Monday Feb 14.

Still snowed out. Another indoor game was held on Saturday, I missed it. Keith says we'll be back on the turf March 6, which is pretty close to when we started again last season. The weather should be warm this week, but that snow pack is pretty deep. Any bets?

In the interest of keeping it interesting, and of getting to know each other a little better, I'm going to introduce a new feature to the weekly blog: "Player of the Week." If you would like to be considered please E-mail me a little bio of yourself. Include information about your soccer career, how you came to WSS, something about your family and your work. I'll take some photos if we ever get back together, but there are some photos I can use, and you can send me some. I'm at JGilchristAIA@aol.com

Player of the Week:

John Gilchrist

Wow! It's me!

I was brought up in Upper Saddle River and attended the public schools there starting from the second grade. I joined the school soccer team in sixth grade and stayed with it through high school. I was a big kid, but I couldn't stand football with all the standing around and arguing. My senior year varsity team was undefeated in the regular season and district champs, but we didn't do too well in the states. My buddy and I were named all-county fullbacks.

I studied architecture at the University of Virginia. Upon graduation I went to work in my Dad's firm. We did a lot of office buildings, laboratories and churches including St Elizabeth in Wyckoff. Our biggest project was the International Crossroads Sheraton in Mahwah. Right after we finished that project I got married to the lovely Angela Palazzo from Teaneck, who is a cardiologist. We had two kids: Will, who used to play with us, is a senior at Roger Williams studying political science, and Andy, who is a junior at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying production and guitar.

We moved from Englewood back to USR when the kids were young. They joined the rec soccer, basketball and baseball teams and I got roped into coaching. At one of our coaches meetings we decided to get the coaches together to kick a soccer ball around. This proved to be fun, and it grew into full sided games at Lion's Park. At some point we challenged the Waldwick team. USR vs. Waldwick became a regular Sunday morning event, and we played at Lion's until we got kicked off, and then at Traphagen. Traphagen was a misery because of the ruts and mud. Playing on the high school turf has been ecstasy. The teams blended and of course we're somewhat more organized now with the shirts and regular starting times.

When my Dad retired I opened my own office in Montvale where I do whatever projects I can get my hands on: new houses, additions, restaurants, (additions to all three River Palms), offices, stores. I'm also a PE (professional engineer). If I'm not working or playing soccer, I'm probably out in my boat fishing. I trailer the boat up and down the Jersey coast and out to Martha's Vineyard chasing stripers, blues, fluke, whatever swims.

Thanks.