T H E
FEBRUARY 2017
O F F I C I A L
M A G A Z I N E
O F
T H E
R A M S
C L U B
T H E C A R O L I N A FA M I LY
A LOOK AT WHAT BRINGS TAR HEELS TOGETHER
2
BORN & BRED
February 2017
WELCOME
Letter from the Editor
W
We only get six chances. That’s the phrase that was uttered somewhere during the initial planning of the magazine you now hold in your hands. It meant that because Born and Bred will be published every other month, we only get six chances per year to come into your mailbox. There are hundreds of stories to be told in Carolina athletics, but those six chances were a stark reminder that it’s our job to whittle them down into six volumes of entertaining and worthwhile reading for you. Because you’ve received this publication, you’re already a Rams Club member. You can sing the words to the alma mater, shouting “priceless gem!” at exactly the right moment. Michael and Choo Choo and Phil are first name acquaintances to you, while Coach Smith requires the more reverent title attached to his name. Perhaps you’ve seen the goalposts torn down in Kenan and the court stormed at the Smith Center, but you also remember the pain of Antwan Harris and Austin Rivers. So this magazine will not be about educating you. You’ve spent a lifetime doing that, and you’ve found Carolina worth your time and your investment. Our job, in our six chances per year, is to identify the stories that help you remember why you first wanted to be a Tar Heel, and why it remains such an important part of your life that if you look in your closet at this very moment, you’ll see a significant amount of blue and a suspicious lack of red. Every issue of Born and Bred will have a theme. It’s for the reader, but it’s also a reminder for us to stay focused. There was never much question about the theme of this first issue. You’ve probably experienced it yourself. Maybe it was in PRODUCED BY THE RAMS CLUB EDITOR IN CHIEF ADAM LUCAS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS LEE PACE & TURNER WALSTON PHOTOGRAPHY JEFFREY CAMARATI DESIGN JUJUBE SPORTS PUBLISHING
an airport or on a busy street while on vacation or on a beach that you thought was a long way from home. And suddenly, there’s someone wearing that familiar Carolina blue on a shirt or a hat or a jacket, and the owner is acknowledging your similar Carolina blue with a “Go Heels!” or a “Tar!” You just never know when you might next encounter a fellow member of the Carolina Family. And it never stops being one of those pleasant surprises that can make a day. Sometimes, that family is obvious, like the UNC quarterback passing the Tar Heel label to his basketball playing son, or the brothers who arrive on campus and
excel in different sports. You’ll meet them in these pages, but you’ll also meet the trio from South Carolina, West Virginia and Florida who seem to have absolutely nothing in common other than their athletic excellence. . . but then sit down for a half-hour conversation and soon discover they’ve lived parallel existences for the last several years, all by virtue of simply being a Tar Heel. Most of us will never get to make a three-pointer at the Smith Center or spike it down the line in Carmichael or haul a punt back for a touchdown, but the hope is you’ll discover their stories are not so completely different from your own. You’ll find more regular updates to these same themes at the newly redesigned ramsclub.com and on goheels.com. This magazine is only one of multiple different ways to tell the Carolina story, but it’s one we hope you’ll value. You can always feel free to email me at adam@ramsclub.com and tell me the best way to use these remaining five opportunities in 2017.
ADAM LUCAS Editor in Chief ramsclub.com
3
& 10
“
“The thing I truly love about the University of North Carolina is the tradition, honor and respect. Everything about the program transcends generations.” —MICHAEL JORDAN
the CAROLINA FAMILY edition
ON THE COVER: Carolina veterans Switzer, Treacy and Berry pose in a rare down moment. BY JEFFREY CAMARATI
4
18
BORN & BRED
February 2017
B O R N & B R E D R O U N D TA B L E
10 Roundtable: Carolina Family
Veterans Ryan Switzer, Taylor Treacy and Joel Berry discuss the meaning of being a Tar Heel. BY ADAM LUCAS C A R O L I N A F A M I LY
18 Family Business Is Receptions
For the Proehl family, football is a family business that stretches across ACC boundaries. BY LEE PACE C A R O L I N A F A M I LY
24 A Carolina Family Reunion
Deon Thompson’s wedding last summer was a virtual Carolina Basketball alumni reunion. BY ADAM LUCAS
26 EDITOR’S LETTER p. 3
26 Maye Family Connection
24 TAR HEEL TICKER p. 6
C A R O L I N A F A M I LY
Football quarterback Mark Maye and basketball sophomore Luke Maye attended Carolina in different eras, but found very similar experiences. BY ADAM LUCAS
38 CAROLINA EVERYWEAR p. 16
C A R O L I N A F A M I LY
30 A Legacy of Giving
Ken and Cheryl Williams’ most recent Rams Club gift is the continuation of decades of Tar Heel support. BY TURNER WALSTON
C A R O L I N A F A M I LY
34 Kelly Family Connection One international Carolina athletics family has turned the Tar Heels into a tradition that stretches across sports. BY TURNER WALSTON
FIRST PERSON
38 First Person: Heather O’Reilly
Tar Heel soccer great finds the Carolina family took her around the world—and back again. BY HEATHER O’REILLY
ramsclub.com
5
TA R H E E LT I C K E R
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
FROM GRIDIRON TO GRADUATION PHOTO BY UNC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
6
BORN & BRED
February 2017
Rams Club members take great pride in supporting Carolina student-athletes when they take the field or court in uniform. They are even more proud when that uniform is a cap and gown at graduation. Congratulations to these Tar Heel football players who graduated in December 2016 ceremonies: Joey Mangili, Jon Heck, Khris Francis, John Ferranto, Ryan Switzer, Caleb Peterson and Dan Mastromatteo.
HEARD AROUND THE HILL
TH EYSAIDI T
“ “ “ “ “
“I chose Carolina because I felt at home the minute I stepped on campus. I wanted a school with strong athletics while being challenged to excel in the classroom. Carolina is more than a school, a sports team, or the beautiful shade of blue. It’s a family, and one that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
– EMILY GODWIN, WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
“It would be hard to describe, but (the Carolina Family) is the way everybody comes together, especially the people that come back. The way everybody just feels connected. It’s crazy to be a part of, because it’s really like a family. The vets that come back really treat us like their little brothers. They really try to take care of us, and it’s a good thing to be a part of.”
—ISAIAH HICKS, MEN’S BASKETBALL
“Being a Tar Heel means being part of a family. We all share the same love of Carolina Blue, and want everyone to excel in the classroom and on the field. It is an honor and a blessing to call myself a Tar Heel forever and always.”
– KAYLA MILES, WOMEN’S LACROSSE
“The word that comes to mind is ‘brotherhood.’ Whenever any of us need anything, Coach Williams and the coaches are there for us. They are all like our mentors, our father figures. I know what this team and this organization means to a lot of people.”
—KENNEDY MEEKS, MEN’S BASKETBALL
“My favorite thing about Chapel Hill is how united everyone is, regardless of how different we are. We all become one, and can relate to each other through our overwhelming pride of being Tar Heels. At games, it seems as if we are all one giant family.”
– RAINE GORDON, GYMNASTICS
ramsclub.com
7
TA R H E E LT I C K E R S U R V E Y S AY S
FAMILY, FOOTWEAR AND CHAPEL HILL FAVORITES KENDRA LYNCH, SOFTBALL Favorite piece of Carolina gear: shoes Favorite spot on campus: The Pit My teammate with the worst taste in music: Erin Sugg- although she does not have bad taste; it's just different than mine (not country)
SARAH HANVY, WOMEN’S FENCING Favorite piece of Carolina gear: either my poofy blue winter jacket or my Carolina blue tennis shoes Favorite spot on campus: Davis Library My teammate with the worst taste in music is: Theophilus Onigbinde
The best book I've ever read: Ender's Game
The best book I've ever read is: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
To me, Carolina Family means sticking together and upholding the traditions and integrity this university instilled in us.
To me, Carolina family means having a home away from home, full of diverse members that are dedicated, strive for what they believe in, and are always willing to lend a helping hand.
THEO ONIGBINDE, MEN’S FENCING Favorite piece of Carolina gear: Carolina blue and white Nike Zoom Vomero 9 Favorite spot on campus: FedEx Global Building My teammate with the worst taste in music is: Justine DeGrasse The best book I’ve ever read is: The Comfort Letter by Arthur R.G. Solmssen To me, Carolina Family means always having a group of people that will celebrate with you through the best times and be there for you through the worst times. We always have each other's backs.
BRIAN MILLER, BASEBALL Favorite gear: the shoes Favorite spot on campus: Smith Center/Quad Teammate with the worst taste in music: Zach Attianesse The best book I’ve ever read is: The Bible To me, Carolina Family means being part of winning traditions with people who want to see you succeed and help you grow.
STEPHANIE WANGERIN, ROWING JACK MURRAY, MEN’S TENNIS Favorite piece of Carolina gear: Team Mickey t-shirts to support our late teammate Mick Macholl's fight with cancer Favorite spot on campus: bottom of Lenoir or anywhere I can buy food
Favorite piece of Carolina gear: the "targyle" tennis shoes! Favorite spot on campus: Kenan Stadium on the perfect sunny day My teammate with the worst taste in music is: I'm not sure, probably me!
My teammate with the worst taste in music is: definitely Robert Kelly
The best book I’ve ever read is: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The best book I’ve ever read is: All of the Harry Potter books
To me, Carolina Family means being a part of something much larger than yourself - something that demands and expects excellence but is supportive and encouraging on the journey there. Something about it makes you proud to be a part of it.
To me, Carolina Family means being there for one another no matter what.
8
BORN & BRED
February 2017
TA R H E E LT I C K E R S U R V E Y S AY S CAYLEE WATERS, WOMEN’S LACROSSE Favorite piece of Carolina gear: Besides the Carolina onesie pajamas I recently received for Christmas, I'd say my jersey I wore when we won the national championship in 2016. Favorite spot on campus: I LOVE Fetzer. Some of my favorite memories are shared with my teammates and coaches on that field. And I’m proud to look over and see the addition of the Women's Lacrosse 2016 National Champions sign around the track. My teammate with the worst taste in music is: If you were to ask anyone on the team they'd say I'm the worst dancer. I have no rhythm or beat so I can't pick up on anything musical whatsoever. I can't think of anyone who has the worst taste in music. The best book I’ve ever read is: Stuart Scott - Everyday I Fight, not only because he's a Carolina alum but also because he’s an inspiration for how to live all parts of your life and to keep your head up. To me, Carolina Family means “rare.” Many have the opportunity to play sports in college but only a very small amount of people can say they play for Carolina. With that comes a special bond between coaches and staff across all sports: an over-arching feeling of love and support. I have three brothers so it means a lot to have 35+ teammates I can call my sisters, including alumni. The Carolina pride never dies and you can truly feel that everyday.
PARIS KEA, WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Favorite piece of Carolina gear: Game leggings Favorite spot on campus: The Pit My teammate with the worst taste in music is: Olivia Smith The best book I’ve ever read is: The Bible To me, Carolina Family means loving one another.
AUSTIN PROEHL, FOOTBALL Favorite piece of Carolina gear: My game worn jerseys from the bowl games and the ACC championship. It's pretty cool to be able to frame them and hang them up and to keep track of all the big games you've played in. Favorite spot on campus: Definitely Kenan. Every time I get the opportunity to walk through there you just picture Saturdays and it being filled in Carolina blue. My teammate with the worst taste in music is: Brandon Fritts. Without a doubt. He just doesn't have a good taste in the music of our generation but I give him credit, he does not care; he will listen to his kind of music very proudly. The best book I’ve ever read is: The Bible. Growing up in a Christian elementary school we always read bits and pieces of the Bible, but the more I've grown up and the last three years, I've been trying to read more and more full books within the Bible. To me, Carolina Family means family. The group of people and brotherhood we have in our locker room is very special. We have a bond that can't really be explained.
THE RAMS CLUB
THE RAMS CLUB
MISSION
Committed to providing educational and athletic opportunities for Carolina student-athletes The mission of The Rams Club is straightforward. Rams Club members believe in providing lifechanging opportunities for the best and brightest student-athletes to attend the University of North Carolina. As a member, you are a vital part of the team that drives Carolina Athletics. Your support welcomes these outstanding young men and women to the Carolina Family, and provides a world-class education with athletics competition at the highest level. Thank you!
WHAT YOU SUPPORT...
28 VARSITY SPORTS 800
500+
CAROLINA STUDENT-ATHLETES
RECEIVING SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE
$17.8
MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO UNC
WHAT YOUR SUPPORT MAKES POSSIBLE …
42 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS (MOST IN ACC HISTORY)
65 INDIVIDUAL OR RELAY 266 ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS 18 19 TOP TEN FINISHES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (MOST IN ACC HISTORY)
SPORTS WITH PERFECT 1000 APR SCORE IN THE LEARFIELD DIRECTORS’ CUP (FOURTH MOST IN DIVISION I; THE REST OF THE ACC HAS 20 TOP 10 FINISHES COMBINED)
ramsclub.com
9
10
BORN & BRED
February 2017
BORN & BRED
ROUNDTABLE
CAROLINA
F A M I LY THE CAROLINA FAMILY ISN’T LIMITED TO JUST ONE SPORT. IT BINDS TOGETHER THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT, FROM THE SMITH CENTER TO CARMICHAEL TO KENAN AND BEYOND. WE GATHERED RYAN SWITZER (SENIOR, FOOTBALL), TAYLOR TREACY (SENIOR, VOLLEYBALL) AND JOEL BERRY (JUNIOR, BASKETBALL) TO DESCRIBE WHY THE CAROLINA FAMILY MATTERS IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, AND THE IMPACT THEY THINK IT WILL HAVE ON THEIR LIVES BEYOND CHAPEL HILL. PHOTOS BY JEFFREY CAMARATI
ADAM LUCAS: Do you remember the first time you were aware of Carolina athletics? RYAN SWITZER: My aunt graduated from here. Anytime Carolina and Duke were playing basketball, I was always told to cheer for Carolina. I was in Chapel Hill when she graduated. So I’ve been aware of Carolina for the majority of my life. TAYLOR TREACY: I had no idea about Carolina until I started playing club volleyball. College coaches would come scout on the court, and I saw that Carolina blue for the first time when
I was in ninth grade. That’s when I first made the association. JOEL BERRY: I didn’t really have a family connection to Carolina. I liked watching Ty Lawson and Raymond Felton play, and my mom was a big fan of Sean May. I liked watching Carolina play, and I loved the color. That’s how it became my dream school. AL: A couple of you mentioned Carolina blue. What is it about that color? RS: I just look good in blue (laughs). ramsclub.com 11
ROUNDTABLE
“
(COACH WILLIAMS) SAW THE TALENT I HAD. I WENT THROUGH A ROUGH FRESHMAN YEAR, BUT HE STUCK WITH ME AND BELIEVED IN ME. THAT’S WHY I AM WHERE I AM TODAY. AT ONE POINT, I FELT LIKE BASKETBALL WASN’T FOR ME ANYMORE. HE KEPT ON BELIEVING IN ME, AND THAT’S WHY I’M THE PLAYER I AM TODAY.” -JOEL BERRY
TT: Everybody does. RS: When you see that blue, you immediately know it’s North Carolina. TT: I think it was meant to be for me. Before I even knew what Carolina was, I painted my room Carolina blue. A couple months later, I started hearing from Carolina. RS: It’s like the sky. You see it every day without realizing it. It has an impact on you. AL: This is the time of year when we start to see all the social media videos of Carolina teams cheering on other teams. What creates that bond across the athletic department? JB: We see each other all the time in Loudermilk (Center for Excellence). When you’re around each other that much, you get interested in those other sports and what everyone else is doing. RS: The student tickets I had were up high, so I bought lower level tickets to a basketball game last month. I know what they go through on a daily basis, because I go through the same thing. I know about their class schedule and academic schedule and I know what it means to have that support from people who understand what it’s like. AL: What is it about that schedule that connects you? JB: Your schedule is set all the time. You get up, go to 12
BORN & BRED
February 2017
class, go to the gym or the field. It’s the same continuous schedule all the time. It’s what we do, and it can be tough sometimes, but it’s what we know we have to do in order to play the sport we love. TT: As an athlete, you gain a respect for other athletes. You understand the discipline it takes to follow that schedule each day. You know that even though they’re playing a different sport, they’re working as hard as you. That’s where that support comes from. RS: What people don’t fully understand is that not only do you have to perform on and off the field, but in each sport that we play, you can be humbled very quickly if your head isn’t in it. It doesn’t take much for a team that’s less talented to make you look bad. In order to succeed on the court or on the field, you have to bring that focus every day. It’s very tough to have that level of focus and attention both physically and mentally every day. AL: What’s the most memorable UNC sporting event you’ve seen that didn’t involve your team? TT: The Gio game (football vs. NC State, 2012). I was a true freshman and I was at the mall. I was watching the game in the fourth quarter on a screen at this kiosk. I saw the entire thing, and everyone in the mall was screaming. It was awesome. RS: When the basketball team beat Duke my freshman year. I was in the stands during the game, on the court
ROUNDTABLE after the game, and on Franklin Street after the game. We had 6 a.m. workouts the next day and I was out on Franklin until about 4. I went home, took a 45-minute nap, and then made it to workouts. AL: Everyone across athletics seems to agree that this family feeling is a good thing. If that’s the case, then why don’t other schools have it? RS: There’s a sense of community here you don’t get elsewhere. Not many schools have a Loudermilk, I know that for a fact. Because of that, the interactions between sports are limited. We get to see each other all the time here. Plus, the proximity of all the arenas is important. The Dean Dome is a five minute walk from Loudermilk. Carmichael is two minutes down the road. You don’t have to go off campus or make a 10-15 minute walk. That makes supporting each other so much easier. TT: Everything is very condensed in this two-mile radius. There’s always opportunities to meet each other and build relationships with each other. JB: Our coaches do a great job of trying to get us to support other teams. We go to every home football game and tailgate. I go to the volleyball games all the time, because I played volleyball when I was younger. I like the action, and they have girls on the team who can really jump. I played football, so I like to see football, and our coaches are always encouraging us to do that. TT: There’s also a lot of investment from the athletic department into marketing the sports. Social media is huge, because everyone is so into their phones. We can see anything at anytime and it’s easy to figure out what is going on. AL: Since enrolling at Carolina, who has had the most impact on you? JB: I have to go with Coach Williams. He saw the talent I had. I went through a rough freshman year, but he stuck with me and believed in me. That’s why I am where I am today. At one point, I felt like basketball wasn’t for me anymore. He kept on believing in me, and that’s why I’m the player I am today. TT: I would say the same thing about my coaches. It was a completely out of body experience my freshman and sophomore years. I redshirted, so that was an added obstacle. My coaches never quit believing in me. They saw the potential, and they invested in my development. That meant a lot to me, and I owe everything to them.
LOUDER MILK
“
“We should all be proud of the student-athletes that come from Carolina. Their development in competition is matched and surpassed by their development as men and women who will make an impact on their communities as leaders.” A sense of family grows from common experiences – by sharing your challenges and triumphs with those who are experiencing a similar path. The Loudermilk Center for Excellence plays a large part in fostering the Carolina Family, as 800 student-athletes pass through its doors annually in pursuit of valuable life lessons. The potential impact of a facility that offers academic, athletic and social support was not lost on the man for whom the building was named. Charlie Loudermilk, a Tar Heel supporter from Atlanta, Ga., who made the naming gift for the building that opened in 2011, said: “We should all be proud of the student-athletes that come from Carolina. Their development in competition is matched and surpassed by their development as men and women who will make an impact on their communities as leaders. I am thrilled to help offer that opportunity to them.” As a social, academic and training crossroads for Carolina student-athletes, the Loudermilk Center for Excellence promotes that feeling of Carolina Family – and of the shared excellence for which Carolina is well known.
ramsclub.com 13
ROUNDTABLE
“
“YOU’VE GOT THE GREATEST EVER, MICHAEL JORDAN. YOU’VE GOT MIA HAMM. SOME OF THE BEST ATHLETES TO EVER PLAY THEIR SPORTS HAVE GONE HERE, AND IT GOES BEYOND SPORTS. NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO, YOU ALWAYS SEE THAT CAROLINA BLUE, AND YOU KNOW YOU IMMEDIATELY HAVE AN INSTANT CONNECTION WITH THAT PERSON.” -RYAN SWITZER
RS: I would say Coach (Larry) Fedora and Coach (Gunter) Brewer. I struggled my freshman year. People didn’t see it, because they only saw punt returns and special teams. But offensively, I was going from playing running back in high school to learning how to play wide receiver in college. It was overwhelming, and I struggled heavily. If it wasn’t for special teams, I should’ve redshirted. But my coaches stuck with me. They worked with me, and I’m where I am today because they didn’t just toss me aside. They helped me get better. AL: Each of you talked about struggles as a freshman. Is that another element of the mutual appreciation you have for each other? RS: It’s actually kind of nice to hear they struggled. It’s nice to hear I wasn’t the only one. I feel a little better now (laughs). It makes it sweeter today. You see them excelling at what they do, and you know that’s because of what they went through. It enables you to enjoy it more now. JB: You appreciate it so much more because of the struggle. If it came easy, everyone would be doing it. Making that transition from high school to college is tough. That’s why I enjoy it now. I’m a junior, and I look at these two, and they’re about to graduate. It goes so fast, and you really have to enjoy your time. AL: If you only had one more week in Chapel Hill before going out into the real world, what would you do?
14
BORN & BRED
February 2017
ROUNDTABLE
“
“AS AN ATHLETE, YOU GAIN A RESPECT FOR OTHER ATHLETES. YOU UNDERSTAND THE DISCIPLINE IT TAKES TO FOLLOW THAT SCHEDULE EACH DAY. YOU KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE PLAYING A DIFFERENT SPORT, THEY’RE WORKING AS HARD AS YOU. THAT’S WHERE THAT SUPPORT COMES FROM.” -TAYLOR TREACY
TT: I’m actually in that position right now. I’m hitting up all my favorite food places on Franklin, visiting friends, trying to make sure I say everything I want to say to everyone . . . it’s kind of crazy. It’s also sad. RS: I’m trying to get Coach (Roy) Williams to let me sit on the bench for a game. I’ve played basketball my whole life. I was good, but obviously not at the Division I level. But if I could just go through layups in warmups my life would be made. JB: Through the years, I’ve met so many different people here. I’d like to get the chance to say goodbye to everybody. This is such a welcoming place. AL: What’s something you didn’t expect when you came here that now you can’t imagine being without? JB: I had never seen snow before I got here. I had never been around cold weather. So that’s one thing that was completely new. Beyond that, what I’ve found is that when I go home, I don’t really know what home is anymore other than my house. I call Chapel Hill home now. When I graduate, it’s going to be so hard to leave. When I go home, I don’t know who to talk to or who to hang out with. Everyone I’ve spent so much time with over the last three years is here. That’s why when people leave, they still call Carolina home. RS: I can’t imagine being without some of the people I’ve
met. With 105 guys on the football team, you’re not going to be personally close with everyone. But there are 10 or 15 guys I’ve formed relationships with who I know will be in my life for the next 40 or 50 years. TT: You learn a lot in college, but the intangibles are what you take away the most. You learn a lot of discipline here. That’s so important for later in life. You learn how to communicate with people and how to get things done in time, and how to be a responsible, mature adult. Those are the most important lessons I’ll take away. AL: How often when you are out in the world beyond Carolina do you find a connection with someone who knows you not as an athlete but as a Tar Heel? RS: It’s a worldwide brand. You see the blue and the logo everywhere you go, no matter where you are. JB: You can be on the other side of the country and you know you will see someone wearing Carolina blue. RS: It has to be among the most recognizable brands in the world. You’ve got the greatest ever, Michael Jordan. You’ve got Mia Hamm. Some of the best athletes to ever play their sports have gone here, and it goes beyond sports. No matter where you go, you always see that Carolina blue, and you know you immediately have an instant connection with that person.
ramsclub.com 15
1
2
3 4
C A R O L I N A E V E R YWE A R Rams Club members like to wear their Carolina Blue, and they’ll wear it all over the US and the world. If you have a photo of you in your Carolina gear in front of notable landmarks in the US and abroad, send them our way to be a part of Carolina EveryWear!
5
6 7
8 10
16
BORN & BRED
February 2017
9
To have your photo included: -Send your photo digitally to bornandbred@ramsclub.com. -Identify everyone in your photo and the location of the photo. Here are the “Rules”: -At least one person in the photo has to be a Rams Club member -You must be wearing Carolina gear -You must be in front of a notable landmark (sorry, as cool as Kenan Stadium and the Smith Center are, they don’t qualify). SHOW US YOUR COLORS!
11
12
1) Kent Walker III of Charlotte, NC (son of Kent Walker, Jr.), in Madrid, Spain; 2) Maryann & Rick Bateman of Charlotte, NC, in Red Square, Moscow, Russia; 3) Chris & Christy Holland (with Carolina & Caleb) of Clayton, NC, at the Statue of Liberty in New York; 4) Chance Cline of Newton, NC, at the Hoover Dam; 5) James Richard Smutney & Joseph Johnson of Greensboro, NC, with two Lipizzan Carriage racing horses in Domonyvology, Hungary; 6) David Scott of Mebane, NC, at the Great Wall of China; 7) Carly Collette of Chapel Hill, NC, at Thingvellir National Park in Iceland; 8) Carla Kennedy of Mount Ulla, SC, at the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic; 9) Jack Cottle of Greenville, SC, overlooking Omaha Beach in Normandy, France; 10) Tom Ozment (far right) of Jamestown, NC, and friends at Notre Dame; 11) Rusty & Judy Sebastian of Clemmons, NC, at the base of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming 12) Tia Hairston of Eden, NC, at Lovers Leap, VA; 13) Eric Davis of Hillsborough, NC, at Torrey Pines; 14) Willis Family (Kathi, Sarah-Kate and Wright; Fritz is the photographer) of Morrisville, NC, on the Powell & Hyde Street Trolley in San Francisco; 15) Shannon Russell of Longs, SC, at the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC; 16) Bryan & Betsy Gentry of Cleveland, TN, at the Alamo in San Antonio, TX; 17) Chuck Underwood and his daughter, Bailey, of Raleigh, NC, at Blue Rock Beach, St. John; 18) Ben Koran (left) of Raleigh, NC, and David Olson of Creedmoor, NC, on top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
15
13
14 18
16 17
ramsclub.com 17
18
BORN & BRED
February 2017
FOR PROEHLS,
FAMILY BUSINESS
IS RECEPTIONS BY LEE PACE
PHOTOS BY JEFFREY CAMARATI
A
Austin Proehl watches intently the video clip running on a smartphone in front of him—the St. Louis Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship game in early 2000, Tampa Bay clinging to a 6-5 lead, under five minutes to play, the ball hanging in the air, No. 87 Ricky Proehl battling a Buccaneer cornerback step-for-step and making an heroic one-hand catch in the corner of the end zone. “I remember this so well,” says Proehl, who happened to be exactly four years and three months old at the time. “I remember every minute of it. He’s got unbelievable hands and ran an unbelievable route. He’s having to fight someone off every step, and the guy is holding his right arm and he catches it with one hand. No one can possibly understand how hard that is. And then to hold onto it going to the ground ...” Proehl smiles and shakes his head. “That’s an awesome clip,” he says. “That moment and those memories of him playing and doing the things he did—I think he deserves so much more credit than people give him. What my dad did over 17 years is unbelievable.” ramsclub.com 19
CAROLINA FAMILY
Two weeks later, the Proehl family was in Atlanta for Super Bowl XXXIV, Ricky taking the field with the Rams against the Tennessee Titans, wife Kelly in the stands with Austin, six-year-old daughter Alex and newborn son Blake. Austin’s upper body was draped in an oversized Rams’ jersey and his head sported a cap turned backwards, the youngster in total celebratory mood after seeing his heroes at the pinnacle of the sport. “It was the coolest thing,” Austin says. “My dad would take me to work every Saturday, and I’d clean their helmets and polish them. I’d kiss Marshall Faulk’s helmet, he was a special guy to me. They’d kid me and pick on me. I loved it. It was everything to me.” After the Rams’ 23-16 win, Ricky plucked Austin from Kelly’s arms and paraded him around the field on his shoulders. “That was such a special time for me,” says Ricky, the former Wake Forest receiver and now the receivers’ coach for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. “We had a great group of guys on that team and it came together at the end. To share it with my family was something I’ll always remember.” “It was a such a beautiful moment as Austin was really close to those guys even at a very young age,” adds Kelly. The memory cache for the Proehls runs deep and wide. Ricky played for six NFL teams over 17 years, with Austin being born in Seattle (“He called them the Hee-hawks,” his mom remembers), attending games as a two-year-old in the arctic clime of Chicago’s Soldier Field and then migrating to St. Louis,
20
BORN & BRED
February 2017
Charlotte and Indianapolis. Ricky played in four Super Bowls, with the ecstasy of the win over the Titans tempered two years later by a seven-point Rams loss to the New England Patriots in New Orleans. “He literally bawled, threw a full-blown temper tantrum, from the Superdome to the hotel,” Kelly says. “He was old enough to grasp it, not fully by any means, but he loved being around it.”
“
“My dad would take me to work every Saturday, and I’d clean their helmets and polish them. I’d kiss Marshall Faulk’s helmet, he was a special guy to me. They’d kid me and pick on me. I loved it.” And of course Austin and his younger brother Blake played football just as their dad had, the boys taking after Ricky and carving their niches as receivers with good hands, precise route-running, the ability to read coverages and overall toughness. Blake is a senior at Providence High and has committed to play at East Carolina next year. “He taught me like I was an NFL player,” the 5-foot-10 Austin says of his development. “Getting in and out of cuts was the biggest thing. Obviously, I’m not the biggest guy out there. I’m not the 6-4 recruit a lot of big schools were looking for. He just told me if
you are quick getting in and out of your cut, if you come back to the ball, you can make plays no matter how big you are.” Tar Heel receivers coach Gunter Brewer was two years ahead of Ricky at Wake Forest in the mid-1980s and had followed Ricky’s NFL career and remained in touch as he went into coaching and then Proehl retired from the NFL in 2006, entered private business and then accepted an offer from Panthers owner Jerry Richardson in 2011 to try coaching. Brewer recruits the Charlotte area and his eye caught the action from Austin at Providence High soon after Brewer began learning his territory in 2012 after joining Larry Fedora’s staff. Austin was leaning toward Virginia Tech after his junior year until he had a great workout at Fedora’s Freak Show in June 2013 and thought the slot receiver—or “A-Back” in Fedora’s parlance— would be a good fit. He committed in July 2013 before his senior year. “Austin competed well at the Freak Show,” Brewer says. “He ran well, his route-running was outstanding. His understanding of the game, the intangibles, were all there because he’d been around the game all his life. We tried to make room for him and had a spot open up. We offered him and he flipped to us.” Proehl saw spot duty as a reserve and on special teams his first two seasons. But Brewer had him learn the two outside receiver positions as well and Proehl took Mack Hollins’ spot in the first half of the Georgia game and was ready to become a starter when Hollins was lost for the year in
mid-October. Proehl caught 36 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns as a junior. “He’s the best route-runner on the team,” Brewer says. “He understands where the holes are on the defense. He can get sneaky. He can be sneaky fast as the defense sits on him and doesn’t respect him on a deep ball. But he makes his living on the underneath ball. You can count on him in tough situations. He’s made more catches than he’s missed. He’s extremely dependable.” The 2015 football season was a vintage one in the Proehl family as Austin and the Tar Heels won the ACC Coastal title and knocked off 11 opponents in a row, while Ricky and the Panthers posted a 15-1 regular-season record and advanced to the Super Bowl before losing to Denver in QB Peyton Manning’s last game. There again another connection—Ricky was a receiver with Manning at Indy in the 2006 season in winning that Super Bowl. “It was an awesome year for both teams,” Austin says. “People always found a way to doubt both teams. With us, it was that we couldn’t play with Clemson, we weren’t big enough, they had more five-star guys. With the Panthers, they doubted Cam Newton, they said we didn’t have big-time receivers. Each week, both teams put all that stuff aside, we’d showed up and for 60 minutes on Saturday or Sunday proved people wrong. It was really cool.” From the Rams in 2000 to the Tar Heels in 2016, the Proehl family affair came full circle on back-to-back weekends in October. Austin scored a touchdown for the Tar Heel in mid-October at Miami, his five-yard catch at the back of the end zone coming in the same stadium where Ricky had won his second Super Bowl, the Colts edging Chicago in 2007. Then in Charlottesville in late October, Ricky was able to see the Carolina-Virginia game in person since the Panthers had a bye week. He was standing between the Tar Heel bench area and the end zone to the west end of Scott Stadium midway through the fourth quarter when Austin snared a 46-yard scoring pass from Mitch Trubisky. Proehl juked a defender at the line scrimmage, ran a streaking post-route, found an extra gear to chase the ball down and caught it with his arms fully extended in the end zone. Now it was father watching son. “It was like an out of body experience,” Ricky says, “being able to watch up close and see him accomplish something he’s dreamed about—playing college football at the top level. He was so enamored with many of my teammates, guys like Marshall Faulk and Torry Holt. So for him to play at a high level, that’s pretty exciting. “He made the catch look easier than it was. It was a tough catch. Anytime the ball passes beyond your eyes and you have to follow it in, it’s a tough catch. He caught that one below his waist. As a dad I’m biased, but he made it look easy. I’m glad I was there to see it. I was very humbled by the experience.” Next fall the Proehl family’s attention will be split between Chapel Hill and Greenville on Saturdays and Charlotte on Sundays. Austin wistfully reflects on the passing of three years as a Tar Heel in the blink of an eye and notes he still has more dreams out there—to play in the NFL as his dad did so well. He thinks a Tar Heel receiving corps hit by the loss of three seniors will be motivated to prove the naysayers off base. “The biggest thing my dad always told me was, ‘If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will,’” Austin says.
PRACTICE FACILITY CLOSES GAP
As Carolina embarks on a project to build a new Football Practice Complex, here’s a quick look at Carolina’s six closest geographical and emotional rivals in the ACC, and what they’ve done in the last five years to provide indoor football practice facilities.
The Bob McCreary Indoor Facility opened in February 2016 at a cost of $21 million. The Hokies’ new building opened in 2015 and cost $21.3 million and is crowned by matching stonework. The Close-King Indoor Practice Facility cost $14 million and opened in the summer of 2015 and has a four-lane track the length of the field for sprint training as well as pads for track events such as the long jump, high jump and triple jump. The Cavalier facility is named for former coach George Welsh and opened in March 2013 at a cost of $13 million. The Tigers’ $10 million building opened in December 2012. The Pascal Field House opened in September 2011 and was named for 1950s Blue Devil running back Bob Pascal, who contributed just under half of the $13 million price tag. As Carolina’s program looks to make its next important step – to compete consistently for championships – it must address its need for an indoor facility and championship-level practice facilities. Carolina and Miami are the only schools in the ACC without dedicated indoor spaces for football, and Miami is similarly building just such a facility now. “We are the University of North Carolina, and it’s time we stepped up,” Larry Fedora says. “This is a much-needed facility, and it’s so much more than simply a bad-weather option. It will help us continue to build a championship program.” The Football Practice Complex will be funded through private gifts from Tar Heels who believe in the positive future of Carolina’s football program. If you have an interest in supporting this project or receiving more information, please contact The Rams Club at 919-843-2000, or visit ramsclub.com.
ramsclub.com 21
22
BORN & BRED
February 2017
ramsclub.com 23
CAROLINA FAMILY
A
Carolina
family reunion
PHOTOS BY BRANDON HUMES / SOUTHERN LOVE STUDIOS
Deon Thompson’s marriage to Amber Grissom in the summer of 2016 was a perfect example of the depth of the Carolina family. A host of Tar Heel basketball lettermen were involved in the ceremony and attended the event.
24
BORN & BRED
February 2017
THE FAMILY CONNECTION: Clockwise from top left of page 25: Preston Puckett, Bobby Frasor, football letterman Cameron Sexton, Bobby Cooper, Eric Hoots, Jackie Manuel, Sean May, Jawad Williams, Marvin Williams, Marcus Ginyard, Danny Green, Marc Campbell, Steve Robinson, Wes Miller, Wayne Ellington, Justin Watts, Sean Stout, John Henson, Alex Stepheson. ramsclub.com 25
CAROLINA FAMILY
MAYE FAMILY CONTINUES
CAROLINA
26
CONNECTION
BORN & BRED
February 2017
L
BY ADAM LUCAS
PHOTOS BY JEFFREY CAMARATI
Like many other youngsters growing up in the state of North Carolina, Luke Maye pretended to be a great Tar Heel quarterback when he threw the football around the yard in his Charlotte area home. Unlike virtually every other youngster, that Carolina quarterback Maye was emulating was his father, Mark. “I idolized my father,” Luke says. “I wanted to throw the football like he threw it and I wanted to shoot the basketball like he shot it.” Very few players could throw it like Mark threw it. The elder Maye was all-state in three sports in North Carolina in the early 1980s, but was a national standout in football for Charlotte’s Independence High. In a game some Queen City natives still talk about, he passed for 481 yards against West Mecklenburg, a record that stood for 20 years. Mark Maye was a Parade All-American and a prized recruit for Dick Crum’s Tar Heel football program. A shoulder injury during his freshman season would be troublesome for the rest of his football career, but he still earned a spot in the Carolina record books. Despite playing in a very different era offensively, Mark Maye is one of only two quarterbacks who played before the 1990s to rank in the top 11 all-time in UNC passing (Matt Kupec is the other), and his 406 yards through the air against Georgia Tech in 1987 remains one of the top 10 Carolina singlegame passing performances ever. Maye’s 56.2% career completion rate is one of the ten best marks ever by a UNC quarterback. “My granddad tells me a little bit about it,” Luke says. “And I’ve seen him a couple of times on ESPN Classic.” It’s natural to assume Luke would eventually arrive at Carolina on a football scholarship. But Mark married a former West Charlotte basketball standout and UNC graduate named Aimee Sockwell, and Luke always seemed to prefer the hardwood.
ramsclub.com 27
CAROLINA FAMILY
GROWING UP BLUE Left: A young Luke Maye (left) was kindergarten classmates with future Tar Heel football player Corey Bell (right). Right: “Chapel Hill has grown a lot,” says Mark Maye. “But it’s still the same place, with more similarities than differences to when I was a student here.” Photos by the Maye Family and J.D. Lyon, Jr.
In fact, Luke had an easier time choosing a sport than choosing a time on the basketball side, where it’s a very rare Carolina game that school. He stopped playing football in eighth grade, and then became doesn’t feature at least Mark and Aimee in the stands, and often some a sought-after basketball prospect at Hough High in Huntersville. combination of Luke’s younger brothers, Cole, Beau and Drake. Schools such as Davidson and Notre Dame offered scholarships, After growing up dreaming of being a Tar Heel, Luke still remembers picturing the versatile Maye as a perfect fit in the first time he saw a Carolina jersey with his their offenses. name stitched on the back. But Maye had been picturing something “I grew up in this state and I grew up different ever since he was little. Like many around Carolina,” he says. “The history here “I grew up in this state and I grew is unbelievable. The fact that I get to wear the two-Tar Heel families, Maye family trips often up around Carolina. The history revolved around Carolina athletics. The family Carolina jersey every night gives me chills.” went to Detroit in 2009 to watch Roy Williams here is unbelievable. The fact that His parents are equally pleased. And win his second national title, and made multiple although his son is playing a different sport, I get to wear the Carolina jersey journeys to Kenan Stadium every fall to watch Mark has observed that Luke’s Carolina every night gives me chills.” the gridiron Tar Heels. experience has had some significant Luke Maye knew he might have a tougher similarities to his own. time earning playing time in Chapel Hill, and his parents largely tried “First and foremost, the people have been great,” Mark says. to stay silent during his decision process, wanting him to make his “Whenever someone asks me about my experience at Carolina, the own decision rather than simply trying to please his parents. first thing I say is how many good people I was fortunate enough to be “In that last little bit when Luke was trying to make his final decision, around. That’s the neat thing about Chapel Hill, and that’s something I it was hard,” Mark says. “We wanted him to make his own decision, but think Luke has also found to be true.” we also both thought Carolina was the best place for him.” While Mark arrived on campus with national credentials, Luke has Eventually, Luke agreed, committing to play for Williams. That worked his way through a star-studded basketball roster to earn meant the Maye family has once again been Tar Heel fixtures, this playing time. He saw just spot duty as a freshman, but has already
“
28
BORN & BRED
February 2017
contributed key minutes as a sophomore, including a career-high 11 points against Kentucky in December. He’s a versatile scorer who has worked to develop his post moves to complement an already accurate three-point stroke, and he’s the post player teammates least enjoy competing against in pickup games because of his knack for rebounding.
“
“Whenever someone asks me about my experience at Carolina, the first thing I say is how many good people I was fortunate enough to be around. That’s the neat thing about Chapel Hill, and that’s something I think Luke has also found to be true.” “Ever since I was younger, my dad has told me I’ve always had a knack for rebounding,” Luke says. “It’s something I worked on a lot with him throughout my high school career. I know I’m not the most athletic or the tallest guy, but I know I can outwork other players. I was taught many years ago to read how a player releases the ball when he shoots it. That’s what I try to do every time the ball is shot.” That’s the type of savvy you’d expect from the son of a pair of sports standouts. And although they matriculated nearly 30 years apart, Mark has found that Luke’s experience mirrors his own. When he was a football player at Carolina, Mark knew a young assistant basketball coach named Roy Williams. He was surprised to find out the head coach version of Williams is essentially unchanged from the hustling assistant. “This is the honest truth: each day that goes by that Luke is involved and we are around Coach (Roy) Williams and the way he runs his program, we get more impressed every time,” Mark says. “It’s a very, very special program. We’re so happy with the way Luke has been treated at Carolina and the experiences he has as a Tar Heel.”
KELLY WHALEY
Sophomore
Women’s Golf
Women’s golfer Kelly Whaley is the daughter of Suzy Whaley, who played golf at Carolina and was the first woman to qualify for a PGA Tour event in 58 years. Suzy is the Secretary of the PGA, where she became the firstever female officer.
MYLES DORN
Freshman
Football
Football freshman Myles Dorn is the son of former UNC RB/DB Torin Dorn. Myles’ mother, Rhonda, also graduated from UNC; his brother, Torin Jr., plays basketball for NC State.
FAMILY CONNECTIONS
A multitude of multi-generational Tar Heel families have dotted the athletic department. In addition to the stories on these pages, these are a handful of current examples. MORGAN GOFF
Freshman
Women’s Soccer
Women’s soccer freshman Morgan Goff is the granddaughter of Daley Goff, Jr., who played football for the Tar Heels in the 1950s.
TANNER WATSON
Sophomore
Field Hockey
Tanner Watson is a sophomore on the field hockey team whose father, Chad, won ACC and NCAA titles as a member of the Carolina lacrosse team.
GRAHAM WEAVER
Freshman
Swimming
Freshman swimmer Graham Weaver is the son of former UNC swimmer Britt Weaver.
THOMAS JACKSON
Junior
Football
Junior Thomas Jackson wears jersey number 48, the same number worn by his father, David, when he was a co-captain on Bill Dooley’s 1969 squad.
ramsclub.com 29
A LEGACY KEN AND CHERYL WILLIAMS DONATE $10 MILLION TO CAROLINA ATHLETICS
30
BORN & BRED
February 2017
OF GIVING STORY BY TURNER WALSTON // PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY CAMARATI
ramsclub.com 31
CAROLINA FAMILY
T
They walked out on the Kenan Stadium field during a timeout at a football game in early November. Ken and Cheryl Williams stood between volleyball alumna Paige Neuenfeldt and junior men’s basketball player Justin Jackson. And then, it was announced: the Williamses had given a $10 million leadership gift to The Rams Club that will go toward the scholarship endowment, capital projects, team support and the annual fund. Their gift is the largest single donation toward scholarship support in Carolina athletics history. But the Williams’ support is not simply a one-time, single donation; it’s the culmination of years of Carolina involvement by the couple. In 1969, Ken Williams was a Minnesota native looking for a graduate school. Carolina was one of the few universities that offered his preferred program, a masters in public health with a concentration in biostatistics. “I was awarded a scholarship, and so that made the decision to come to graduate school (in Chapel Hill) even easier,” he says. “That’s why I ended up here, and I haven’t regretted it for a day.” After earning his master’s degree, Williams spent two years in the military before returning to earn his doctorate. He moved back to the midwest to work for Abbott Labs, where he met Cheryl, a navy brat who’d resettled in Illinois. The two will celebrate their 41st wedding anniversary in January. The Williamses moved back to Chapel Hill in 1987. Ken had enjoyed attending basketball and football games as a graduate student, and the Williamses began to get involved in Carolina athletics on a deeper level. “When we started with our scholarships, at least part of the reason was to get basketball tickets,” Cheryl says. “I had been to a couple of games and liked it, and I said, ‘How can we do this?’” The couple initially chose to give to women’s sports because they knew there was a need. Their daughter had played softball in high school, so they chose to support that program. “It was a sport we knew and related to,” Cheryl says. They inquired about other needs and were introduced to field hockey. “We didn’t know anything about field hockey, but we learned it . . . some of it,” she says. They learned it well enough that when the Tar Heels put the ball into the net, the tally goes on the Ken and Cheryl Williams Family Scoreboard. Today, the Williamses endow scholarships in volleyball, field hockey and softball and have an honorary scholarship in men’s basketball. Over the years, they’ve supported such luminaries as Rachel Dawson, Katelyn Falgowski and Emily Wold in field hockey; Crystal Cox in softball and
32
BORN & BRED
February 2017
Neuenfeldt and Jackson. Their relationships with student-athletes go far beyond financial support. They become ‘scholarship parents,’ essentially, getting to know their endowed student-athletes beyond the field of play, outside of their sports. They receive Christmas cards, wedding and birth announcements from the student-athletes they’ve supported. When Dawson was honored at a field hockey match for her participation on the U.S. Olympic team, the Williamses accompanied her on the field.
“
“It’s very fulfilling and fun to know that you’ve really made an impact in a young person’s life. It’s something that they can take, and they’ll remember it forever.” “There are scholarship students who never meet their donors, and it’s the donors’ loss,” Ken says. “I think the student-athletes we get here are really just exceptional young people. They’re exceptional athletes, but they’re also just exceptional people beyond their athletic ability.” The Williamses also understand that many of the student-athletes whose scholarships they endow will not become professional athletes. That’s precisely the reason that scholarship giving is so important. “It’s a good time in their lives,
and admittedly it’s a lot of work,” Ken says. “To be a student-athlete really takes a lot of focus and dedication, but once you get out into the workplace, those are the skills you have to have.” When they see their student-athletes succeed, like reaching Final Fours, winning championships or individual awards, the Williamses smile, knowing they had a hand in providing the opportunity for that success. “I think that’s probably the major reason why we do what we do,” Ken says. “It’s very fulfilling and fun to know that you’ve really made an impact in a young person’s life. It’s something that they can take, and they’ll remember it forever.” Ken and Cheryl Williams know that not every Rams Club donor can make a $10 million donation, or even approach that number. Their donation is a leadership gift, one intended to inspire others to give to a worthy cause. “Whether you give $10 million, $5 million, a thousand dollars…every gift is needed and appreciated,” Ken says. “It
A LEGACY OF GIVING: (From left to right), Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham and Chancellor Carol Folt join Volleyball’s Paige Neuenfeldt, Ken Williams, Cheryl Williams, Men’s Basketball’s Justin Jackson, and Tim Smith and John Montgomery from The Rams Club on the field.
all goes for the same purpose. If you enjoy Carolina, it’s what I would call money well spent. You don’t have to get in at the top level. And now is a good time to get your kids or grandkids involved and build that legacy. We kind of need to change the philosophy, to be more philanthropic.” “We know that we’ve inspired other people to look at what they can do,” Cheryl says, “and we’re happy to do that.” Initially, the Williamses may have given to Carolina for tickets. They do have those tickets, supporting Carolina men’s basketball through the Bench Seat program and football in the 22 Club. But what they get in return goes far beyond a good view of a game. Their involvement allows them to get to know the student-athletes they support. “You get to talk to them and get to know them more as individuals, as opposed to just watching them run up and down the court,” Ken says. “They are just kids,” says Cheryl. Ken nods. “And they’re really pretty amazing kids.”
ramsclub.com 33
CAROLINA FAMILY
KELLY FAMILY CONNECTION SPANS SPORTS, COUNTRIES
FORMER MOREHEAD SCHOLARS HAVE CREATED A LEGACY OF TAR HEELS IN MULTIPLE SPORTS BY TURNER WALSTON
34
BORN & BRED
February 2017
ROBERT AND JANE KELLY HELD THEIR COLLECTIVE BREATH on the night of December 9th. Their eyes were glued to the television, to ESPNU, as Carolina men’s soccer and Stanford faced off in penalty kicks for the right to advance to the national title game. The seventh Tar Heel to take a kick was their youngest son, Jeremy, a freshman reserve forward. The Kellys had been in a similar position before. In February, they’d been in Charlottesville for the Carolina men’s tennis team’s match against UCLA in the ITA National Team Indoors Semifinal. On court five, Robert Kelly Jr. rallied from a set down to defeat the Bruins’ Logan Staggs and send the Tar Heels to the championship. “Your heart’s pounding and you’re sweating bullets,” Robert Sr. said. “That was incredibly overwhelming.” Ten months later, Jeremy nailed his kick to extend the match against Stanford. “We were just frozen,” Robert Sr. said. “And then we were so relieved when he made the penalty.”
THE FAMILY CONNECTION: Jeremy Kelly (left) and Robert Kelly, Jr. (right) follow in their parents’ footsteps as versatile Carolina students. Photos by Jeffrey Camarati
The Kellys are a Carolina family in every sense of the word. Robert Sr. came to Chapel Hill in 1980 from Sussex, England, on a Morehead Scholarship. As a freshman, he played club soccer against Anson Dorrance, who was then the coach of both the Carolina men’s and women’s soccer teams. Kelly Sr. joined the men’s team as a sophomore. “I almost didn’t want to commit to soccer, because it was a big adjustment for me coming over here to North Carolina, or the U.S., even,” he said. At Carolina, Kelly met Jane Sommers, also a Morehead Scholar, who was from Washington, D.C. The two were in the same circles but didn’t begin to date until they reconnected in New York City after graduation. They were married in 1991. From New York, the couple moved to Fontainebleau, France, where Jane earned an MBA from INSEAD. After she graduated, the Kellys moved to Prague, where Robert Jr. was born in July 1996, and Jeremy followed in October of 1997. When the boys were two and three years old, the family went
back to Fontainebleau, where they lived until 2007, when they came to Chapel Hill. It was in France that the Kelly boys began to play soccer and tennis. “When you grow up in France, you live in France, everything is about France,” said Robert Sr. “They played soccer and tennis because those are the two biggest sports in France.” “I guarantee you that if we had grown up here, it might not have been soccer and tennis,” Robert Jr. said. “In France and England, the attention that basketball and football get at UNC, that’s what you get as a tennis and soccer player. Coming here, it’s like, ‘Whoa, we’re used to being superstars, and now we’re just those kids who play tennis and soccer.’” But those kids were quite good at tennis and soccer, winning state tournaments and playing at high amateur levels. And living just off campus, they began to investigate their parents’ alma mater. “I think we knew what UNC was (in France), just because
ramsclub.com 35
CAROLINA FAMILY our dad had t-shirts and stuff, but we had no idea what the football team was doing, or that the basketball team was winning a national championship in 2005,” Jeremy said. “I guess we knew Jordan went there, but not much else.” But that would change, with the boys attending Carolina games and camps. “Very quickly after we moved to Chapel Hill, once they realized that my wife and I went here, they embraced it wholeheartedly,” Robert Sr. said. “In a way, it almost went over the top.” In high school, the boys each decided to focus on their individual sports, going in opposite directions. Former Tar Heel soccer coach Elmar Bolowich encouraged Robert in his soccer, but he decided at 15 to focus on tennis. And though he’d been very successful on the tennis court, a back injury forced Jeremy to opt for the softer soccer fields.
“
“I remember when I was at that age, and it’s a dream come true to see Jeremy on that field. When I was ten years old and went to those games, those guys were so big and so fast. They were super heroes on that field, and to see my little brother out there, it’s really cool.” “The back injury limited some of the stuff I could do on the court, but I think I’d always preferred soccer,” Jeremy said. “[Robert] still thinks he could be on our team if he just started playing soccer again. A few of the guys don’t appreciate that.” When it came time to choose a college, Robert Sr. and Jane didn’t force Carolina on their sons. “My wife and I went out of our way to make sure they’d considered all the options,” the father said, “but ultimately they both decided that this was where they wanted to come.” “We always knew we wanted to go to Carolina,” Jeremy said. “I think the question was more whether they wanted us,” said Robert Jr. Robert Jr. arrived at Carolina as a freshman in the fall of 2014. After early struggles, he worked his way into the lineup and played primarily on court six, helping the Tar Heels to an Elite Eight appearance. Last season, he played on court five and teamed with Brett Clark in one of the nation’s best doubles pairs. After he clinched that win against UCLA, Carolina won their first-ever ITA National Indoor Championship by defeating Virginia last February. Early in his Carolina career, Robert Jr. made friends with Walker and Tucker Hume, twin men’s soccer players who’d transferred and were new to campus. The men’s soccer and men’s tennis teams have developed a unique camaraderie, loudly supporting each other and
36
BORN & BRED
February 2017
matches, and Jeremy got to know some of this future teammates spring, Jeremy and Robert Jr. are able to support one another, joining by being at his brother’s matches. “He could see them in a nontheir family in the stands at Fetzer or Cone-Kenfield. “It makes it competitive environment, and they didn’t see him as competition,” even more fun,” Jeremy said. “We kind of have two teams at Carolina, Robert said of his brother. “They could just get to know him as Jeremy.” and each season you get to be more than a supporter.” “That definitely made the transition easier,” Jeremy said. The Kellys know that the Carolina family extends beyond After a gap year, Jeremy joined the men’s immediate relations. Both have had the soccer program and provided an offensive opportunity to interact with alumni and fans, spark off the bench for Carlos Somoano’s team and feel the love and support of Rams Club last fall. He scored the team’s only goal in the members. “I’m watching Carolina games Sweet Sixteen matchup with Syracuse on the “We’ve been part of the Carolina family road to the College Cup. both as an alum and as a former (as the sons of alumni) and we come here Each of the Kellys has had his struggles early and we’re even more a part of the Carolina player, and a father of one of in their careers, and they have relied on one family and you kind of realize what all these the kids out there. I’m certainly another for counsel. “When we’re upset, we players you watched went through on a day talk about it,” Jeremy said, “because we’ve both hoping he gets in the game and to day basis,” Jeremy said. “When you’re 11 and been through the same things. Tennis and contributes, but at the same time, you watch a soccer game, you had no idea soccer, it’s a lot of relatable stuff.” what they went through every day and what I’m invested in seeing the team do practice was, what a typical day was, but you “We talk all the time,” Robert Jr. said. One thing fans won’t see is Robert Sr. see it from your perspective and you feel so well, because that’s standing up against the fence at Cone-Kenfield much more connected to the alumni and all part of our legacy.” or Fetzer, barking at his sons. He prefers to sit the Carolina athletes.” back and let the coaches do the coaching, and They were fans, and now they are in the he’ll catch up with his sons later. “I’m watching Carolina games both shoes of their heroes. “It’s cool to see the kids’ faces, when to us, we’re as an alum and as a former player, and a father of one of the kids just college students,” Robert said. “To them, we’re big. I remember out there,” he said. “I’m certainly hoping he gets in the game and when I was at that age, and it’s a dream come true to see Jeremy on contributes, but at the same time, I’m invested in seeing the team do that field. When I was ten years old and went to those games, those well, because that’s part of our legacy.” guys were so big and so fast. They were super heroes on that field, With men’s soccer’s primary season in the fall and tennis in the and to see my little brother out there, it’s really cool.”
“
Robert Kelly, Sr.
Robert Kelly, Jr.
Jeremy Kelly
MEN’S SOCCER
MEN’S TENNIS
MEN’S SOCCER
Kelly came to Carolina on a Morehead Scholarship from Sussex, England in 1980. He played soccer for three seasons for then-head coach Anson Dorrance. Kelly married Carolina alumna Jane Sommers in September 1991 at University Presbyterian Church in Chapel Hill.
A key member of the defending ITA national champions, Robert has posted career records of 6815 in singles and 57-13 in doubles over two seasons. Ended the 2015-16 season ranked #121 in singles and #4 in doubles with 2016 graduate Brett Clark.
An important reserve as a freshman midfielder on the 2016 College Cup team, Jeremy came off the bench to score the gamewinning goal in the NCAA regional final at Syracuse. He posted three goals and three assists on the season in 21 games played.
ramsclub.com 37
FIRST PERSON
I
“We are family.”
I remember my recruiting visit like it was yesterday. I can see relationships are important, and community is everything. myself as a nervous teenager, standing on the balcony overlooking Whether by marriage or by sweat, or just through love for this Fetzer Field, while legendary soccer coach Anson Dorrance is place, we are family. I have been fortunate enough to travel the asking me if I want to be a Tar Heel. He wants to know if I want to globe because of soccer, but my heart always takes me back to be part of one of the best dynasties in college sports. He is inquiring this place. And although originally a Jersey girl, and Dave a proud if I want to go to this amazing school, one where I will be fulfilled Canadian, we now happily call Chapel Hill our home. And I love it. I academically and intellectually, be happy love going to 411 West, and Root Cellar and socially with good human beings around playing pick up soccer at lunchtime with me, and pushed athletically, where the best the soccer coaches and going to sporting want to become better. I was asked one of events in our Carolina Blue golf cart. “Not only did I win two national the most important questions in my life. Do I Yes, we own a Carolina Blue golf cart. Are want to be part of the Carolina Family? we hardcore? Yeah, we are. And we are proud. championships here and become Anson probably coated it with more Seeing James Taylor play “Carolina in My Mind” a much better soccer player and colorful language and anecdotes, but in with Fetzer Field in the background in early person, but I also learned a very November will be etched in my memory the essence that is what he asked me that day. And I am so glad I said yes. Because not important lesson that I will always same way that recruiting visit chat with Anson is. only did I win two national championships When I returned home from the Rio carry with me: Relationships are here and become a much better soccer Olympics, we had a little bit of time off to important, and community is player and person, but I also learned a very regroup before heading back with our important lesson that I will always carry professional teams. So one day, I went to everything.” with me: Relationships are important, and the UNC soccer practice. Sometimes I am community is everything. able to jump in with the team, sometimes Anson just wants the I played on the US Women’s National Team with some pretty team to get repetitions. In this particular case, Anson asked if I amazing players. Some of the players are considered the very best could step out of a drill. Of course, I said no problem. women’s soccer players on the planet. But there is something Later that evening, Anson shot me a text message apologizing different about the Tar Heels on the team. Sure, the love of our and wanted me to know that I was always welcome and that he and school that we have can be seen from the other players as a little the team loved having me there. I told him there was no need to over the top. But most importantly the love, respect, and bonds with apologize, that I was more than happy to just watch. I each other that we have is immense. told him that I don’t just go to the practices for my After the World Cup victory, the Tar Heels took a picture with the game, but I go for my soul. He was so touched that World Cup trophy on the confetti littered field. There were six of he shared it with the team for his next game’s pre us on our team of 23 players. Three times the next program. That game speech. And guess what? They won. picture is proudly hung in the soccer office now, as a reminder Because relationships are important, and that dreams do come true, and relationships are important, and community is everything. community is everything. We are the Carolina Family. In September, I retired from the US Women’s National Team after nearly 15 years and 231 games played with the team. Who presented me with my framed jersey on the field? My friend, mentor, and let’s be clear, my idol growing up and Carolina icon, Mia Hamm. It was a very special moment for me. Also present there was my husband Dave, who I met here at Carolina, and was a Morehead Scholar and on the lacrosse team, and my agent Dan Levy (a Tar Heel) whose wife is Jenny Levy, UNC’s National Champion winning women’s lacrosse coach. It certainly was a special moment for me in my career, not only because I got to reflect on the wonderful times I had as a member of the US Women’s National Team, but because I was surrounded HEATHER O’REILLY by so many people with whom I shared an incredible bond. Because Women’s Soccer 2003-06
38
BORN & BRED
“
February 2017
CAROLINA INSIDER PODCAST HOSTED BY JONES ANGELL AND ADAM LUCAS
POWERED BY
ramsclub.com 39