The Freehold Legacy U18 soccer team, which came together as a U14 team to honor the memory of friend and teammate Graeme Preston, who was killed in 2008 in a motor vehicle accident, played and won their final game together, 2-1, over Berkeley Heights in a State Cup consolation game. The Legacy were coached by Graeme’s father, a former Freehold High School and college star, Scott Preston. The Legacy are (back row l-r) Vincent Puglia, Matt Fryc, Ryan Bailey, Michael Marino, Logan Stevenson and coach Scott Preston; (front row l-r) Scott Halpern, Tyler Zirkman, Conner Fogler, Nick Costelloe, Brandon Fuerst and Elias Mejia. You can never get over the loss of a child, but thanks to a soccer team called the Freehold Legacy, Scott Preston has managed to get through it.
Preston and his wife, Anne, had their world torn apart when their 12-year-old son, Graeme, was killed in an accident in 2008.
Graeme was one of the best young soccer players in the area, and the first steps were being taken to form a local U14 travel team from Freehold coached by Scott Preston, a standout at Freehold High School who went on to gain All-American honors at the University of North Carolina-Wesleyan.
Understandably, coaching the Freehold team was the furthest thing from Preston’s mind following the tragedy. Shattered by the event, he wasn’t sure he could go forward and coach the team.
“I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do,” Preston said.
A decision needed to be made about the future of the Freehold team.
After some soul-searching and encouragement from Anne, Preston decided to move forward and coach the team.
“It’s the best decision I could have made,” he said, looking back. “It was therapeutic for me. It helped fill a void.
“I gained 15 more sons,” he added.
Also helping him make the decision to coach was how much soccer means to him.
“I grew up playing soccer,” he said. “It’s a passion; it’s in my blood.”
Once Preston was on board, the players who were friends or had played with or against Graeme decided to stay together and “do it in Graeme’s honor,” said Nick Costelloe, one of five players who have been with the team since its inception. To honor Graeme, they called themselves the Freehold Legacy and would wear arm bands with GP-06 (Graeme’s number) printed on them. Everytime they would break the huddle, they would chant, “GP Legacy.”
“We have the 12th man on the field,” said Costelloe, who played for Freehold Township High School and will continue his soccer career at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in the fall.
Tyler Zirkman, a teammate of Costelloe’s at Freehold Township, played on Graeme’s travel teams and noted that the Legacy was about much more than soccer matches. “We played for something that was bigger than us,” he said. “I firmly believed in what I was playing for [Graeme’s memory].”
Graeme’s death affected his friends and the Freehold community, as well as his family. Costelloe said that Graeme had a “huge impact” in Freehold and that Freehold’s close-knit community was stung by the tragedy, which also claimed the life of 13- year-old Kevin Clawson.
“I was a close friend of [Graeme],” said Costelloe. “I was in seventh grade at the time and I didn’t understand it. I denied it over and over. It was kind of surreal.
“His death had a tremendous impact on me. I learned to appreciate every day. I wisened up a bit,” added Costelloe, who wouldn’t ride his bicycle without a helmet, for instance.
Zirkman noted that the tragedy “was my first real experience of shock. It didn’t make sense.”
Preston was touched by the players’ “commitment to Graeme. A lot of them could have gone to play for an academy, but they were loyal. They were a very special team.”
Players did come and go during the Legacy’s five-year run, as word of their success spread. However, everyone who played on the team knew of Graeme, having played with or against him on travel teams. There was one very important requirement for anyone who put on a Legacy uniform, though.
“You had to bring passion or you couldn’t play for this team,” Zirkman said, adding that Graeme was the most passionate soccer player he’s seen.
Costelloe said the team is aware of how much they have come to mean to their coach.
“Scott was devastated by what happened,” said Costelloe. “He has his group of boys and he looks at us as his sons. [Coaching] lifted his heart.
“He’s enjoyed his time with us,” he continued. “It cheers him up.”
The Legacy played their final game together last month and made it a memorable one, winning an U18 State Cup consolation match against Berkeley Heights, 2-1, despite playing a man down due to injury and falling behind, 1-0. That win seemed to exemplify the character and grit of this team, whose players played for something more than themselves.
“We needed to win it,” said Costelloe.
Zirkman noted that the finale was “bittersweet,” as their five-year run ended with one last memory.
Preston said that the Legacy “played some of the best soccer I’ve seen” in their final game.
Preston noted that what made him especially proud of his team is what opposing coaches would say of them.
“Coaches would come up to me and tell me that we were fun to watch,” he said.
The Legacy fulfilled its goal of honoring Graeme and his father, and also showcasing the talent that is in the Freehold area. Of the 11 Legacy players in that game with Berkeley Heights, 10 are going on to play in college.
On the field for the Legacy’s final match were Vincent Puglia, Matt Fryc, Ryan Bailey, Michael Marino, Logan Stevenson, Scott Halpern, Tyler Zirkman, Connor Fogler, Nick Costelloe, Brandon Fuerst and Elias Mejia,
Preston remarked that he will be busy this fall following his players in college since so many are going to colleges nearby, like Monmouth University, Rider University and The College of New Jersey.
“I’m looking forward to seeing them play,” he said.
Costelloe credits his Legacy coach with helping him become good enough to play soccer at the next level.
“Scott pushed me to be the player I am,” he said. “He pushed me to be better.
“Scott is an incredible coach who knows the game,” he added. “He has the knowledge of the sport because he’s been there and done that. He got us to play soccer the right way.”
Zirkman, who will continue his soccer career at Clark College in Boston, Mass., said that early Saturday morning runs in the snow during the winter may not have been the most welcome at the time by the players. However, in time, they will all appreciate what Preston did for them when they are playing at the next level, as he showed them the dedication and commitment it takes to fulfill their potential. Zirkman credits the former Colonials’ great with making him a college soccer player.
Because of a remarkable group of young players who decided to play in the memory of one of their own, the Freehold Legacy provided quite a legacy for Graeme and Scott, as well as themselves.