| Past and Present (July 2006) |
By Louise Waxler
The NSCAA has a tradition unlike any other, one that began at the 1988 NSCAA Convention held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Crystal City, Va. This tradition has come to be known as the Red Aprons. Long-time members Mickey Cochrane and Bob Nye were on hand to assist the late John McKeon with whatever was needed to help the registration workers. Mickey came across a box of red aprons at the hotel and asked if he could use them to protect his and Bob’s clothing. Mickey liked the idea so much he ordered several for the following year with the NSCAA logo emblazoned on the front…and the Red Aprons were born. These wonderful people welcome members, assist with registration, give directions and generally serve to keep the convivial nature of our Convention alive.
Currently 10 very special people wear the Red Apron at the NSCAA Convention. They are our living connection to the roots of the game and the NSCAA. They are Terry Jackson, Bob Nye, Joe Bean, Miller Bugliari, Whitey Burnham, Ray Cieplik, Bill Holleman, Mickey Cochrane, Walter Bahr and Bill Shellenberger. All of these men have been honored within our organization for their many contributions of service to the NSCAA and soccer.
I remember my first NSCAA Convention. It was the Red Aprons, none of whom I knew at that time, who helped make me feel welcome and part of the group.
The past is the foundation of the future
What is so special about this tradition is that it helps preserve many of the core values of the NSCAA: collegiality, inclusiveness, an excitement to be part of the soccer community, and a passion to keep learning about the game.
Honoring the roots, history and traditions of American soccer has contributed to the NSCAA’s success and is woven into the very fabric of its being. The Red Aprons are the embodiment of that spirit. They also are a symbol that recognizes we can embrace the best of the past and use it as a foundation to grow the game into the future. Perhaps the future already is here.
As I write this column, I’m just days away from heading to Germany for World Cup 2006 to watch the U.S. Men’s National Team begin its tournament run. By the time you read it, the results will be in. The U.S. will have moved to the next round and perhaps beyond. Or not. It has made me think about all that has happened to soccer in America.
NSCAA has helped grow today’s players
Our Red Aprons in so many ways embody the roots of our game; but the “blossoms” are the players out on the fields. And it is NSCAA-trained coaches who have helped grow those players into the force they are today.
In 1990 the U.S. qualified for its first men’s FIFA World Cup in 40 years and the world had no expectation of our success. We departed the Italian-hosted tournament without earning a point, but our scrappy, energetic performance let the world know the U.S. should not be counted out. Four World Cups later, the U.S. enters the tournament ranked fifth in the world.
One of our own Red Aprons, Walter Bahr, served as the captain of the 1950 U.S. team that beat England 1-0 in Brazil – in fact, he was credited with the assist in the lone goal of the match that shook the soccer world. That was the last time we qualified before Italia ’90. Fifty-six years later, an encounter with reigning World Cup champion Brazil is a possibility beyond the horizon of group play.
At the end of his playing days, Walter would fashion a long and very successful (448-137-70) coaching career at the high school, college and professional levels. He has been an NSCAA member for virtually all of those years. He would coach hundreds of players during his career, but he also helped guide an organization that would teach thousands of coaches throughout America. I suspect that the team’s performance 40 years later may have had a bit to do with that!
Halls of fame are another way of remembering our roots and traditions. The NSCAA has its own Hall of Fame selections and each August, along with AYSO and NISOA, they are enshrined in the National Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y., to stand alongside the players and builders who have made American soccer what it is today.
So this January, when a Red Apron gives you a helping hand at the NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis, remember that they are part of not just an important NSCAA tradition, they also played a vital role in building the total game of soccer in America.
Go USA! |
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