Meet Eric Weber, the most popular man in the Quakes locker room.
No, he’s not a player, nor is he a coach: He’s the new assistant equipment manager for the club.
If players need gear, he’s their guy. When a kit needs to be prepped on match day, look no further than Weber. He’s the first one on the pitch and the last one to leave; but as soon as he departs Avaya Stadium, he comes home to what he calls his true passion: illustration.
“Kit man by day, illustrator by night. I like that,” Eric Weber said. “You couldn’t describe me in a better way.”
Weber, raised in Raleigh, NC, is the artist behind the Fatai Alashe illustration in the recent edition of Quakes Match Day. The depiction of the first-ever goal at Avaya Stadium will be in the magazine for this weekend’s match at Levi’s Stadium as well as the June 7 match, something Weber could have only dreamed of when he arrived to San Jose in February.
“I came into the job hoping that I can make graphics like I am now and hopefully get noticed,” Weber said. “Right off the bat, I wanted to make art about the Quakes’ season. Fatai’s finish is such a historic moment for the club and I wanted other people to enjoy the moment through my work.”
Weber always had a passion for graphic design. When it was time to pick his major at East Carolina, he chose illustration over history to follow in the footsteps of his favorite artists, Andrew Maclean and Erik Jones.
When head equipment manager Andy Dunbar offered Weber the assistant position ahead of the 2015 MLS season, he jumped at the opportunity, viewing it as a chance to illustrate his favorite sport.
“There’s enough time in this job where you can do your work with the club and also work on art,” Weber explained. “I’m an avid soccer fan, so for me, being around the Quakes has been my inspiration for my illustrations.”
Weber first put pen to pad this season to draw Innocent’s trademark goal in a 3-2 Quakes win in Seattle on March 14.
After Innocent’s shot rippled the net, Weber knew it was time to get to work.
“It was just a great goal from Innocent,” Weber said. “Not only that, but it was such a big moment early on in the season and it sort of set the tone for what has transpired with the club.”
A great goal illustration deserves another. For Weber, he identified Nyassi’s game-winning blast against Vancouver has his next illustration.
“When I’m drawing a goal, I’m trying to illustrate the moment that ended up leading to the goal,” Weber said of his Nyassi illustration. “It’s a moving piece over time, similar to the natural flow of the game. To get that into one still, static image, it’s pretty difficult.”
With Innocent, Nyassi and Alashe in the books, Weber is prepping to create several more illustrations as the season unfolds.
“I definitely have a few things planned. If Wondo hits 100 goals, I plan on doing something for that,” Weber said. “I still want to do something for Ty Harden’s first goal and an illustration of Bingham.”
Weber’s illustrations have not only been noticed by fans, but by the Quakes players as well. Now when they see Weber in the locker room, they’re not only asking for gear: They’re asking for illustrations.
“A few of the players have seen it,” Weber said. “Bryan [Meredith], Fatai [Alashe], Wondo have seen my work and have enjoyed them. JJ [Koval] keeps bugging me to make an illustration of him, so it’s great to have their support.”
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