Members of the Helfrich family and the boys varsity soccer captains gather in front of the new Helfrich Family Field plaque: Christopher “Crick” Helfrich ’99 with son Grey, senior John Willett, senior T.K. Murphy, senior Liam O'Brien, Tim Helfrich ’96, Brian Helfrich ’03 with daughter Bay, Mary Sue and Tom Helfrich, and Tyler Helfrich (Brian’s wife) with son Silas. Photo: John Groo
Boys Varsity Soccer Field Dedicated to Helfrich Family
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LL five brothers in the Helfrich family — Dan ’94, Tim ’96, Crick ’99, Brian ’03, and Spencer ’03 — played varsity soccer at Loomis, and their parents, Tom and Mary Sue, were mainstays on the campus during the 1990s and early 2000s. Now the soccer field on which the brothers played bears the family’s name. Helfrich Field was dedicated on October 17, part of a spirited day of Loomis Chaffee soccer that included an alumni game in the morning and a luncheon, the dedication ceremony, and victorious varsity boys and girls soccer matches in the afternoon. “No other family in the history of the school has ever had five brothers play on the varsity soccer team, so it goes without saying that the Helfrich family legacy at Loomis is quite impressive,” said Head of School Sheila Culbert at
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cheering for Loomis in at least 120 games.”
It is only fitting that we dedicate the boys soccer field in honor of the Helfrich family and in honor of their love of Loomis soccer.
Brian Helfrich spoke for the family, sharing a heartfelt message about how he learned to be a good teammate in his time at Loomis. He said he has carried that lesson with him in all areas of his life — whether on the sports field, in the classroom, at work, or with his family.
— Sheila Culbert
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Helfrich family joined Sheila and Director of Athletics Bob Howe ’80 in unveiling the plaque, which sits beneath the new Helfrich Field scoreboard.
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the ceremony. “It is only fitting that we dedicate the boys soccer field in honor of the Helfrich family and in honor of their love of Loomis soccer.” Members of the Helfrich family traveled from North Carolina, South Carolina, and California for the occasion. Going out of their way for Loomis soccer is nothing new for this family. Boys head coach Charlie
Bour, who spoke at the dedication on behalf of the Loomis boys soccer program, tried to quantify the family’s dedication. “During the Helfrich years, Dan, Tim, Crick, Brian, and Spencer logged, by my estimate, a combined 1,200 hours on this field. Now that is impressive,” Charlie said. “Perhaps even more impressive is that their parents, Tom and Mary Sue, stood on the sidelines
“I cannot think of a better place to coach or simply take in a soccer match than at Helfrich Field right here in the Meadows,” Coach Bour said. To see a gallery of photos from the dedication and alumni game, go to www.loomischaffee.org/magazine.