Steve Weeman and Deanise Myers Honored by Georgia Soccer

Steve Weeman
Georgia Soccer Hall of Fame

Soccer on the south side of Atlanta has grown to what it is today, due to the contributions of many people. One visionary stands above them all. His name is Steve Weeman. The work he has done has changed the face of soccer in the south.

Along with Don Kemp, Steve founded the Fayette County Youth Soccer League. He basically built the soccer complex at McCurry Park. He did the building and maintaining of the fields, the landscaping of the other areas and the construction of the concession building. Buddy Cumbie was also instrumental in the latter years that Steve took care of the fields.

Steve also did the scheduling for the league, as well as the inter-league scheduling for Fayette, Clayton, Peachtree City, Coweta, Griffin and Fulton. He was scorekeeper and basically, the center of information for all of these leagues.

In 1983, Steve coached the first Classic team on the south side the Fayette Lightning. When GYSA decided to change Classic teams to single year age groups, he got the Fayette, Clayton and Peachtree City leagues together to form the South Metro Lightning Soccer Club (now AFC Lightning). It was his vision that each league would not have enough talent to compete at the top level, but that together, they could field competitive teams. He and Gary Nidiffer from Clayton founded the club.

Tired of taking his team to Duluth to play indoor soccer, Steve, along with a group of 14 other investors started Soccer Centre, Inc. in 1988.

In 1990, Steve made the decision to take the club to a higher level, and brought David “Chaddy” Chadwick in as a paid Director of Coaching. This was an unprecedented move in Georgia. Gary objected to the move, and resigned as treasurer of the club. Steve’s vision paid off. Chaddy coached the 74’s to the State Championship that year becoming the first Lightning team to do so.

In early 1998, Steve led a total restructuring of the club. An Executive Director was hired to run the club - again an unprecedented move in Georgia. Steve was once again the club’s president, even though his sons and stepson’s were long past their days of playing youth soccer.

Steve has given a lifetime of dedication to the kid’s who play soccer in the area. Though most playing now have no clue of who he is, he is still there, toiling tirelessly in the background for them.
- extracts from his biography given at the award luncheon

Deanise is well known throughout the club, the area and indeed, the state. Almost every girl playing in her club knows her. And even more remarkable, she knows them. She is even a favorite of players from rival clubs, joking with them before or after games. Her own players and other girls in the club are quick to consult her with their problems - some soccer related, many not. She is usually on friendly terms with opposing coaches, always willing to speak with them about soccer, their teams or just about any other topic.
- from her nomination form

Deanise makes soccer so much fun! One important thing to our team is our warm up tape. The other coaches want us to quit, but Deanise insists we keep it because we enjoy it. After we have played very well, or we just need a break from hard work, we play, "Snicker Wars" During these games, whichever team does the overall best wins candy. On the other hand, Deanise expects us to do our best, especially in training and conditioning. She balances work with fun, which makes everyone look forward to practice.
- from comments written by one of her players

Deanise Myers has not only been there to teach me the fundamentals of soccer as I was growing up, but she also has been there, guiding me through the bad and good times of my life. She was a person I always looked to for advice and even comfort. I trusted her and looked up to her. She was a role model for not only myself, but also for the many other girls who she has coached.
- from comments written by a former player