Welcome to The District Press, your local, independent soccer media outlet. Formerly Black and Red United, we’ve been covering soccer in the DMV for over a decade. We’re proud to be part of this vibrant soccer community and serve as your source for D.C. United, Washington Spirit, Loudoun United, and local soccer culture news.
Meet Our Team
Ben Bromley went to his first MLS game in 1999, when his middle school traveled from Ohio to D.C. and saw United take on the New England Revolution. When he moved to Richmond in 2010, rekindling his United fandom was a no brainer. He is a fan of United, the Washington Spirit, the Richmond Kickers, and the US women’s and men’s national teams.
André Carlisle is an obsessive tweeter and GIF-maker who added writer, podcaster, and amateur journalist to his portfolio. He specializes in women’s football across multiple leagues, tournaments, and continents, with a focus on Washington Spirit (NWSL) and Chelsea FCW (WSL).
Annie Elliott is a U.S. women’s soccer fan who started writing and podcasting about the Washington Spirit as an alternative to annoying everyone in her life with non-stop conversation about them (and to finally put her student journalism skills to use). A native Ohioan, she has now been a resident of Washington, D.C. for over 10 years and once accidentally referred to Audi Field as “home.” In addition to soccer, she enjoys baking, reading, and hanging out with her cats.
Kerry Hess has been obsessed with D.C. United ever since he thought their logo was cool in FIFA 08 and picked the team for endless hours of career mode. He spent one year at the Catholic University of America, where he met his would-be District-native wife, thus cementing his eventual residence in the area in 2019. He tends to look past soccer formations and tactics in order to sanely enjoy the beautiful game. He now looks to give back to this community for the years of enjoyable experiences it has given him.
Sarah Kallassy fell in love with soccer at the tender age of six when her dad hesitantly told her she couldn’t play Major League Baseball “because she’s a girl.” Since first kicking a soccer ball, she’s played (albeit poorly) anywhere she can, from dusty military bases in Afghanistan to the backyard with her family. Sarah spends most of her time in D.C. at Audi Field, to the point her oldest son thinks the District is interchangeably called D.C. United or Washington Spirit. You can find her on match day in the press box or hanging out in the supporter’s section.
Ryan Keefer has been following soccer since grabbing copies of magazines with Kenny Dalglish on them and has been following D.C. United for more than 15 years. He covers Loudoun United for District Press and provides contributing content for Loudoun’s local broadcast partner DC News Now. In his spare time, Ryan enjoys going on trips and reading with (and to) his wife and two young children.
Dennis Nolasco is a fan of all things soccer and can easily tell you the losing finalist of every World Cup final…in order! When he is not playing in his 30+ amateur men’s soccer league (Spring 2025 champions!), he is watching soccer and following his favorite teams which include his childhood favorite, DC United, Washington Spirit, Inter Milan, and the El Salvador national team.
PJ Ryan grew up on the wrong side of the Atlantic Cup but quickly fell in love with D.C. United after his time experiencing the atmosphere at a DCU game. He was a season ticket holder and was lucky enough to close out RFK Stadium and open up Audi Field. He has the impressive talent of choosing to get a DCU player’s jersey right before they leave the team. Work and family eventually took him away to Minnesota where he still follows DCU and the Spirit from afar.
Adam Taylor has bled black-and-red since being introduced to the bouncing stands of RFK in 2007. He’s had season tickets to one DC soccer team or another since shortly after that, and he took his firstborn to their first United game at the ripe age of 17 days. (It was on the Quiet Side, and they had earmuffs on, don’t worry.) He once helped Ben Olsen break into his own art studio. After hosting the Filibuster Podcast for over a decade, Adam now mostly talks off-mic about tactics and whatever else catches his fancy. You can probably find him riding a big yellow cargo bike to or from the Audi Field bike valet.
Jason Taylor is the guy behind the lens here at The District Press, turning the chaos, heartbreak, and joy of soccer into stories you can feel. From the Washington Spirit’s nail-biting wins to the weekend grind of youth matches across the DMV, he’s there capturing the moments that make the game magic. As the proud dad of a badass female soccer player (who wears #2, wanna guess why?), he’s especially driven to spotlight women’s soccer and the athletes who make the game what it is. He’s also dad to two sons — one a center back who proudly models his play after “Tara the Explorer,” and one who somehow managed to get an F in “soccer passing” in his high school PE class.
Donald Wine has been a soccer fan since he first kicked a ball as a kid. He moved to DC in 2007 and quickly joined the soccer scene, helping to establish the DC chapter of the American Outlaws and serving as one of the capos and drummers for the better part of a decade. He currently is the manager of Stars & Stripes FC, but this community is where he got his start, and he continues to contribute to anything DC soccer related for this site because he enjoys it so much.
