Picture: BUSC 1975-76 U-12 team
The Ballistic United Soccer Club has always been about celebrating its illustrious past while also moving forward.
Nothing better shows this than Ballistic bringing back the Hall of Fame Golf Tournament and Awards Banquet.
The event will be held on Monday, May 13 at the Castlewood Country Club. The golf tournament will be a 4-man scramble and starts at 12 noon, shotgun format.
“I’m excited to announce that we are bringing back the BUSC Golf Tournament and Awards Banquet,” said BUSC President Scott McMillin. “The Board of Directors and executive team recently completed our 3-year strategic plan, and it became very apparent that we are in growth mode and maintaining our culture is one of our top priorities.”
The award ceremony starts at 5:30 p.m. in the banquet hall at Castlewood. The awards that night will be the presentation of the Volunteer of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year, and the Team Manager of the Year.
The latest class of Hall of Fame Inductees will be feted as well. This year’s class is Mike Deleray, Rob Flores, former BUSC president Nandor Krause, and the 1975-76 Under-12 team that was coached by BUSC Hall of Famer Harry Miller.
There will also be a silent auction at the awards dinner with valuable prizes like sporting events, golf outings, sports memorabilia, and restaurant gift cards.
All proceeds from the golf tournament and the awards banquet will benefit the BUSC Financial Aid Scholarship Fund and Eric’s Corner Epilepsy Center.
“The Awards Banquet allows us to continue celebrating the over 50-year history of the Club by recognizing the key individuals that are contributing to our success,” said McMillin. “Also, the golf tournament fundraiser will enable BUSC to provide access to soccer for all kids who would like to play soccer regardless of their socioeconomic status.”
The cost for each foursome is $950 and includes (4) tee times, (4) box lunches and (4) tickets to the Awards dinner. You can also purchase individual player tickets for $250 per person or attend the awards dinner for only $70.
There are a few spots available for individual hole, closest to the pin and long drive sponsorships. All the sign-up information can be located at www.busc.org/golf-and-awards/. Tax-deductible donations will also be accepted for those that are unable to attend.
Please contact Daniel Montes at danielmontes@busc.org for additional information.
Here is a look at the four Hall of Fame inductees:
Nandor Krause: Krause was the BUSC Board of Directors President for 10 years, from 2004-2014.
He was the president of the board when Ballistic first launched the Hall of Fame and Golf Tournament. Now he is going from being on the board to being in the Hall of Fame.
“When we established (the HOF) I would never have imagined that I would ever be a part of it,” said Krause. “I am thrilled and honored. I am so happy.
Krause grew up in the South Bay and was part of the Santa Clara United Club.
“I remember going to a tournament and playing Ballistic United. Ian Lang was the coach,” said Krause of the late BUSC U-16 coach, who is also in the Hall of Fame. “Years later we moved the Pleasanton with our kids. I was signing my son up and there was Ian, collecting the checks.”
Krause spent some time as the BUSC equipment director and the match secretary. Bob Maas was the president when Krause was on the board.
When Maas opted to stepdown Krause moved in as the president. The commitment was even more than he expected.
“It was not easy in all honesty. It was like being the CEO of a company for free,” said Krause. “I am so thankful I had the support of my wife and kids.”
When asked for his favorite memories of his time spent running the show, Krause was quick to name a couple.
“Two things that standout, were one, the interaction with the city (Pleasanton) over the Bernel project – that was huge,” said Krause. “The other biggest thing was getting Kevin (Crow, the former BUSC and professional star, now BUSC Executive Director). We knew we needed a change and needed someone that could come in with experience. Kevin was interested and we were able to work it out. Kevin got us connected internationally and from there, those are memories that will last forever.”
In all the club accomplished in Krause’s tour, it is some of the simple stuff he misses.
“Getting off early and heading right to the fields,” said Krause. “Walking around, watching the teams practice, and talking with the coaches – that was some great times. I miss the smell of the grass.”
Rob Flores: Flores was one of the best goalies Ballistic has produced, and that includes a stellar list of goalies.
“This is quite an honor,” said Flores. “Those times were some of the best times of my life – playing for Ballistic. I made lifelong friends and learned life lessons. Playing for Mr. Miller, the discipline I learned stayed with me and I am in turn using it on my kids. I still polished my soccer shoes before every game in college.”
After playing for Ballistic, Flores was a two-sport star at Amador Valley. Along with playing goalie for the Dons, Flores was a standout kicker for the Amador football game, earning a spot in the state high school all-star game following his senior season.
After graduating from Amador in 2002, he took his goalie skills to Loyola Marymount where he was the captain of the team in his final year.
Mike Deleray: He started playing rec soccer when he was six and played until he graduated from Amador Valley in 1983.
“(Harry Miller) and that club were huge influences on my life,” said Deleray of his former under-12 coach and Ballistic United. “The friendships and team spirit are things I have taken with me throughout my life. (Soccer) is a team game and when I was managing businesses, I was always looking for team players.”
Deleray was also a member of the 1975-76 under-12 team that is being inducted this year.
After graduating after a big career at Amador Valley in 1983, Deleray went to Cal-Berkeley. While at Cal he got to play with former Ballistic and Amador teammates like his brother Mark Deleray, Mike Nieto, Jim Kruger, Marty Farris, and Brandon Baxter.
It was at Cal he learned how other youth programs viewed Ballistic.
“We were always viewed as well-organized and well coached,” said Deleray of what he heard from other college players. “I remember one guy saying they showed up to games with mix-matched socks and we came out looking like a real team.
He also set records that still stand today for Cal.
A glance shows Deleray as the all-time leader in goals scored (56) and points (130). He also set the single season for goals scored (21) and points (46) in 1985.
For his efforts Deleray was inducted in the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.
1975-76 Under-12 team: Of all the great under-12 teams the late Harry Miller coached, this arguably this was the best team.
The team won so many tournaments and trophies that at the end of the season, some of the players had photoshoots done with the trophies.
It was also a team full of the traditional “Harry Miller,” nicknames. Most of the kids still carry those nicknames with them today as I learned talking with them recently.
Here is the roster, with nicknames: Mike “Boo” Deleray, Matt “Spot” Duffy, Jim “JK” Kruger, Sean “Ski Bear” Moore, Lennie “Big Mac” McMillin, Andy “Precious,” Eelsing, Karl “Turkey” Kesterke, Mark “Piglet,” Andrews, Scott “Doc” Mandle, Paul “Choo Choo” Shuey, Doug “Pretzel” Croteau, Donny “Winger” Jones, Chuck “Tank” Ogrin, Mel “Snuggy” Grisel, Chris “Pee Wee,” Pearson, Steve “Rough and Ready” Devine, Steve “Rosso” Rocereto.
I had a chance recently to get some memories of their time on the team.
Steve Devine: “My favorite soccer memory is when we won the Robbie Tournament in Toronto (which had all four Regional Champions from the United States playing as well as representative teams from Europe, Canada, and Mexico). “We won on a Deleray goal against an Irish team that already had a player signed by a professional development team (the dude was huge and talented). Coach Harry had a bumper sticker for years that said, “Happiness is BU 1, Ireland 0”.
Sean Moore: “Our first game on that team was (very) hot and I was dying. I was playing left midfield and I remember Scott Mandle continuously beating me back on the retreat and covering my area – then flying by me in the other direction on the attack. At some point Harry pulled me out and sat me down and said something like: you need to take this seriously and get into shape. I think in subsequent practices Mr. Deleray did extra running work with me to bring me up to speed. But that talk from Harry really clicked – like a serious life lesson for an 11-year-old as far as owning up and taking responsibility for your spot on the team. That talk stuck with me through the rest of my sports career – and it still sticks with me today – every day. Running a small business has some component of teamwork to it and I think about that personal responsibility talk he gave me a lot – both for myself and my employees.”
Mark Andrews: “Coach Harry was a second father to me. My mom had been diagnosed with Cancer and my dad worked nights and had to leave by 4:30, so Coach Harry picked me up for practice almost every day. He always had a Tiger’s Milk bar for me to eat so I was well nourished and a word of encouragement for me to continue to be an Ass-Kicker Kid! He carried me through the toughest time of my young life and that strength that he gave me has carried me through my life.”
