Williamsburg Wizards
Encyclopedia
The Williamsburg Wizards were a dominant American youth soccer team, based in Williamsburg, Virginia
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went door-to-door to elementary school gym teachers in Williamsburg, Virginia
asking them for names of the most athletic students in their 4th grade class. A selection of those names soon formed the nucleus of the first Wizards soccer team which went undefeated in its first 32 matches. Over the years, the team was able to attract added talent from up to an hour in all directions based on the magnetic draw of its coaching staff in Al Albert, who at the time was the head coach of the men's team at the College of William and Mary.
, who was assisted by Bob Behncke. Albert is best known as the long-time head men's soccer coach at the College of William and Mary (33yrs, 1971-2003). Behncke was a regional all-american selection for the Army men's soccer program in the late sixties. Albert and Behncke both had sons who played every season for the Wizards.
, now a retired professional soccer player. Matt was part of the original Wizards team in 1989 and played all eleven seasons for the club. His exceptional play earned him a youth national team call-up at the U-16 level, traveling to an international tournament in Montaigu, France. After a standout career at Princeton University, Behncke was drafted 18th overall in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft by the Dallas Burn. He played four seasons in the MLS.
Bret Myers - Bret Myers joined the Wizards in the mid-90s and was largely responsible for many of the team's successes in the latter part of that decade. Myers went on to be a four year letter winner for the University of Richmond Spiders. After graduating college, Myers spent several seasons with the Richmond Kickers A-League professional team.
Warley and Miller - The Wizards produced a pair of college football placekickers in Carter Warley and Kevin Miller. Warley, an original Wizard, was the starting kicker for a Virginia Tech football program that was a national contender during his time in Blacksburg. Kevin Miller joined the Wizards in the mid-90s. Miller was the starting placekicker for the East Carolina Pirates and then for the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe.
Others - Upon graduation, the exceeding majority of Wizards players not mentioned above went on to join various division one college soccer programs throughout the state of Virginia such as American, James Madison, Radford, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwelth, Virginia Tech, and William and Mary.
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
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Team Formation
In 1989, Williamsburg Wizards head coach Al AlbertAl Albert (soccer coach)
Al Albert is an American college soccer coach. Albert is best known for his longstanding tenure as the head coach of The College of William and Mary men's soccer program in Williamsburg, Virginia.-Early life:...
went door-to-door to elementary school gym teachers in Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
asking them for names of the most athletic students in their 4th grade class. A selection of those names soon formed the nucleus of the first Wizards soccer team which went undefeated in its first 32 matches. Over the years, the team was able to attract added talent from up to an hour in all directions based on the magnetic draw of its coaching staff in Al Albert, who at the time was the head coach of the men's team at the College of William and Mary.
Virginia State Cup
The Williamsburg Wizards dominated their age group of the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) in the 1990s. The Wizards competed before the advent of the US Soccer Academy system, and therefore, at the time the VYSA State Cup Championship was the undisputed highest honor to be achieved each year in the commonwealth.- U11 Virginia State Champions (1991)
- U13 Virginia State Champions (1993)
- U14 Virginia State Champions (1994)
- U15 Virginia State Champions (1995)
- U16 Virginia State Champions (1996)
- U19 Virginia State Champions (1999)
Coaching
The Wizards were coached by Al AlbertAl Albert (soccer coach)
Al Albert is an American college soccer coach. Albert is best known for his longstanding tenure as the head coach of The College of William and Mary men's soccer program in Williamsburg, Virginia.-Early life:...
, who was assisted by Bob Behncke. Albert is best known as the long-time head men's soccer coach at the College of William and Mary (33yrs, 1971-2003). Behncke was a regional all-american selection for the Army men's soccer program in the late sixties. Albert and Behncke both had sons who played every season for the Wizards.
Individual Players
Matt Behncke - The Wizards' most valuable contributor on the field was Matt BehnckeMatt Behncke
Matt Behncke is an American soccer player, who last played for Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer.Before joining MLS, Behncke played four years of college soccer for Princeton University. In 1998, his first year at Princeton, Behncke was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year...
, now a retired professional soccer player. Matt was part of the original Wizards team in 1989 and played all eleven seasons for the club. His exceptional play earned him a youth national team call-up at the U-16 level, traveling to an international tournament in Montaigu, France. After a standout career at Princeton University, Behncke was drafted 18th overall in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft by the Dallas Burn. He played four seasons in the MLS.
Bret Myers - Bret Myers joined the Wizards in the mid-90s and was largely responsible for many of the team's successes in the latter part of that decade. Myers went on to be a four year letter winner for the University of Richmond Spiders. After graduating college, Myers spent several seasons with the Richmond Kickers A-League professional team.
Warley and Miller - The Wizards produced a pair of college football placekickers in Carter Warley and Kevin Miller. Warley, an original Wizard, was the starting kicker for a Virginia Tech football program that was a national contender during his time in Blacksburg. Kevin Miller joined the Wizards in the mid-90s. Miller was the starting placekicker for the East Carolina Pirates and then for the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe.
Others - Upon graduation, the exceeding majority of Wizards players not mentioned above went on to join various division one college soccer programs throughout the state of Virginia such as American, James Madison, Radford, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwelth, Virginia Tech, and William and Mary.
Additional References
- Williamsburg Wizards Heading For State Youth Soccer Tourney http://articles.dailypress.com/1991-05-21
- U-16 Wizards Look Beyond State Crown http://articles.dailypress.com/1995-12-12
- Wizards Put End To Streak http://articles.dailypress.com/1996-09-10
- Sidekicks, Express Make Impact For Wsc http://articles.dailypress.com/1997-01-21