Here's a team of 11 to start a soccer game.
The Idaho Mountain Express contacted most of the 17 players on Wood River High School's 1998 state championship boys' soccer team and asked them a few questions about their lives and their memories of that fall season.
Here are 11 of them, plus the recollections of Justin Nelson and Mike Spaulding in the related article printed here, and the history about leading scorer Jason Southward.
Interestingly, the boys on the team have gone on to do many different things—health researcher, lawyer, Olympic snowboarder in the case of Graham Watanabe, teacher, musicians, U.S. army captain, ski coaches, fly fishing guides, mountain climber, national championship skier, and headhunters.
Their responses:
CHARLIE ASKEW
1—Education after high school.
UPenn '04 B.A. in Biological Basis of Behavior, minor in music.
2—Where you live.
Currently in Charlottesville, Va. where I just started my PhD in neuroscience at UVA. Hopefully I'll be done in 4-5 years. The schooling may never end... kind of what Southward was going for on the field when he would turn around just to nutmeg the same person twice. I'm trying to keep some sort of ultimate goal in mind.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
I worked as a researcher for a couple years before getting back into school. I'm currently studying the auditory system and causes of deafness.
4—Married? Children?
I was married this summer to my long time girlfriend, Amy Liao. We met in undergrad 5 years ago. She is also at UVA doing a Masters in public health and interested in med school. No kids so far, but who knows what will change in 5 or 10 years.
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
I think my favorite memory from '98 was the championship game, especially when the bench emptied onto the field and we all jumped into a giant dog-pile after the final penalty kick. Graham made me cry, Chappy made me cry, pretty much everyone made me cry and not just because they were standing on my chest. I think it was a big release that affected us all because we had finally reached the top after playing so hard the whole year and after daring to think that we could beat any team out there.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
Despite more frequently playing the role of bad cop at practices, coach Daluiso was a pretty awesome guy and great motivator. I think that he recognized our commitment to the team and to each other as friends. If we were going to give up easily there was no way he could have pushed us so hard. Let's just say I've never run so much in my entire life.
7—Any other comments.
Can we get a round of telephone for this virtual stretch-circle?
TREVOR BROWN
1—Education after high school.
International Business/Spanish, UNevada/Reno.
2—Where you live.
Tahoe City, Ca.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
Nothing to brag about.
4—Married? Children?
Not that I know of.
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
The extremely tight nit bond of the entire team, and coaches! You can't win unless you work and trust each other.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
I only remember the daily sprints until you puke.
7—Any other comments.
Talent comes in waves......our wave dwarfed all others!
CHAD CLEVELAND
1—Education after high school.
UNevada/Reno, Spanish degree with business administration minor, graduted 2004.
2—Where you live/current job.
Live on the road with Cobra Skulls. currently touring in Europe and then November on the East Coast, then Xmas, then recording and more touring.
4—Married? Children?
I need a dog or something. the whole stability thing is really by the waste side, and for some reason, most girls aren't into that......shocker.
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
98 season was the best time i ever had with a team/sport. Everyone was more than just teammates. There was a rare friendship and camaraderie that is hard to explain. Every one just got each other, knew each other, respected each other, and had an amazing time together....which showed on the field, thus made us kick ass and take names.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
Coach was great. He put himself around great assistants and people, worked our butts off cause he knew that we could handle it, which in the end proved to be right. Stern dude, but had great passion.
7—Any other comments.
I think we need to get together and knock the ball around.....
let's scrimmage for good times.
JAMES CORDES
1—Education after high school.
B.A. in history from the University of Redlands, Master's in English from Boston College.
2—Where you live.
Just moved back to Redlands in Southern California, 45 minutes outside of L.A.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
Head baseball coach and English teacher at Redlands East Valley High School. Learned everything I know from building ponds and wading through algae with Hailey's Kevin Lenane and Alpine Aquatics.
4—Married? Children?
Have 6 assistant coaches as ugly girlfriends.
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
The five of us who were shooting the penalty kicks in the state championship game were piled on top of each other at mid-field. Twin Falls, our bitter rival, was on the sideline cheering for us. We watched with this unreal tension, arm-in-arm, as Keefer's PK deflected off the keeper's out-stretched hand, into the side-netting, giving us the win. Then it was literally pandemonium. All the parents, all the players and coaches, all the fans rushed to the goal and began this huge celebration. It was surreal.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
How hard he worked us. We knew, day in and day out, that when we showed up to the field it was going to be the toughest practice up to that point. He ran us to our breaking point, then worked us more after that—forcing us to find out just how far we could push ourselves, while coming together as a team.
7—Any other comments.
It always amazed me that Daluiso's soccer history and knowledge was limited, yet he created a soccer dynasty at WR. His ability to relate to us as teenagers and to get us to run through a brick wall both for him and for our teammates was his lasting legacy, at least on me.
JOSH KEEFER
1—Education after high school.
After high school I went to college briefly at Pacific University near Portland Ore., only to return to Ketchum to follow my ski bum tendencies.
2—Where you live.
I split my time between South Lake Tahoe, Ca., and the Wood River Valley.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
In the summer time I can be found building houses (carpenter), and in the winter coaching for the SVSEF snowboard team.
4—Married? Children?
Not married, no family.
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
One memorable moment, scoring the winning goal. Mostly remember all the hard work that went into getting to the championship game.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
Coach Daluiso challenging us to a foot race. We ran facing forwards, he ran facing backwards.....he schooled us. Multiple times.
JESS KIESEL
1—Education after high school.
I attended a ski racing academy in 2002 in Solleftea, Sweden. Then attended the University of Utah, where I was on the ski team for 4 years. Graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies, and minors in geography and psychology, and won Division 1 NCAA ski championships team title in 2003.
2—Where you live.
Ketchum in the summers and other ski towns around the West during the winters.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
Fly fishing guide for Silver Creek Outfitters in the summer, and I coach junior ski racers in the winter.
4—Married? Children?
Not married, no children.
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
Beating Community School always my favorite memory.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
When he would make Jason Southward's lazy #*%# run hard.
7—Any other comments.
That year and the two following years contain some of the fondest memories of my life. I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything in the world.
ALEX MCLAUGHLIN
1—Education after high school.
B.A. College of Idaho; magna cum laude; Major: Politics and Economics; Minor: History; J.D. University of Idaho; cum laude.
2—Where you live.
Boise, Id.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
Attorney at Davison, Copple, Copple, and Cox
4—Married? Children?
N/A
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
Too many to list, but I'd go with hitting first penalty kick of the round.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
Fear.
RYAN NOTHROP
1—Education after high school.
Univ. of Oregon, poli sci, 2005.
2—Where you live.
Portland, Ore.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
Pharmacist headhunter now, used to be a full time musician with a band called Book of Maps. Toured non-stop for two years.
4—Married? Children?
No kids, I have two cats that are as smart as kids.
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
Even though I had playing time reduced because a senior and I shared a position, I didn't care. I loved all the guys on the team and it was a feeling of brotherhood that I won't forget. I still feel like I would do anything for anyone on that team.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
Coach was always understanding and never judgmental. He always recognized hard work even if there were more talented guys on the team, and he would reward it.
7—Any other comments.
I'm waiting for them to immortalize us all in bronze overlooking the field.
CHARLIE PARKER
1—Education after high school.
University of Nevada/Reno, and Golden Gate School of Law.
2—Where you live.
San Francisco.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
Still a student. It sucks. I'm in class right now.
4—Married? Children?
Married? Is that a joke!
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
My favorite memory of that season was every weekend the team hung out. The games were fun too, but mostly the partying was my favorite. I also liked it when we clicked the seat belts together on the way to the games at state on the bus. It was really corny but it made me feel like I was in a Disney feel-good sports story of the year.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
My favorite memory of Daluiso was his Top 10 speech he gave at the end of the year at Rico's Pizza. It was my favorite because he was funny and did not yell at us.
THAYNE ROLF
1—Education after high school.
University of Colorado
2—Where you live.
Boulder, Colo. and Bend, Ore. and moving back to Ketchum.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
Right now not much but my last job was recruiting, headhunting. Lots of phone calls, lots of technical jargon, lots of hours.
4—Married? Children?
Not married and no children.
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
Team dinner nights and Charlie Askew saving our necks in the final game making some of the most ridiculous saves ever. Well, pretty much our entire defense was unreal.
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
Even winning can make a hard man soft.
7—Any other comments.
Those two years were the highlights of my high school career. High school soccer is what I lived for; daily doubles, scoring goals, the friendships, winning and losing. I just remember sitting in class all day with clammy hands waiting in anticipation for that day's game. What a trip!
GRAHAM WATANABE
1—Education after high school.
School? People do more after high school?! Suckers! Just kiddin'. I've tried several community colleges in the off season, but haven't figured out what I want to do with my life, let alone get a degree that'll get me there.
2—Where you live.
I currently live in Park City, Utah. Hailey will always be home.
3—Current job, previous jobs.
After trying my hand at various childcare positions, scooping ice-cream at a Haagen-Dazs shop, pounding nails, making copies (Xerox style), slicing deli meats and cheeses for delicious Johnny G's sandos, walkin' the floor at a retail shop, and a couple other random trades, I finally settled on snowboarding. I don't know. We'll see if this one lasts....
4—Married? Children?
No marriage. Children? Good question. No. Good answer.
5—Best memory of 1998 season.
Best memory? I'm pretty sure we won State... I cried. Don't tell anybody, though. Nobody's gonna see this, right?
6—Best memory of coach Daluiso.
This one time, Daluiso let me meet his eyeline while speaking with him. That was incredible.
