Mark Kaanapu is aware of all concerning the historical past of the Charlie Wedemeyer Santa Clara County all-star soccer sport and never simply because he coached one of many groups within the 2018 rendition.
Because the Westmont Excessive coach famous this week, his dad, Sam, performed highschool soccer towards Wedemeyer whereas rising up in Hawaii.
“I knew Charlie after I was a 14-year-old child,” Kaanapu stated. “That’s why there's a little bit extra of a connection on that finish.”
Wedemeyer performed at Michigan State within the late Sixties and went on to grow to be the top coach at Los Gatos Excessive. He was identified with ALS (generally generally known as Lou Gehrig’s illness) in 1978 and fought the debilitating situation for 32 years earlier than dying in 2010.
His story was advised in a 1988 made-for-TV film and a PBS documentary.
The all-star sport named in his honor is in its forty eighth yr. It moved from summer time to winter in 2020 and has been performed yearly aside from a one-year hiatus in 2021 due to the pandemic.
This yr’s sport shall be held Saturday at Los Gatos Excessive. Kickoff is scheduled for five p.m.
The contributors are senior all-stars from Santa Clara County colleges.
Kaanapu is teaching the North.
Gilroy’s Tim Pierleoni is the top coach of the South.
The rosters embody many gamers from the 2022 all-Bay Space Information Group staff, together with quarterbacks Will Augenstein of Branham, Wills Towers of Archbishop Mitty, Armand Johnson of Wilcox and Tayden Phillips of Lincoln.
Augenstein, Johnson and Towers will go well with up for the North, Phillips for the South.
The groups have been working towards for the previous couple of weeks in preparation for a sport that sometimes attracts a big crowd.
Proceeds go towards the ALS Basis and Coaches In opposition to Most cancers.
Each coaches stated they've loved working with their groups.
“Actually good youngsters who love enjoying soccer,” Pierleoni stated. “It’s been a number of enjoyable for us.”
Kaanapu agreed.
“It’s good to see simply the highest expertise coming collectively,” he stated. “You'll be able to speak soccer they usually’ll translate it and there’s much less teaching and also you get to go play. That’s been sort of good as a substitute of attempting to show freshmen learn how to placed on (tools). It’s refreshing.”
Final yr, the North gained 15-14 when a 42-yard field-goal try for the South fell brief within the closing seconds.
The South holds the sequence edge 24-19-4.
Lucy Wedemeyer, Charlie’s widow, stays a presence earlier than and on sport day. She and her household greet the gamers throughout pregame introductions.
“She’ll be on the market along with her clan, holding courtroom,” Los Gatos coach Mark Krail stated. “Lucy remains to be actually concerned. She helps run the sport program. She helps with the banquet. She is all in on this factor, which is nice. It helps us out.”
MORE INFORMATION
Rosters and ticket data could be discovered on the all-star sport’s web site right here.