Page 7

Torrance_061115_FNL_Lorez

TORRANCE TRIBUNE June 11, 2015 Page 7 TerriAnn in Torrance Relive the Rivalry – South High School Versus West High School By TerriAnn Ferren Photos by TerriAnn Ferren Within the city of Torrance exists a very strong soccer rivalry between West High School and South High School. In fact, this will be the twelfth year bragging rights of ‘who is best’ will be put to the test in a game which brings soccer players from the 60s, 70s and 80s together for a cause. To find out how this rivalry game started, I met with Mike Shimizu, Michael Bird, Glenna Fewell, and Joe Bonchonsky. The rivalry soccer games began in 2004 as a game dedicated to the memory of Scott Johnson, a former South High School soccer player, who died of lymphoma. Friends and players of both West and South high school teamed together to play a soccer game and donate funds to Lymphoma Research in Scott’s name. Joe began, “Scott Johnson from South High passed away. That story went over to Glenna, who went to South High. We knew of each other but we didn’t know each other in high school… She told me about Scott, and said they wanted to do something for the family. What we normally do when somebody gets hurt, especially if they don’t have insurance, is get a little fun game together and everybody throws money into the pot. When we graduated from high school – because we have the biggest high school rivalry, we used to play each other every year in alumni [games]. We stopped after five to six years. We decided to have an alumni game and put everybody together – not knowing whether we can get hold of guys because now it about at that time, 35 years later – from ’74.” Glenna said, “It was the 40th anniversary of the first CIF Championship at South - the first year we did it.” Joe said, “Fortunately, I play up at Fram, which is a soccer club at Nansen Field in Palos Verdes. We have a private field up there. [They donate use of the field.] So we are the co-founders. We put this together and the first year probably 50 players on each team showed up. Guys flew out from Germany and across the country. We had probably close to 500 people watch[ing] the game and play[ing]. We charged the players – well it is a donation. We created a non-profit. All the money goes to Lymphoma Research Foundation and guys pay to play, pay to come in – we had a barbecue and raised money doing that.” Glenna then piped up, “Rematch next year! And we all went.” This game is no small undertaking. Glenna organizes the raffle, and gathers volunteers who all came together for this fun event. Glenna said, “We had sponsors for the snack stand - Costco sponsored, and so did Budweiser, and the first couple years Amgen gave us all kinds of tschotchkes. Now we have a local South High guy running the bar, he has his own club and was a player at South High. Every year it is a volunteer situation. At the end, we would write a big check to lymphoma. I want to say about 70 thousand [total].” Wow, these athletes are not fooling around. They have raised money for their cause! This year, there is a big change in the venue. The rivalry game will be played at West High School. Never before has the game been held at one of the high schools. Also, the money earned this year will be divided between the two soccer squads, West and South. Joe reminisced, “It was fun to see guys revert to 18-year-olds. Two years ago, one of the nicest things that we did was - guys that have back problems, and knee problems, and they don’t play anymore, they just show up – they come on the field thinking they’re going to be announced – no - you’re playing! No tackling – the smiles to be out on the field, it’s phenomenal. We’re going to do that again this year.” They were going to call off the game at ten years because fewer players were showing up, considering the restriction that you had to be a player in the 60s, 70s, 80s. What is great about this event is most of the players in the 70s that started the event - all played in the first year of AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) in 1964. “AYSO started here and last year was the 50th anniversary of AYSO. The first two years, there were only 4 teams. The majority of guys came in the third year and have played in AYSO,” said Joe. Michael Bird said, “His dad founded AYSO,” nodding to Joe. Mike Shimizu, who is the soccer coach of West High School said, “These were the players that started the soccer program in Southern California. South was there, the former coach, Roger Bryant was the one who submitted the letter to CIF to start high school soccer going and then West has been there ever since then - so these are the two oldest soccer programs in Southern California. And I will speak for Joe, ‘cuz he won’t say it but the Bonchonsky family is huge in soccer in the South Bay. You heard about his dad, he played against Joe’s younger brother. They all played soccer and they were all very good. The west high program, which I was fortunate to inherit, is based on all these guys who played before them. You can tell it is in their blood, ‘x’ amount of years it is still a big thing. It is still a rivalry there – now friendly. You don’t want to lose to the Torrance schools. South is the one program – we don’t want them to get the best of us. We have been in the same league, the Pioneer League – all 4 Torrance schools are in there now so it is nice to be in that situation. AYSO also play club. As soon as the school season comes up, they want the bragging rights. I have several kids that their parents played at west. And it speaks well of Torrance. So many people grew up here and come back here because of the community.” All four of these soccer organizers grew up in Torrance. Glenna said, “I consider myself really lucky to have grown up in Torrance. It was a charmed childhood.” Then this ‘reunion group’ began reminiscing about the beginnings of AYSO. How Sigi Schmidt played the first year of AYSO and just got inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame and was the coach of the Galaxy. Now he is in Seattle [Sounders] and coaches for the World Cup. He is phenomenal. All out of Torrance! These four were electrifying with their enthusiasm. “We have been up at this other field, Fram, which has been neutral. Now we will bring the game home to West, and instead of giving the money to Lymphoma, this year we’ll give the money to the soccer teams. So, West High this year, and South High next year. South High started soccer before West High did,” said Joe. Participants now include the players, their “The rivalry soccer games began in 2004 as a game dedicated to the memory of Scott Johnson, a former South High School soccer player, who died of lymphoma. Friends and players of both West and South high school teamed together to play a soccer game and donate funds to Lymphoma Research in Scott’s name.” children, and their grandchildren. It is definitely a family atmosphere. On their 10th year, before the game, Broadway star Christine Daae, who starred in Phantom of the Opera, sing the National Anthem. Wow, that is impressive! “It was called Renew the Rivalry for the first 11 years and then Glenna and I came up with Relive the Rivalry and made it a non-profit as well,” said Michael. They also maintain a plaque memorializing the names of those players, or family members who have died, including the South High school soldiers killed in Iraq. Six names will be added this year. Glenna said, “These guys started it [soccer]! Now, it’s all over the country – there are hundreds of AYSO teams but Region 1 is here - and in Thousand Oaks it is Region 312 or something and that is just California!” Michael Bird added, “Soccer has become the biggest organized youth sport in the United States. Bigger than Little League - that is how big soccer has become, and it started here. And we were part of it.” Listening to these four ‘movers and shakers’ of soccer speak about our town reminded me once again of the great community we have and the unity of the people in Torrance. “[At] the first game, the younger generation – they were thrilled to be there and see their heroes again. They couldn’t wait to get on the field,” said Glenna. By the tenth year, the score was tied with 5 wins apiece, and many wanted to end it there, but there was much more fun to have, more money to raise, and friends to make. Who will win the 12th annual game at West High on Saturday? Somehow, I am not sure if they care more about winning or the camaraderie and fun of playing the sport of their youth. Check out their website, www.renewtherivalry. com and www.relivetherivalry.com. And if you are a South or West high school soccer player and want to get involved, contact the website and join in the fun next year and Relive the Rivalry! • Relive the rivalry! Michael Bird, Glenna Fewell, Joe Bonchonsky, and Mike Shimizu. Jeff Gibson and Michael Bird.


Torrance_061115_FNL_Lorez
To see the actual publication please follow the link above