Men's Soccer 7/1/2024 11:00:00 AM

Teddy Was Always Ready to Help the Highlanders, His Family and Friends

By Mike Ashley ‘83

Teddy Wilson and Steve Arkon were bookends on the backline of Radford's soccer defense from 1987-90, part of the most successful era on the pitch in Highlander history winning 55 games in four years, including bringing home the 1988 Big South Championship trophy.

Arkon played on the left side, and Wilson, on the right.

At Wilson's funeral service in Loudon, Va., Arkon got to the chapel late and found himself in the back, on the left side. He smiled to himself.

And even through the tears, there's a lot to smile about from those days when the high-scoring Highlanders played before raucous home crowds between the Dedmon Center back entrance, the railroad tracks and some pine trees. Arkon was one of about 25 players – men and women, from all over -- who assembled and helped fill the Loudon Funeral Chapel on June 21 to celebrate Teddy's well-lived life that ended far too soon.

So many teammates came from all over to represent for the quiet but rock-steady Wilson. He was a back who always had everyone else's back. And they came to support fellow Highlander Dee Dee Herndon Wilson and her sons, Zach and Jake, and the whole Wilson and Herndon extended family.

"The turnout from Radford was unbelievable," said Erin McCarthy, one of Dee Dee's teammates and still close friend. "We're brothers and sisters, there's no other way to describe this."

Wilson was at his son's graduation from Tennessee when he slipped on stairs and suffered what would become a fatal head injury a month ago. He did get home to Leesburg but became unconscious that night and never recovered. It's a tragedy that has jolted Radford and Northern Virginia. Over 150 people visited him in his two weeks in the Inova Loudon Hospital though he remained unconscious.

McCarthy, who starred at RU 1989-93, was again in the center of the field, running operations, everything from helping teammates book travel, arranging for food for family and friends at the hospital, making the sad, necessary calls to friends, even getting a flat tire changed on Dee Dee's car. You name it, McCarthy was again an all-star. Teddy, who was remembered for similarly caring for teammates and friends, passed away June 5, surrounded by his loving family.

Dee Dee, an all-conference midfielder, and Teddy were a Radford royal futbol family. During their time in the highlands, coach Don Staley was the men's AND women's coach and both teams were among the best in the region and perhaps, the nation. It wasn't an easy way to operate a program but looking back, to players, to fans and hangers-on like me, it all still seems so natural.

"What it did is it created a very large family," said RU's signature soccer star, Dante Washington '92. "Some of the women who played are really good friends of mine to this day. We would travel together and go to each other's games. When you'd come back to Radford and there was a women's game, (the men) were going, and they were going to our games. It was one big program."

So naturally there was more overlap than just soccer, including the storied romance of Teddy and Dee Dee. "It was just a beautiful love story," said McCarthy. "Really, we all wanted what they had, and Teddy took care of all of us – Dee Dee's girlfriends."

The recounted scouting reports indicate Herndon had her eyes on Wilson first but didn't know how to approach the soft-spoken Manassas native to take a shot. Credit Wilson roommate/defender/midfielder/star-wherever-you-put-him Sean Peay with an assist.

"She would give him this little twinkle whenever she got on the bus or when they'd talk," recalled Peay, who runs his own IT integration company. "Teddy was coy and not sure if Dee Dee liked him that way. She wanted me to talk to him, but we were at some event, and I told her to just go up and grab him."

That probably worked better for Teddy. If not downright shy, Wilson was more a man of action than words. Staley described Wilson as "blue collar," and that's really the kind of players Staley rolled with, well, and also with flashy All-Americans, conference players of the year, and stars like Washington, Ian Spooner and Jeff Majewski.

The mix worked and produced some of the most fun years and largest crowds in the history of Radford athletics. D.J. Shock famously musically enlivened home events and you can still see Dante running in front of the metal bleacher grandstand on one side of the field, the crowd celebrating another spectacular goal as teammates embraced and basked in the cheering and loud music.

Radford soccer was grounded, in Staley's brash, robust style, an Americanized version of the beautiful game befitting the preference of the Pittsburgh native and young coach. He wasn't much older than his players and they loved playing for him – the men and the women.

The style fit Wilson's game perfectly. He was a tough tackler, a hard hitter on the field. Not dirty, but physical and protective of his teammates, the first one to jump in and help in the heat of battle. And make no mistake, opponents were often aiming at Radford's many marquee scorers – Dante, Spooner, and undersized Majewski and Magnus Ramquist.

"We were role players, but we also had big shoulders to hit people," laughed Arkon. "Teddy and I felt like we could make soccer more like hockey for the fans and get more people to the games. It was our job to protect the goalkeeper."

One of those goalies, championship keeper Frederic Rondeau, came all the way from his El Salvador home to pay his respects. Women's star Jen Capece was there from Denver. Staley traveled from Alabama. On a team of big personalities and great players, Wilson never sought the spotlight. He did his job, only showed anger when seriously provoked, and had a wry sense of humor that kept everyone off balance and laughing at just the right moments.

He and Arkon did a "pregame show" their final fall at RU in 1991, both serving as assistant coaches. The rare clips, generally just for team consumption on long trips, are classic. Arkon's aspiring David Letterman style was enhanced by Wilson's witty, deadpan.

Wilson really caught his friend by surprise when he went head-to-head against a basic soccer player tenet early in their playing careers. "The most Teddy-esque thing he said to me was 'I hate the ball. I never want the ball.' Hey, everyone wants their time with the ball to try to do something, but what Teddy was saying was you want to get the ball and then get it to (our scorers) as fast as you can."

There's a 67 percent winning percentage, and a Big South regular season and tournament title to show for that brand of play.

And a long list of grateful teammates.

"Yeah, we scored a lot of goals, but everyone knows what defense means, winning championships," said Washington of the guys who filled often unnoticed but vital roles like Wilson, Arkon, Peay, and Doug Majewski, who belongs in the Hall of Fame with his brother.

Washington, an All-American who played with the U.S. National Team, in the Olympics and then professionally, talked about how much he owed Wilson, not just on the field, but as that true friend and roommate always there to help.

"When I broke my leg early my sophomore year, Teddy was always there to pick me up in his blue Bronco so I didn't have to walk on crutches to get home," he said. "When I was traveling so much my last year, trying to connect with the National Team, Teddy would always give me a ride to the Roanoke airport to catch my flight or to pick me up. He gave more of himself than the average person. I know he was always there for me."

Wilson brought the same caring to his family life. He coached his kids, and coached others in soccer and football. He loved D.C. sports, especially the Capitals and Commanders, and he and Dee Dee were live music enthusiasts always ready to take off for concerts and enjoy each other's company.

Teddy (his given name) was a four-year starter at Radford, a stalwart from Day One as the Highlanders quickly built into a powerhouse in the late 80s and early 90s. When he wasn't knocking opponents loose from the ball, he was lifting those around him up and making their lives better. That's what Teddy Wilson did.

Our lineup isn't the same without him.

Mike Ashley '83 was a national award-winning writer and columnist ('Sidelines') for the Radford University student newspaper The Tartan, as an undergrad. He has been a professional journalist since 1983, working at Radford, Virginia Tech and finally, as a freelancer in Fairfax, Va., mostly covering the University of Maryland and mid-major college basketball the last 27 years, including the Highlanders. He witnessed the thrilling 2-1 triple overtime win for the state soccer title in 1981, mostly from a perch atop Moffett Wall, preferred seating back in the day. Ashley writes an occasional column for the Radford website to share his recollections with Highlander fans.

Print Friendly Version