled, though our favorites have changed a bit (I’m a Gerrit Cole girl now because, how can you not be?). My mom and I watch every game together when we can, and when I’m too busy with volleyball or the Review, we text each other live updates and reactions, which are generally in all-caps and rather profane.

The Astros provide a guaranteed constant in our lives. Their 162-game schedule allows us to watch them play more often than other Houston sports franchises, and the team itself gives us something pure and genuine to root for. They’re a personality team, and they get along. It’s so easy to get invested in their relationships because they just seem so real. They’ve got dugout traditions, they aren’t afraid to show physical affection, and each player constantly turns down personal compliments and redirects the praise towards the entire team in postgame interviews. They also extend their wholesome team dynamic to their regular reporters, including Julia Morales in their champagne celebrations, which the female sports journalist in me just adores. It also doesn’t hurt that they’ve made it to the World Series twice in the past three seasons. 

The Astros are more than just about winning. They’re an extension of my family, invited into our living room every time they play, and they’re the reason why Claire and I became friends. She’s the real Astros fanatic of the two of us.