A well-kept secret as UW-Washington County unveiled its new soccer scoreboard today in the name of for former coach, athletic director (1968 – 2003) and interim dean (2003-2005) Thomas J. Brigham.
The scoreboard, on the west end of the soccer field at UWWC, was unveiled before the alumni game.
Dean Paul Price praised Brigham for his service. “Thanks for being someone we could depend on for all these years,” Price said.
Brigham was totally surprised. After UWWC athletic director Deb Butschlick announced Brigham’s name, the former AD turned to his wife in dismay and said, “Did you know about this?”
Brigham spoke briefly after the announcement about how the sport of soccer has built such a strong following.
“What’s amazing is many of the soccer players are coaching soccer or teaching children how to play the game,” he said.
Former soccer player Marve Wolf (1972-1974) had Brigham as a coach in 1972.
“Tom came out for the first time and said ‘you know what, I’m new at this but we’re going to have fun this year,'” said Wolf. “Our record didn’t show it, we were like 2-7-1 but all of us had fun and now to think 43 years later it’s still going. We did things outside the school and he would have us to his house and you don’t have that with athletics anymore.”
Photos courtesy Dionne James