Welcome our newest Field Gulls staff writers!

Earlier this month we had a call for new Field Gulls writers, and the (overwhelmingly great) applications came pouring in. After suspending my disbelief that this many people would be so eager to work with John Gilbert, it was time to make some decisions, and now we have our newest team members to cover the Seattle Seahawks.

Please welcome our three new staff writers: Alexandre Castro, Gavin Feek, and Geoff Leediker! They’ve each provided short blurbs about themselves so you can get to know them better.

Alexandre Castro

My name: Alexandre Castro II

Where I’m from: Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

How long I’ve been a Seahawks fan: Since 2010

My main occupation: Software Test Engineer

Fun fact about myself: I’ve always been curious and enjoyed a variety of sports. I discovered the Madden game, with Shaun Alexander on the cover, and learned about the rules by randomly choosing the Seahawks. A few years later, I had access to NFL games and my first match was Beastquake. When I learned more about the franchise and the sport, I ended up discovering that the team I had randomly come across in Madden was the Seahawks, a franchise I was already passionate about.

What Field Gulls means to me: It was the first website I discovered about the Seahawks, and it was updated every day with news and analysis, so I consumed its content every day, all day long. This even inspired me to create my own website for Brazilians who support the Seahawks. There are a lot of us and there isn’t much information for those who don’t speak English, so it was a dream come true to be part of the team.

Gavin Feek

I’m Gavin. I was born and raised in the far wastelands of Magnolia though I grew up in the Kingdome. In my childhood home, names like Griffey and Largent were on our walls and scrawled across cards slid carefully into plastic sleeves. The Seahawks and Mariners run deep in my veins (I’m expecting major health problems down the road). I’m currently living in Los Angeles where I have worked in the film industry for the past ten years. I love to write and have been published in McSweeney’s, Stab Magazine, and The Stranger (with an upcoming piece in Outside). My wife teaches high school English and makes fun of my grammar. We have two wonderful little kiddos.

I’ve been reading Field Gulls every day for over a decade. I’m extremely excited to be part of the team. Let’s talk about the new Seahawks, old Seattle, and why sports matter.

Geoff Leediker

Hello everybody!

My name is Geoff, and I’m writing to you from Beaverton, Oregon. For as long as I can remember, Field Gulls has been my one-stop-shop for Seahawks info, as well as an immensely powerful tool to help me process the joys and traumas that come with being a 12. Not to mention, Cigar Thoughts is what made me want to start writing in the first place. To say that it’s an honor and a privilege to be a contributor for Field Gulls is truly an understatement.

Fun fact about me: On February 2, 2014 I went on a first date with the woman who would eventually be my wife and the mother of my kids. Solid day all around!

While Alexandre already started his work earlier this month, Geoff and Gavin will begin contributing starting July 1.

I should note that we initially had two openings, but it turned into three in recent days. After three excellent years on staff, Diane Taylor unfortunately is moving on to an exciting (non-football) new venture. She will have a farewell column at some point in the coming days, but nevertheless we’ll miss her presence on the Field Gulls team.

If you need a refresher on who is/isn’t on the current staff, you can always check out the (newly updated) masthead!