Soccer players flood Cary

From the Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008 edition of the Northwest Herald:

Soccer players flood Cary
DIANA SROKA - dsroka@nwherald.com

CARY - Hundreds of youth soccer players from across northern Illinois came to Cary Saturday to play in the 24th annual Sheppard Schleisman Memorial Soccer Tournament.

The tournament was started 24 years ago to honor a youth soccer player and his coach, who were killed by a drunk driver in May, 1984.

Stuart Sheppard and his coach, Tim Schleisman, were killed when they were returning to Cary after a Crystal Lake birthday party for Tim's son, Ty. A drunk driver crossed the center line and crashed into their car.

The Cary Soccer Association has hosted the tournament every year since their deaths to commemorate their love for soccer and keep their memory alive.

"It's a great thing for the community to do, to remember a tragic situation," said Mark Kownick, vice president of the association.

The three day tournament kicked off Saturday morning at 8 a.m. More than 2000 players will participate in the tournament at Cary-Grove, Kaper and Lions parks in Cary.

The tournament continues today and concludes with championship games Sunday, Oct. 5.

Sheppard's mother, Jo, will be present at the champion games next week, Kownick said.

"She'll give a little background, and remind people what it's all about," he said.

The tournament is completely volunteer-run, and aims to raise scholarship money for soccer players. Last year, $13,000 was raised, and organizers hope to exceed that amount this year.

It's also one of northern Illinois’ longest-running recreational soccer tournaments.

"We're now starting to have coaches who have played in the tournament," Kownick said. "It's coming full circle now."

For participants, the tournament was as much an opportunity to memorialize Sheppard and Schleisman as it was to enjoy the game they loved.

Allen Vaughn, who coaches the Harvard Green Apples, used the tournament to motivate his team of 11 to 14-year-olds.

"I tell my kids before every game that I don't care if they win or not, as long as they play as hard as they can," he said.