July 17, 2008

SPORTS

34th annual Charlie Wedemeyer all-star football game set for July 23

The Rotary Club of Almaden Valley presents the 34th Annual Silicon Valley Youth Classic – Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game featuring the valley’s best graduating high school senior football players at San Jose State University Spartan Stadium on Wednesday, July 23 beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Leland Football Senior All Stars Rick Battipede, Kevin Krail and Nate Jones will take part in the Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game on July 23.

In the 2007 game, the North and South were tied 21-21 late in the third quarter. The North All-Stars won that game 24-21 with a 45-yard field goal, which gave the North its second consecutive win.

In 33 years of this football battle between the North and the South, there have been two tied games and a game series record of 17 wins for the South and 14 wins for the North. This year’s all-star head coaches are Mark Krail from Pioneer High School for the South and the Ray Wright from Lynbrook High School for the North.

The 34th Annual Silicon Valley Youth Classic commemorates one of the greatest Bay Area football coaches, Charlie Wedemeyer. He is the former head football coach at Los Gatos High School, and is currently the freshman coach. As a former college athletic scholar, Wedemeyer competed on the football field at both Punahou and Michigan State universities. He was acknowledged for his abilities in the 1960s when he was declared the “Prep Player of the Decade” in the state of Hawaii.

In 1977, Charlie was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease and was given, at most, three years to live. In 1985 he could no longer walk, talk or breathe on his own, and he became totally dependent on a respirator. With his strong will, passion and determination, he led his Los Gatos football team on to win the Central Coast Section Championship with the support of his wife Lucy, who read his lips in order to relay instructions and plays to the assistant coaches and players.

Wedemeyer is still alive today and with his wife’s assistance, continues to give motivational speeches at college universities, medical conferences, hospitals and professional athletic teams. In 1993, he founded the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach program. As an organization their mission is to support the fight against ALS, as well as instill inspiration and motivation within today’s youth. He will be at the game to encourage players and show his support for this annual grand tradition.

Past stars of the Youth Classic include the late former Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman, current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia, former 49er Carl Monroe, former Dallas Cowboy Doug Cosbie, current 49er Jeff Ulbrich, and Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Trent Edwards.

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. The gates will open at 6:30 p.m. and at 7:10, Jerry Gibson, AVRC president, will introduce staff and guests and welcome everyone to the game. Five minutes later, the North team players in blue jerseys will be introduced followed by the South all-stars in white jerseys, which will be the visiting team. The Marine Corps honor guard will bring in the flags and Jessie Consentio will sing the national anthem.

Half-time activities include a Pee Wee League flag football game with the Santa Clara Lions versus the Almaden Valley Pop Warner. Cheerleaders from local schools will also perform and there will be a tribute to our armed forces by Jessica Evalle Allen, the 2008 Ambassadress of Good Will.

Tickets for the game are $15 and can be purchased at the Almaden Barber Stylists located on Almaden Expressway, as well as Old Republic Title locations within the surrounding San Jose area. Tickets will also be sold at the Spartan Stadium ticket booths on game day. Children under 8 will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult with a ticket. All-star game alumni and armed forces personnel in uniform or with official government issued ID card will be admitted free. Please use the Humboldt Street gate (North side of Spartan Stadium).

All proceeds from the game will benefit the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach Program, as well as local charities sponsored by the Rotary Club of Almaden Valley. For more information about this event, visit www.youthclassic.org.

About the Rotary Club
The Rotary Club of Almaden Valley, chartered in 1969, is composed of a wide cross-section of men and women involved in local businesses and professions. The club has fellowship meetings every Friday regarding interesting and informative programs dealing with topics of local and global importance. In addition, they sponsor a variety of youth programs and activities in Santa Clara Valley. It is a member of Rotary District 5170, comprised of 57 clubs with approximately 4,000 members. For more information, call (408) 268-7196 or visit www.avrotary.org.

Almaden resident wins gold medal at Junior Olympics

Lauren Chin, who will be a senior this year at Leland High School, won a gold medal in the heptathlon at the Region 14 Junior Olympic Championships. She travels to Omaha, Neb. to participate in the National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships July 22-27.

Chin was a long jump finalist at the Central Coast Section championship meet in May.

The heptathlon is seven events conducted during two-day trials and includes 100-meter hurdles, the high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, the long jump, javelin throw and an 800-meter run.

Chin competed against other 16- to 19-year-olds. Scores are calculated following the entire set of activities.

Sports Briefs

Go 4 Gold Soccer School
Go 4 Gold Soccer School presents its 2008 Summer Soccer Camps program. We offer week long, coed soccer camps for players age 5 - 16 in both San Jose and Los Gatos, coached by our staff of highly trained, certified professionals. Go 4 Gold also offers year round GoalKeeping & Field Player Academies every Sunday from 5 – 7 p.m.

For a camp schedule, locations or additional information, please call 997-7775 or visit www.go4goldsoccer.com.

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