Athletes are young at heart
By Adrienne Downing

Bill Reppe takes the ball down the field in Sunday's scrimmage. Photo by Adrienne Downing

Sunday mornings are not for sleeping in and relaxing for the Coastal Shamrocks soccer team. The team, which includes 13 men from Jamestown, plays in the Rhode Island over-40 soccer league and their games are at 9 a.m. every Sunday morning.

They play at Eldred Avenue fields for home matches and travel as far away as New Bedford for away games.

"Noel O'Dwyer got us all playing soccer. We started off playing coed casually in the Lawn Avenue gym," team member John Kelly said. "He decided to enter an over- 30 team that was all Jamestowners. This was probably 10 years ago and we won the indoor tournament."

"Probably half of the team had not even played soccer before," Kelly added. "The recreation department let us play in the gym for years and then we got so many guys we started to play competitively."

The original team has seen some players retire and some new players join the team, but

Kelly said their focus all along has been to have fun. "This is about as low key as you can get," he said.

They scrimmage each other on Wednesday evenings at Wilson Park to practice and work on their foot skills, which is where they have met some of the players from off of the island. The current team resembles a bit of a world cup mix, with players having Irish, Scottish, English, Ethiopian and Portuguese heritage.

The only trophy the team is concerned with is the one they pass around to each other for being the best player of the week. The player who receives it must display it on the dashboard of his car for the entire week.

"Kevin Brennan, who is a builder on the island, kicked a penalty kick in our last game of the season which made us win the game, so he got to keep it all off-season. We actually went to his construction site to make sure he had it on his dashboard and he did," Kelly said.

Coaching is decided by the game and the decision process is very simple. "We have a clipboard with the team roster on it. If you win or tie as the coach, you keep the clipboard. If you lose, you pass it on to the next guy," Kelly said.

Just because the league is an over-40 one, there are not many concessions made for the player's ages. They play full 45-minute halves on a full size field.

"Sometimes it can get a little rough," team member Bill Reppe said. "We have had many injuries and have had the paramedics at the field quite a few times."

Reppe had not played competitive soccer until the Coastal Shamrocks came into existence, but said it was a natural fit for him with Kelly being his best friend.

"For me the best thing about it is the exercise," Reppe said. He points out that although things can get a little competitive with some of the teams, he is proud that their team has never been red carded.

Both Kelly's and Reppe's daughters play on the North Kingstown High School varsity soccer team and Kelly said his daughter has actually benefited from being around the team so long.

"She grew up with me always playing somewhere since she was little so she is used to it. She has learned a lot of soccer just hanging around with us and playing around," Kelly said.

Being a soccer player herself has not kept her from offering a her dad a little good natured ribbing.

"She just kind of laughs at me some mornings when I come hobbling down the stairs," he said.

Reppe said that having a big team has helped cut down on some of the wear and tear on the players.

"Having a big team means we can go out and run full speed for five minutes and then you are out and someone else is in," he said.

The running may occasionally tire them out, but Reppe, Kelly and the rest of the team are enjoying their weekly camaraderie and competition.

"I say sometimes that I don't play, I just participate, but I am having a great time," concluded the 57-year-old Kelly. "I am hoping they will have a walking league when I am 60."