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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 21, 2005 South tabs Kaufman, Fretz for soccer posts By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune When Dave Kaufman ventured off to college in the summer of 1987, he recalls thinking that soccer was never going to amount to much in the Rogue Valley. Boy was he wrong. In the time since, Medford has become a soccer mecca of sorts, with the annual Rogue Valley Cup bringing in thousands of players and millions of dollars in revenue each year around Memorial Day. And at the high school level, the South Medford Panthers, who Kaufman played for, have won two of the past eight boys soccer state championships and earned at least a share of the Southern Oregon Conference title in 10 of the last 15 seasons. While Kaufman may not have been able to predict the future of local soccer, that hasn’t stopped the Panthers from putting their future in his hands. Advertisement In one of two moves meant to help South Medford build on its already sound soccer foundation, Kaufman was hired recently as head coach of the boys soccer team. Terry Fretz, who has spent the past six years reviving the Crater girls program, was tabbed to take over the Panthers’ girls soccer program. "We’re really excited and think this is just another great pair of hires for us," says Dennis Murphy, athletic director at South Medford High. Murphy says he hopes to fill the vacant girls basketball position in the next few days as well. Kaufman, 35, was part of South Medford High’s first graduating class after the Medford High split and went on to have an All-American career as a goalkeeper at Sonoma State University. In 1991, he ranked fourth in the nation among NCAA Division II goalkeepers with a goals-against average of 0.71 per game. He led the nation in shutouts (13). Kaufman’s ties to soccer in Medford date back to 1974, and he fondly remembers years later when high school soccer first became an option during his freshman year. But what he didn’t know then about soccer’s boom in the Rogue Valley is something he now clings to with pride. "It’s a lot of fun for me to come back and be a part of what it’s become," says Kaufman, who returned to the area in 1995 and has been a key figure in the Rogue Valley Soccer Club ever since. Several players on South Medford’s state championship teams in 1997 and 2003 were previously part of Kaufman’s club team. "I’ve always kind of had an arm’s-length-away connection to the team," says Kaufman. "My career (in real estate) has finally changed to where now I have time to coach during the high school season, and I’m looking forward to it." Kaufman takes over for Dave Potter, who stepped down last December after 13 years with the South boys and girls soccer programs. Potter won four SOC titles with the girls between 1992-97 and four more with the boys after taking over that program in 1998. Four of Potter’s teams advanced to the Class 4A state semifinals, with his 2003 boys squad giving him his lone state title. He has also been instrumental in the RVSC’s development since 1982. "The challenge for (Kaufman) is just to keep the program at the level that it’s been," says Murphy. "The bar’s set pretty high, but we expect that he can keep it there and probably take it higher." Kaufman says he has a tremendous amount of respect for Potter and what he’s been able to achieve in promoting and developing soccer in the Rogue Valley. "I’ve got some big shoes to fill," says Kaufman, "but I’ve got big feet. I think I can carry on the traditions set by Dave Potter and (his predecessor) Wally Hicks and hopefully their successes as well." "I’m not looking to re-invent the wheel by any means," he adds. "I’m just excited to have this opportunity." Fretz is another one who’s thrilled with his new role at South. He says stepping down at Crater was "probably the hardest decision I’ve made," but landing the job at South provides a new and exciting set of challenges. Fretz, 45, inherited a Crater team that had won only one game in 1998 and eventually molded the Comets into a playoff-caliber club. In 2002, Crater advanced to the state playoffs for the first time in school history, and they made a return trip in ‘03. At South, where the Panthers have won at least a share of the SOC title in 10 of the past 13 years, he knows simply making the playoffs isn’t the goal. "At South, it’s not so much about making the playoffs, it’s how far we can go in the playoffs," says Fretz. "I think South’s got to be one of the top 10 high school programs in the state." Fretz, who lives in the South Medford school district but is a sixth-grade teacher at Scenic Middle School, expects to remain at the Central Point school. He resigned his post with the Comets because he wasn’t able to do the necessary work with the Table Rock Soccer Club during the spring and summer seasons. He has a son and daughter who each play for RVSC, and he’s coached his daughter’s team for the last four years. "He’s extremely knowledgeable," Murphy says of Fretz. "Soccer has been his life, and he has a real passion for it." Fretz has played soccer since he was 3 and advanced to the semipro level in the U.S., Canada and Caribbean. He has 18 years of coaching experience. "I’m really excited about the challenges that lie ahead," he says. "I’ve met the girls and they seem like a great group. I’m looking forward to working with them over the summer and getting ready for the fall." Fretz becomes the fourth Panther girls coach since Potter left prior to the 1998 season. He takes over for Cindy Jolly, who guided South to an outright SOC title in 2003 and a runner-up finish last year in her two seasons. Buzz Thielemann (2000-02) and Leslie Lang (1998-99) preceded Jolly. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Salvia Divinorum Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Advertisement s