Who Are Ya!! - Brian Werner

Where were you born?
St. Louis, MO. I lived about 2 miles from "the Hill" where a number of US soccer greats from way back hailed from (and the non soccer great: Yogi Berra).  Apparently not close enough to pick up some ball handling skills.


If you were not born in the Kansas City area, when did you arrive and what circumstances brought you to KC?
I came to Kansas City in August of 2009 for grad school. I'm a second year PhD student in economics at UMKC.


What team(s) do you support as a fan?
I grew up in St. Louis, which despite being a big soccer town doesn't have a pro team. For a while we went to a lot of indoor games watching the St. Louis Ambush(not around anymore), but definitely watched a lot more of Cardinals baseball.


What is your earliest soccer memory?
All of grade school soccer is kind of one big blur of running around somewhat aimlessly in the cold and mud, orange wedges, and usually losing the game.


How did you find the Youngs Park game?
I met Bill Black at an orientation event at pizza 51and jumped on the chance to play.


Can you tell us something about yourself that not everyone in the group would know?
I would say that my highest level achievement in soccer was playing in pickup games during a cherry picking stint in New Zealand with a few guys who were rumored to be on the national team of the country of Vanuatu.

Ultimate frisbee is actually my primary sport. I play ultimate most of the year including traveling to tournaments in nearby states. I play a lot of music too. I sing in the choir at UMKC and play guitar, mandolin, and accordion and other things.

Who Are Ya!! - Annette Luke

Where were you born? 
I was born in Independence, MO.  I have lived in Blue Springs, MO, most of my life.


What team(s) do you support as a fan?
Of course, I support the KC Wizards/Sporting KC. 


What is your earliest soccer memory? 
My earliest soccer memory does not involve me as a player but as a spectator.  I became interested in soccer when I was forced to watch my younger brother play in recreational leagues as we were growing up.  My dad coached his team for several years.  I was even his “assistant coach” a few times.  Finally, when I was 15, I started playing myself. 


How did you find the Youngs Park game?
Troy invited me to the game.  At the time, I was playing with him on an indoor team at the KC Soccerdome.


Can you tell us something about yourself that not everyone in the group would know?
I am going to tell you the rest of the story about how/why I started playing soccer.  Like I said before, I watched my brother play as we were growing up.  During that time, I was a gymnast aspiring to become an Olympic medalist.  In early spring a few months before I turned 16, I finally went to the doctor about my nagging back pain.  The doctor gave me devastating news.  He told me I needed to quit gymnastics or live with back pain for the rest of my life.  After a great deal of soul-searching, I admitted that it was very unlikely that I would ever be good enough to get to the Olympics.  So, I decided to try playing soccer.  My first experience was that spring in a recreational church league in Independence.  That fall, as a sophomore, I tried out for the boys’ soccer team at Blue Springs High School.  (A girls’ team did not exist at my high school at that time.)  That was an extremely rough but very beneficial experience!  However, I did make the “C” team.  Even though I knew I had made the team only because I was a girl, I was very excited!  I was certain I would learn the game much more quickly in that setting.  My love for soccer grew from that experience.

Winter soccer in KC

Our club photographer was hard at work again on Saturday.  Ken captured some of the action.

Who Are Ya!! - Eddie Villegas

Where were you born?
Born and raised in KC. But I grew up spending our summers in Mexico visiting family.


What team(s) do you support as a fan?
I grew up a Mexico and Guadalajara Chivas fan. I also support US Soccer and I'm torn when USA plays Mexico. But I always seem to pull for Mexico, my dad and my uncles just burned it into my brain. I'm also a huge fan of Barcelona and their style of football.


What is your earliest soccer memory?
I don't remember how old I was but in my first soccer game ever, back when All American was on Bannister Rd, I was kicked in the face with the ball on my very first play. I remember how bad it hurt but somehow it didn't turn me away from the sport. 


How did you find the Youngs Park game?
Alicia McGarry and I used to work together. As I got to know her and Gage, they invited me to play one weekend. It was nice to see a group of people committed to playing every week. Its because of this, Gage, Gonzalo and I started playing together and formed a team called Youngs Park with several guys from the group. We competed in Jackson County League and finished 4-4. But in our second season together we went 8-0. The face of the team has changed over the years but Youngs Park now competes in Wyandotte County, working our way from Div. 2 to Division 1. From 2007-2010 we have made the playoffs each season and finished as high as 2nd in the tournament and first with overall points. Today, no one on the roster is from Youngs Park but the name of where lasting friendships began still carries on.


Can you tell us something about yourself that not everyone in the group would know?
After college I had high hopes to further my soccer career but I blew out my knee playing hoops just before the quarter-finals of a major tournament. It required reconstructive surgery and about a full year of training before I could be fit enough to play again. Then a few years later, I tore up the same knee again in a soccer match. More surgery. More rehab. I haven't been the same since but I'm fortunate enough to play the sport I love for fun for as long as these legs will carry me. Thanks to the individuals who make the Youngs Park game possible year-round!

We have a field for Monday

The 6 who shoveled are in-- we will have to decide how many players make a full game based on the space available.  Second game on the snowy field is a possibility.

Who Are Ya!! - Bob Good

Where were you born?

I was born in the Denver area.

If you were not born in the Kansas City area, when did you arrive and what circumstances brought you to KC?

My Mom married my step Dad who was from this area.  So we moved to the Kansas City area during my high school years.

What team(s) do you support as a fan?

I attend many KC Wizards/Sporting games, and watch most USA National Team games, but I really enjoy watching Barcelona and the Spain National Team.  I believe the possession style game they play is the way the game should be played.  I don't think the USA National Team will achieve greatness until the American kids learn how to possess the ball.  It will take a youth coaching revolution to convert youth coaches from kick and run-direct soccer style of coaching to a skillful possession style of coaching.

What is your earliest soccer memory?

My Mom signed me up for recreational soccer when I was in grade school.  At the time we attended a few Colorado Caribou NASL games at Mile High Stadium back in the late 70's.  I've been playing soccer off and on ever since.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Caribous

      

How did you find the Young's Park game?

Myself and a few co-workers in Lenexa started an indoor pick-up game on Fridays at lunch at All American Indoor Sports during the early 1990's.  I no longer attend this game, but as far as I know they still meet every Friday at noon.  Sometime in the late 90's or early 2000's Troy B. visited the Friday game.  I learned about the Young's Park game through Troy.

Can you tell us something about yourself that not everyone in the group would know?

I graduated from UMKC in the early 90's.  I'm a Project Engineer with a local manufacturer.  I've been married 18 years to my wife who puts up with my favorite hobby of playing soccer, coaching my children in soccer, watching FOX Soccer Channel, and going to Wizards soccer games.  I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ, and try to learn and live His ways.  Although through the stresses of marriage, raising kids, work, and frustrating myself on the soccer field, I fall well short of a perfect life and can only rely on Christ's grace and sacrifice.  I have been playing acoustic guitar for about 2 years proving you "can teach an old dog new tricks".  I organize a small monthly investment group to learn and share ideas about stock and bond investing.  My soccer heros are "old" professional soccer players who still play pro ball: Blanco, Beckham, Del Piero, etc.  My favorite local soccer player is Annette :)  That girl plays more soccer than anybody I know - keep it up Annette!!  My favorite foods and restaurants are too many too number.  My favorite music is 80's pop, some country, and Christian Hymns.  I like many kinds of movies, and really enjoy catching up on all the movies I missed with Netflix.  God Bless.

Who Are Ya!! - Scott Watson

Where were you born?
I was born in Newton, KS, but spent the majority of my childhood in Wichita, KS.


If you were not born in the Kansas City area, when did you arrive and what circumstances brought you to KC?
I went to college at Missouri Southern in Joplin on a soccer scholarship. Many of my good friends and teammates at MoSo were from the KC area. After a short stint back in Wichita post graduation, I moved up to the KC area and went on the job hunt. I believe this was around 1991. The rest is history, and I have lived in the KC metro ever since.


What team(s) do you support as a fan?
Like Troy, I have supported the Wiz/Wizards/Sporting since the first season as a season ticket holder. Very excited about the new stadium!! I also like to follow the EPL ever since Time Warner added Fox Soccer Channel years ago. I really don't have one specific team I follow, but love to root for the underdogs to stay up in the Premiership. In recent history I pulled for Fulham since they employed several Americans. This current season I have sort of hitched my wagon to Blackpool, and would like to see them succeed. Historically I always liked Newcastle for a couple reasons: 1. Good Beer. 2. My 1st over 30 team went by the same name. Glad to see they worked their way back up to the top division. Non soccer related teams: Kansas Jayhawks, KC Chiefs, KC Royals, Boston-Red Sox -Celtics-Bruins-& NE Patriots (I will explain my Boston allegiance in the next section)


What is your earliest soccer memory?
As I mentioned earlier, the majority of my childhood was spent in Wichita. My stepdad at the time was in the Air Force stationed in Wichita. During my 1st grade year we were transferred to Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, MA. I lived in Mass for 3 years (1st -3rd grades). Although only in the area for 3 short years it made a big impact on my life, as this is where I discovered the beautiful game! Also where I experienced my first visits to professional sports venues (thus, I have always had an allegiance to the Boston area teams). My 1st love in sports was baseball, as my dad had me in a uniform, mitt, with bat and ball at the ripe ol' age of two! But then I discoved soccer in 1st grade. My mom was looking for an activity for me to get involved in upon our move so I could meet some new friends. She signed me up for soccer, and I took to it immediately. I went to my first practice and a ball was kicked in my direction, it was love at first touch of the ball. I just started kicking it around like a madman. I was very fortunate that soccer had found it's way to the midwest when I moved back to Wichita in the 4th grade. That year I joined the world famous "Purple People Eaters" of the Wichita AYSO league coached by my friends dad. Soccer soon consumed my life and became my year round focus starting around junior high. I no longer had time to play any other sports competitively, including baseball, my 1st love. All the time spent on soccer paid off as it helped pay for my college education, and also introduced me to life long friends.

How did you find the Youngs Park game?
Luckily my wife Stephanie works at the same company as Troy. Years ago around it's inception, my wife told me about a pickup game her friend at worked played in at a park located at 77th & Antioch. I think she was just trying to get me out of the house, but it worked out good for me. This was very convenient, as my house is on 79th St, just west of Antioch. So I show up one Saturday morn, and just kept going back. Some games back then were very thin (3v3, 4v4), but we always had a great time regardless of numbers. In recent years due to injuries(old age),my daughters activities, & other family obligations, I have not been able to play as consistently as I would like. However, I know the game will always be there for me when I can make it. Thanks to the founders and die hards like Troy & Tom.


Can you tell us something about yourself that not everyone in the group would know?
Although soccer is my main passion, I love almost any sport or competition. I really love playing basketball and had thoughts of pursuing that when I was younger. However in junior high I think the coach squelched any NBA aspirations I may have had when he told me this. "You have two things going against you, FEET!!". He wasn't talking about my footwork (as I was rather quick and coordinated), but rather my unique stature. Although painful at the time, it was probably something I needed to hear. I think I have taken up enough of your time, thanks for getting to know me better.

Who Are Ya!! - Troy Bragg

Where were you born?
I was born in Bismarck, North Dakota and grew up across the Missouri River in Mandan, ND.


If you were not born in the Kansas City area, when did you arrive and what circumstances brought you to KC? 
In August of 1986, I came to the KC area to go to MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe.  Back then, the college was smaller (it became a university in 1996) and my freshman year was the first year it had a varsity mens soccer program (it was abandoned after the 1987 season but was re-started in the late 90s or early 00s).  I would have had a small scholarship if I made the team, but I injured my knee playing church league softball (* cough *) about a month before I was supposed to report to camp fully fit.


What team(s) do you support as a fan?
I have been a Wiz / Wizards / Sporting fan since they were a gleam in Lamar Hunt's eye.  When the English Premiership was first shown regularly in the Kansas City area, I took a liking to Leeds United.  They were young and fearless, and their manager, David O'Leary, was confident in his young players.  Also, I have tried to pay attention to Lazio in Italy since Serie A came to Fox Soccer Channel (Fox Sports World then).  At that time, they had an attacking team unlike a lot of the very defensive-minded sides they faced.


What is your earliest soccer memory?
As a kid growing up in North Dakota in the 70s, soccer was not really on my radar until I was in 5th grade.  That year I began attending a small private school which had been started, in part, by a family from upstate New York.  We didn't have any playground equipment, but we did have a large open space on one side of the school... and a ball.  It was there I was introduced to the sport by the kids who came from NY.  Pele was playing for the Cosmos and there was an NASL team in Minneapolis, so we did get some games on t.v. from time to time.  When I entered 7th grade, my school started an actual team and played games in South Dakota.  Two years later there were 5 other high school-age teams in North Dakota that we would play against leading up to the South Dakota tournament.


How did you find the Youngs Park game?
I built the first set of goals out of PVC pipe in 2000.  I invited a few friends and we tried out a few fields before settling at Maple Hills Park.  The game floundered with low numbers until Tom and his two sons walked across the street from their house and asked if we had room for them to play.  Of course we did, and the rest is history.


Can you tell us something about yourself that not everyone in the group would know?
Most probably know this, but the most interesting thing about me is that I have been fortunate to attend the opening World Cup match for the US since 1998.  My buddy got me a ticket for the 1994 US opener in Detroit, but I was unable to take time off work.  After missing that match, I have made sure to make time.  We have been to Europe twice, Asia, and Africa for matches.  We have had a great run so far!

Who Are Ya!!

This is a great idea suggested by Bob G:

We have played soccer together over the years, yet many of us don't know each other that well. In this section of the Youngs Park Blog, please share about yourself so others can get to know you. Keep in mind this is the Internet, so be careful posting sensitive information, but include as much as possible to let people know Who Are Ya!!.

You can use the following questions as a starting point, if you like, or just write whatever comes to mind:

1. Where were you born?
2. If you were not born in the Kansas City area, when did you arrive and what circumstances brought you to KC?
3. What team(s) do you support as a fan?
4. What is your earliest soccer memory?
5. How did you find the Youngs Park game?
6. Can you tell us something about yourself that not everyone in the group would know?

If you would like to participate, please send me an email. I will run them in the order they are sent, posting one a week.

Hope you find this interesting!