Grandparents remain neutral in the Battle of Marchese

The “Team Within a Team” football article that ran in the Aug. 19 Daily Herald struck a chord with Bartlett’s Paul and Marge Marchese.

The article focused on the Wing-T offense at Conant High School, where their grandson, Tyler, starts at quarterback.

In an email, Paul Marchese said Conant also fielded a second grandchild, sophomore receiver-defensive back Troy Marchese — while a third, senior receiver-safety Jake Marchese, plays for Bartlett, which hosted Conant in a season opener Friday.

Paul and Marge Marchese attended Friday’s game, a 21-0 Conant victory. Marge proudly wore her hand-sewn jersey combining both teams’ colors.

Not playing favorites, in the first half they sat in the Bartlett grandstand. then moved to the visitors’ side for the second half.

The Marcheses love to watch their grandchildren play. But as opponents, it was a little tense.

“It’s hard to see grandson go against grandson,” he said. “My one grandson (Tyler) is the quarterback, so he got tackled by the other grandson (Jake), and the other grandson (Troy) is the wideout, and he kept getting tackled or a pass broken up by the other grandson (Jake).”

“It’s hard to jump up and down and cheer when one side is a good play and the other side the play went against,” Paul Marchese said.

He noted a “friendly cousin shove” on a play where Jake was defending Troy on a pass route.

After the game they reverted to cousin love.

“Like they were cousins again, they weren’t opponents,” Paul Marchese said. “Very good sportsmanship by all three.”

Vote now

Waubonsie Valley graduate Hannah Bebar, of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Bay FC, and Stevenson product Kiki Van Zanten of the Houston Dash, are among 16 nominees for Nationwide’s Lauren Holiday Impact Award, citing service and character.

The recipient of the third annual award will be announced at the NWSL championship weekend Nov. 18-21 in Washington, D.C., with a $50,000 donation made to the organization of her choice.

For Bebar, that’s the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative; for Van Zanten, it’s Communities in Schools of Houston.

In addition, the winner of the Fan Impact Challenge will receive $10,000 toward the charity of her choice. Voting goes through Saturday at nwslsoccer.com; search Lauren Holiday.

A life in soccer

Born to an architect of suburban soccer, Jerry Fajkus, kid brother to former U.S. National Team and Chicago Sting star Charlie Fajkus, soccer was ingrained in William Fajkus.

Until Aug. 8, when the Glenbard South boys varsity coach, known as Willie, died suddenly at 64, two days before practices began.

“We will certainly miss Willie. When I met with Willie about a week before he passed, he was excited about the start of the season,” said Glenbard South athletic director Tim Carlson.

“You could hear the enthusiasm in his voice and how much he was looking forward to coaching this season.”

Carlson said the annual Raider Invite, which began Monday with a moment of silence, will be renamed the Willie Fajkus Memorial Raider Invite.

Charlie Fajkus also has established a GoFundMe account to establish the Willie Fajkus Memorial benefiting DuPage County youth soccer programs.

Fajkus (pronounced “Fye-kus”), of Wheaton, held a long, successful relationship with the College of DuPage, as head women’s coach and a men’s assistant. He also coached at Glenbard West and Waubonsie Valley high schools, and at Benedictine University. In addition, the 1979 Wheaton Central graduate refereed more than 2,500 soccer matches.

“Willie was a fixture for COD soccer for almost two decades,” said College of DuPage athletic director Ryan Kaiser. “He coached many athletes that became outstanding soccer players. He will be missed.”

Dave Tomek, now of St. Charles and a year below Fajkus in school, said he met him on “Day 1” of his own soccer career more than 50 years ago at a Wheaton Park District game, a program Jerry Fajkus founded. Both families’ Czechoslovakian heritage and soccer background drew them closer together.

“Willie was always around soccer,” Tomek said. “Willie was very skilled, didn’t have the speed Charlie had, but one of the most talented, gifted players. Smart, a very intelligent player.”

Tomek, who noted a Sept. 27 celebration of life at Courtyard Banquets in Warrenville, last reached Fajkus during the World Cup.

“Willie was all soccer, all the time, very smart,” Tomek said. “You could ask him any question about anything and he always knew it.

“Willie touched a lot of people.”

doberhelman@dailyherald.com