Jim Wolf ’01 — sweeper and co-captain of the 2000 state semifinal team, who has maintained his ties to Staples soccer by helping out whenever he can with tryouts, indoor soccer and the Watermelon Cups — proposed earlier this month to Lizzie Hayes. She too is a member of Staples’ ’01 class.
The wedding is tentatively set for fall of 2011 — pending the Staples soccer schedule.
Congratulations, Jim and Lizzie!
Jim Wolf, Lizzie Hayes and friend.
“Intensity” is a fitting way to describe Preston Hirten ’07′s attitude toward life.
It’s fitting, then, that he worked out and played tennis at Intensity Tennis Club in Norwalk — and worked there during summers.
His mother Lisa had an Intensity connection too, as tennis programming coordinator.
The always-intense Preston Hirten.
When Preston died last August, the staff and members honored his memory, by wearing Play for Preston shirts designed by his sister.
But they wanted to do more.
Tennis coach Aurelie Udall, and players Laurie Zollinger and Chris McDonagh, plus many others, have been hard at work organizing a special event.
Sometime soon, they’ll host a special evening (the original early May date has been postponed). There’ll be point play, doubles and mixed doubles, exhibitions, cards, food, beer, wine — and fun.
The tennis will be fun, with a point-play drill game played on the courts. Partners are not needed — just a racquet and running legs (players switch sides and partners every few points).
Tickets ($50) are available at the door. All money raised — including other donations — will go to the Preston Hirten Memorial Fund. Run through the Westport Soccer Association, this provides scholarships to young people inspired by Preston’s memory, and supports organizations with Preston’s interests in mind: a love of family, friends, learning and sportsmanship.
(Intensity Tennis Club is located at 490 Westport Ave., Norwalk. For more information, call Chris McDonagh at 203-853-7727 or click here. Donations to the Preston Hirten Memorial Scholarship Fund may be sent c/o the WSA to: PO Box 2561, Westport, CT 06880.)
The proud father
…of daughter Tess Alexandra. She was born yesterday at 4:30 a.m., weighing 6 pounds 1 ounce.
Tess joins older sisters Anabel and Maddie, and mom Debbie, at the Sollingers’ Weston home. Jem is getting ready to coach many girls soccer teams.
He and his family are also getting ready to head to Maine, where he is the director of Camp Laurel.
Fred Cantor ’71 is an attorney. But his passions are soccer and the Remains. He fulfills the 1st by watching as many Staples games as possible, and offering as much behind-the-scenes help as he can.
The Remains then...
As for the Remains — the mid-’60s group that has been called “America’s greatest lost band,” and perhaps better than the Rolling Stones — Fred has produced both an off-Broadway musical, and a documentary film, about them.
Now he’s co-written a song that may replace “Dirty Water” on the Fenway Park p.a. following Red Sox wins.
“Monbo Time” honors 4-time All-Star pitcher Bill Monbouquette. It contains references to 45 years of Sox history — including Yaz, Bernie Carbo’s homer, Pudge Fisk, Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling.
Fred and the Remains are donating 50% of the revenue to cancer research and treatment. Monbouquette has leukemia, while Remains keyboardist Bill Briggs was diagnosed with bladder cancer.
Besides Fred, there are 2 other Staples soccer connections to “Monbo Time:
...and now
Posted in Alumni
Tagged "Monbo Time", Chip Young, Dee Tashian, Fred Cantor, The Remains
“Manny’s Orphans” — the 1978 movie featuring dozens of Westport soccer players — has been uploaded to YouTube.
The 8:53 clip (click here) includes the climactic game between the orphans of St. Mark’s, and the prep school kids of Creighton Hall. (You’ll never guess who wins.)
Dan Woog as the referee
Included in the clip are future Staples stars Mike Brown, Phil Dalmage, Bandy Mahr, Mike Moses, Micu Oprea and Rob Wilder. New York Cosmos star Werner Roth also appears.
The referee is played by Dan Woog, who choreographed all the soccer sequences.
“Manny’s Orphans” was directed by Sean Cunningham. He later directed more famous films, like “Friday the 13th” and “Spring Break.”
Kyle Martino ’99 has made it to the World Cup.
Kyle Martino
The former national team player will be part of ESPN’s 300-person coverage when the 2010 Cup kicks off in June. He’ll join TV veterans J.P. Dellacamera and Tommy Smyth, plus former New York Cosmos star Shep Messing, on the radio, calling games live from South Africa.
The Walt Disney Co. — parent company of ESPN and ABC — is going all out this year. “SportsCenter” will broadcast live from Johannesburg, and 250 hours of original programming— more than 10 days of TV—are being produced, Yahoo Sports says.
“We’ve sort of pulled out all stops to make sure people pay attention this year, because we’re convinced when they pay attention, they’re going to fall in love with this,” said John Skipper, ESPN’s executive vice president of content.
The lead TV announcer is Sky Sports’ Martin Tyler, considered one of Britain’s top commentators. That should make for an interesting experience on June 12 — when the US plays England.
ESPN also is bringing in a large number of former players to cover the matches, including Ruud Gullit, John Harkes and Alexi Lalas.
Like ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, Univision will broadcast in high definition on its main network, TeleFutura and Galavision, a total of 900 hours of coverage in all.
In addition, 54 games will be available on the internet on ESPN3 (formerly ESPN360). Matches will also be on ESPN Mobile.
A giant tag sale is planned for Saturday, June 12 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Staples High School parking lot). The beneficiaries are WWPT Wrecker Radio — the Staples station that broadcast many key soccer matches last fall — and the new concession stand, which will serve the football and baseball teams.
Westport closets are filled with soccer balls. Donate them to the tag sale!
Organizers are looking for donations of sports items — soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, tennis, baseball, football, volleyball, hockey, basketball, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, rollerblading, cycling, boating, you get the idea — as well as outdoor and household furniture; lawn and garden equipment; small appliances; electronics and calculators; housewares; jewelry, coats and jackets; girls clothing; handbags, and toys.
(For some reason, they say “no stuffed animals, please.”)
All items must be clean, in very good condition, and a complete set. Large items must be approved before delivery (email: stacy044@aol.com).
Large items can be picked up. Smaller ones can be dropped off Saturdays (May 22 and 29, June 5; 8-11 a.m.) and Wednesdays (May 26, June 2 and 9, 5-7 p.m.). at Staples.
For other drop-off times, or to volunteer, email: footballtagsale@gmail.com.
Posted in General news
Marc Selverstone ’80 — an associate professor at the University of Virginia — has won the 2010 Stuart L. Bernath Prize for his 1st book: Constructing the Monolith: The United States, Great Britain, and International Communism, 1945–1950. The prize is presented annually by the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations in recognition of distinguished research and writing by scholars of American foreign relations.
Marc Selverstone
In his book, Selverstone explores American and British efforts to define global communism. The American and British Cold War mindset — which saw communism as a monolithic conspiratorial movement controlled from Moscow — shaped international relations for much of the 20th century.
The prize committee described Selverstone’s work as “a far-reaching, deeply researched study that combines close comparative analysis and subtle yet compelling arguments.”
Selverstone is an associate professor with UVa’s Miller Center of Public Affairs Presidential Recordings Program. His interests include U.S. foreign relations post-1945, the culture of the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. His next book is The Kennedy Withdrawal: Camelot and the American Commitment to Vietnam.
For the 2nd straight year, Greens Farms Academy student and Westport Soccer Association player Andy Mondino has organized a small-sided fundraising tournament — and invited the Staples Wreckers to join.
Last year’s 3-v-3 event raised over $1,500 for Darfur refugees. This year, it’s 5-v-5. The charity is Street Soccer USA, an excellent organization that uses sports to help end homelessness across the United States.
This year’s 5-v-5 tournament is set for next Sunday, April 18 — 12 noon to 3 p.m., at Greens Farms Academy. There is a $20 registration team (per team). Pre-registration is recommended — email MondinoA@gfacademy.org.
“I encourage all Staples players — and any other players who are around — to form a team and participate,” said Staples High School head coach Dan Woog. “The competition is great — last year we had 2 teams reach the semis. And all the money goes to an exceptional cause.
“I commend Andy Mondino, his friend Joseph Filgueiras, and the entire GFA community service committee for organizing this great event. I thank them for inviting us to participate. This is what soccer, friendship — and service — is all about.”
(Referees and tournament-day helpers are also needed — email MondinoA@gfacademy.org.)
Andy Mondino
Matt Doran has given the Staples soccer program some great props.
The Norwalk Hour sports editor — who has seen his share of high school sports — shines a nice light on last fall’s state championship team in the “Hour Sports Minute” blog, highlighting the success they’ve had since November getting into college.;
Doran notes that Alan Reiter (North Carolina State University), Mike White (University of Delaware), Michael McCarthy (Washington University in St. Louis) and Matteo Marzoli (Fairfield University) are all headed to Division I schools to play soccer.
Junior Brendan Lesch — who recently verbally committed to the University of Notre Dame — will join them in 2011.
In addition, while Jack Hennessy, Andrew McNair and Mikey Fitzgerald are still undecided, but all 3 may also play college soccer.
“That’s a true mark of success if ever there was one,” Doran wrote.
“Not only is this a feather in the cap for the Staples soccer program, as if it needed any more, it says great things about Staples as a high school.”
(To read the entire Hour Sports Minute blog, click here.)
