Wayne Soccer Alumni Hall of Fame Inductions and Honorees for 2019
- Margaret (Herzog) Bockus
- Bill Drexler
- Russ Hanks
- Don Johnson
- Karen Schoppe
- John Serafine
Margaret (Herzog) Bockus
Margaret is a 1997 graduate of Wayne Central. She played 3 years of varsity soccer at Wayne for Coach Bill Thomson, earning all league honors each of her years on the team. In addition to all league honors, Margaret was honorable mention All Greater Rochester her sophomore and junior years and 1st team AGR her senior year. During her senior season, in which the team won the Wayne County league title, Margaret led the team with 28 goals and 16 assists, while earning team MVP honors and the Wayne Athletics Athlete of the Year Award. Throughout her 3 years on varsity her team’s record was 40-12-4.Margaret finished her career with 56 goals and 34 assists. In addition to playing soccer, Margaret also was a 3 year starter on the basketball and softball teams while graduating 4th in her class. After high school Margaret continued her academics and athletics at Nazareth College playing 2 years and appearing in 21 games over the 2 years for a nationally ranked team, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Additionally Margaret earned her Master’s in leadership in health care systems from U of R. Currently, Margaret works at the U of R and lives in Irondequoit with her husband Brian, Step-son Brody and daughter Brooklyn.
Karen Schoppe
Karen
Schoppe is a 1986 graduate of Wayne Central and played 2 seasons for
the Wayne Girls Soccer program as a goalkeeper. She was a 2 year
starter and 2 time all 1st team selection for fellow Hall of Fame
member Coach Terry Febrey. During her junior season they won their
1st ever league title as a program anchored by Karen’s superb goal
keeping. During her senior year, the team reached the Sectional
Semifinals losing a close game to eventual state champion Pittsford
Mendon. During her senior year Karen earned team MVP honors and was
nominated by former AD Cindy VanHoover for Who’s Who Among American
High School Students. While at Wayne Karen also was a 3 year varsity
basketball player and 4 year varsity softball player. Following her
career at Wayne, Karen went on to play 2 years at MCC, where she was
a standout. Her freshman year she was dominant as the team went
20-0-0 to become the first ever undefeated team in National Junior
College Athletic Association History on their way to a National
Championship. Letting in only 6 goals all season (2nd best in the
Nation), Karen was named to the National Tournament All-Star, NJCAA
Region III First Team All Star, received the “Golden Goalie”
award for the National Tournament, was named to the NSCAA-
All-American team and won the Adidas Award for Outstanding Keeper.
While her goalkeeping
career was short, only 5 years, she left her mark on not only Wayne
Central but nationally as well.
Following
college Karen raised her 2 daughters in Jamestown, NY while working
in the medical field in various capacities. She continued to play
indoor soccer at the local YMCA and help coach her daughters
volleyball team. Karen moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 2015 and has
continued to work in the medical field. Her leadership and hard work
that she showed on the soccer field has carried over to her workplace
as she has received multiple awards for workplace efficiency.
Coach Febes had this to say about Karen “I have played with and coached some of the best goalkeepers in the country and the world, Karen is the best goalie I have ever worked with or played with. She was a leader and made playing fun for all her teammates. She was a great goalie, but is an even greater person.”
Bill
Drexler
Any conversation about 2019 HOF inductee Bill Drexler has to start with his character: as a son,brother, father, husband, friend and teammate. All boxes checked highest quality.
His soccer journey began in
7th and 8th grade with the 8th grade team going undefeated. He played
one year of JV soccer and after that went on to play 3 years of
varsity soccer in which all 3 teams made sectionals with 2 of the
teams making the finals, Bill graduated in 1974. For those 3 years
you could count on Billy D. (D for the defense) being in the lineup
and you knew you were going to get an outstanding effort every game.
Other honors of note in his
high school career were the Slick award (which was Coach Imhoff’s
nickname) for the team MVP his junior year and second team all county
his senior year.
After high school soccer he
went on to be a part of organizing the original Wayne Wings adult
teams with a group of high school soccer buddies which included a B
team the Whips. That first year the Wings went 13-1 loss and won the
3rd division of the RDSL and again you put Bill in the lineup every
game and the job got done. He went on to play more than 10 years of
adult soccer with the Wings along with continuing a hockey career
that began in high school. He continues to play hockey to this day.
His family is one
of the preeminent Wayne Central soccer families including his wife of
40 years Val who also played for Wayne Central in high school along
with all 3 of their children.
Bill also was very active in coaching having coached his nephew in the first season of Wayne rec soccer along with the first year of Wayne Wings travel.He coached all of his children at some point in their career. Truly a career of note in the history of Wayne Central soccer!
Russ
Hanks
Russ
was a three year varsity starter along with classmate and fellow Hall
of Fame inductee Jocko Serafine. Both are from the class of 1966.
Russ was co- captain his senior year and led the team defensively
capturing 3 Wayne County League championships and 2 Section Five
titles.
Russ ’s ability to win and
control air balls was significant especially in the defensive third
of the field. His physical stamina was outstanding, with the ability
to run forward on attack and cover on defense. Russ along with HOF
Dave Johnville and AC Capers dominated the midfield. He was a true
leader giving teammates encouragement whether they won or lost.
After his time at Wayne
Central, Russ continued his soccer playing at St John Fisher and in
1966, ’67,and ’69 was named to the All New York State College
Soccer team. In 1970 , he was selected to a US College All Star team
and participated in a European tour. Following college, Russ turned
down offers to play professional soccer in Philadelphia and Dallas
instead electing to attend Albany law school.
His professional law career
included: NYS Office of Family and Children Services , Administrative
Law Judge and Deputy General Counsel. Lastly, Russ founded the Albany
Soccer Club, coached youth soccer and served as Vice -President of
Central NYS Soccer League.
Don
Johnson
Don was a 3 year Varsity starter for a team that was Wayne County Champions all three years. He was a member of the Sectional Championship team of 1974 and his team was a finalist in 1975. Additionally Don was a member of the first Wayne Wings team in 1975 and played for Wings for 30 years. Following high school Don went on to play at Bartlesville Wesleyan College in 1982 and 1983 where they were District champions both years. In 1982 the team finished 3rd at Nationals in 1982. While at Bartlesville, (Which was coached by Wayne alum Bob VanHoover and Bob Imhoff, brother of Wayne Soccer Hall of Fame Member Chuck Imhoff) Don played with Wayne alumni J.P. DeLass, and Joe Zakowicz and Don earned All-American honors both years he played at Bartlesville. Following college Don coached Wayne Wings men’s and women’s teams from 1979-2014 and helped coach goalkeepers at Wayne’s Varsity teams for Tom Gentile and Tim Mattle. Don would like to thank Chuck Imhoff and Bob VanHoover for their help and guidance through the years. Don would also like to thank the hall of fame committee for his election into the Hall of Fame as it is a great and humbling honor.
John
( Jocko) Serafine
John starting as a sophomore
in 1963, John played 3 years of varsity soccer. He was instrumental
in earning 3 Wayne County championships and 2 Section Five titles.
Jocko played forward as he was very fast and quick with the ball,
scoring and assisting on many goals. He truly was a team player who
excelled with a positive attitude. John also played baseball for
Wayne and was co-captain his senior year .
After high school graduation
he spent 4 years in the US Army and then attended college at Fairmont
State where he met Flora, his wife of 42 years. His quick feet led
him to Charlotte, NC where he taught dance and was in several dance
productions.
Jocko proclaims his soccer
playing days at Wayne were some of the best days of his life and
feels his biggest influence was Coach Al Gentile.