Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 10, 1994 TAG: 9404100177
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BRIAN DeVIDO STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
From Roanoke, where Wedemeyer was an All-Timesland player for three years at Patrick Henry High School, to Blacksburg, where he played two years at Virginia Tech. Then, it was on to Old Dominion in Norfolk, where Wedemeyer transferred after his sophomore year.
Three weeks ago, Wedemeyer ventured to Richmond, where he plays for the 72-team United States Interregional Soccer League.
Saturday night, Wedemeyer returned to Roanoke to play an exhibition game against the Greensboro Dynamos, the defending league champions, at Cave Spring Junior High School.
The Dynamos used two goals by Jason Haupt in the last 10 minutes of play to beat the Richmond Kickers 2-0. A swirling wind kept both team's offenses at bay for most of the game.
The league begins its regular season in two weeks.
The game kicked off the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club's fundraising effort to build a soccer complex at Vinyard Park. All proceeds went to the club's goal of $400,000 to construct fields for its 23 teams and 400 players.
Wedemeyer said he hoped Roanoke can become a part of this rapidly expanding league, which may add 20 teams next year.
"I hope this sparks enough interest to get a team in Roanoke," Wedemeyer said.
Wedemeyer played the entire first half at stopper, the position between the fullback and halfback, and he watched from the sidelines in the second half.
Wedemeyer played aggressively, but touched the ball only a half-dozen times.
"He's a young man who has a lot to learn, but has a wonderful attitude," Kickers coach John Kerr said. "I think we can make something of him. He did quite well, but there were a couple occasions where his inexperienced showed."
Wedemeyer, who first started practicing with the team just three weeks ago because he has been recovering from a broken foot, has not yet signed a contract.
"This [league] is definitely a step above college," he said. "Some of the best players from college [play here]."
Wedemeyer broke his foot last summer in Roanoke, playing in a soccer league. Just when the injury had healed, he broke the foot again in early October in Norfolk.
"There was a lot of frustration," he said. "I'd worked really hard to get it back the first time."
Now, he's trying to make it in this growing soccer league a second time, making the 1 1/2 hour commute to Richmond once during the week for practice, and then on the weekend. Two years ago, Wedemeyer played for the Nashville Metros over the summer, about six or seven games total. At the time, Nashville was the closest team around.
He'll graduate with an English degree in May, and will be an assistant soccer coach at ODU in the fall. Wedemeyer said he hopes for a career in coaching.
But Saturday night, he got to bring his skills back to Roanoke. All the pit stops were worth it, he said.
"I knew a lot of people here," he said. "I was a little embarrassed [when they announced my name], but it felt good to come back and play."
by CNB