May 18, 2013
SOUTH DOYLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- He was a young athlete with a bright future, but after graduation from South Doyle High School in 2001, Jeremy Frye fell during a hike in the Smokies and died from his injuries.
On Saturday, almost a year and a half later, his former teammates were back on the field to play in his honor and to raise money for a cause he believed in.
Winning isn't everything; especially on the soccer field at South Doyle.
"A lot of people here aren't connected with the school, people that are, people that have history with the soccer team. People that have never seen a soccer game before in their life-- they're here in support of the cause and to remember Jeremy," Dwayne Frye, Jeremy's father told Volunteer TV.
Jeremy Frye was a 2001 graduate of South Doyle.
He played soccer all four years as the goal keeper.
"He loved soccer. The very first thing he wanted when he could speak was a soccer ball," Ramona Frye, Jeremy's mother said. "So, that's when the soccer legacy began."
Though Jeremy died after a fall in the Smokies, his parents and his former teammates want his legacy to live on.
He, along with so many others in the community, wanted to build a new soccer complex for the school.
So, they played in an alumni game: a fundraiser in Jeremey's memory to build that new facility.
"All these guys out here playing today have played with him or his brother," Ramona Frye added. "It's really fun to see them play again."
"Humbled. It's just special that they've chosen to honor Jeremy in this way," his father said. " [Jeremy] would have just... he would have said 'awesome.' "
And as mom and dad looked on, they had a message for those who came out.
"I just want to say thank you for loving our son, loving our family and helping us heal through this," Ramona Frye said tearfully.
Tickets were $10 dollars to get in. The cost covered watching the game and getting a barbecue lunch.
Alumni players paid $20 and got a t-shirt, all in hopes of one day having their dream soccer complex.
