6- - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - October 2, 2000
- 'Men's soccer cele ates hstory with alumi wekei e
By David Horn
,Daily Sports Writer
"In this great future you can't forger your past,
Dob Marley once crooned.
Michigan men's soccer coach Steve Burns sug-
gested that Marley's words make for an appropriate
quote in regard to the soccer program's alumni
weekend.
Although the varsity team is still playing in its
inaugural year, its grosith began long ago. Soccer at
the University has been a long and proud tradition
that dates back to 1921, when the club was founded.
At the time, it was the only soccer club in the state
of Michigan. The team has existed continually, in
some form, since 1948.
This past weekend, alumni old and new returned
,p Ann Arbor for the annual team reunion. The
alums laced up their cleats for a pick ip game Friday
evening to kick things off. Saturday morning the
current varsity team faced off against club team
alumni.
Sunday morning the "old-timers game" pitted
alumni who graduated during odd-years against the
even-year grads.
"It was a great experience," senior varsity goalie
and club alumnus Albert Geldres said. "It was great
having all the guys back."
For the varsity tean, the weekend exhibition came
amidst a hectic regular season schedule. A week
after a 2-1 overtime loss to No. 2 Penn State, and a
week before a trip to Bloomington to challenge
defending national champion Indiana, the exhibition
. weekend was a welcome chance to have fun and
play in a more relaxed atmosphere.
"It's such a fun game," senior varsity captain and
club alumnus Will Purdv said. "All our games are so
intense. The alums come out intense, but it's a nice
break."
The varsity team wanted to recognize the efforts
of club players of the past - the struggle for varsi-
ty status is as old as the soccer program itself.
"These alums are in a position to help out the var-
sity program," Burns said. "They should fuel a sense
of ownership"
Saturday's game saw the varsity team victorious
over the recent graduates, including their coach.
"How many times do you get to play against your
coach in a meaningful game?" Burns said.
Burns, an '89 graduate, scored the lone goal for
the alumni.
This weekend was particularly meaningful,. as it
was the first alumni weekend since the team was
granted varsity status.
A look back at a article in The Michigan Daily
published on October 17, 1953 is a telling descrip-
tion of how long a road it has been, and how far the
team has come.
"An outstanding example of this lack of equip-
ment is exemplified by observations made at last
Saturday's Michigan-Indiana contest here in Ann
Arbor.
"Michigan's uniforms were mainly plain purple
jerseys borrowed from the coaching staff of the foot-
ball squad.
"Their socks were many hues, being supplied by
the players themselves and only a few had the prop-
er shin guards. Many resorted to stuffing towels in
A Long, Strange Trip
to Varsity Status
1921 First club team for ' soccer
1948 Permanent club team t rmed
1966 Physical education P Dafessor
Rodney Grambeau urrns gus for
uniforms, balls and n for club
team
1975 Student-coach Steve hr~rnan
declares 'M' soccer "5'm
rather than a "club" a r 0-0 tie
to Purdue
1994 Spurred by Title IX, Woiren's
team'granted varsity stytus
1995 Athlotic department vot s not to
elevate team to varsity :tatus
1997-98 Team wins back-to-back club
national championships
1999 Varsity status granted tI men's
soccer and women's wat er polo
2000 First varsity game, 1-0 w n vs.
DePaul
their socks for this purpose, and some didn't even do
that. As a result, a serious injury occurred when
Michigan's Kuo Chew Quon received a kick in the
shin, and suffered a severe laceration"
This weekend was one of pride and .remember-
ence for the men's soccer team.
"One of the old guys pulled me aside as we were
walking off the field," Purdy said. "He told me,
'don't ever forget about the club."
The Wolverines had the weekend off from competition. They welcomed back
ni new and old and defeated them, 4-1, in a Saturday exhibition.
Things to do today:
1) Enter United DevicesTM Million Mile Thanksgiving Giveaway
a. Download Software Agent from www.ud.com/utexas
b. Watch my PC work harder than I do!
2) Cure Disease, Model the Climate 4
3) Grab Lunch
4) Map the Human Genome
5) Study Group-( :
6) Dinner
7) Pack Bags
8) Fly Away !
United Devices is building the world's largest computer one device at a time. Join
our mission, do good things, and bring your family together for Thanksgiving!!!
Visit us at www.ud.com.
ss-°
Monday & Tuesday
Ocirober 2& 3,2000
\ Michigan Union
as c > ~~ J7CA)
lnnoon - 4 pm
Connect with over 150 organizations from across the
country for full time and inyternship opportuni ties
On -site registration
First Floor, Michigan Union
For information contact CP&P
3200 SA B (734)764-7460
w.wcppumic .edu
MerNvyn' california
Andersen conauiving Career Planning Placementi
Enron 0 ,,i,,,,iiraer,,iuii~is
MassMutul Financial Gn'up
Scountrywide Home Loans
.. ONll 12EC 23 H II N EEC iNI M I M !H N~t I
FIELD HOCKEi
Continued from Page 18
with a save.
"Catherine Foreman has been plarr
as well as she ever has," Pankratz s
Foreman also had two assists, as d
senior Courtney Reid.
The stifling defense gives the offer
more freedom.
"it's good to know that you can ta
risks: Wuifsberg said.
But Michigan's offensive explosio
often come late in the game making t
beginnings a tense competition.
In the Iowa game, Michigan 1.
hold onto a slim 1-0 lead until Gani
scored with i:28 remaning in the gain
Two moore goals quickly followed--
from Gannon and one from her fre,
man sister Kristi Gannon.
"We should be starting off quicd
and at a higher tempo,' Kelli Ganr
said.
Kelli Gannon's goals in the to
game moved past Julie Flachs for s
ond on the team's all-time point ti
Despite Gannon rising on Michige
scoring list, an unlikely candidate I
the game winner. Junior defen
Ashley Thomas scored her seco
career goal with six minutes gone in
first half.
I