IMSA players join coach in fight against Alzheimer’s

Updated: September 21, 2011 7:52PM

Sandwiched in between their next two home games, the IMSA Titans will break away from the soccer field for a more important event: They will be a part of coach Jim Mueller’s team in Sunday’s 2011 Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

This isn’t the first year or the first time Mueller — who also coaches volleyball at Oswego East — is participating in what is a very personal battle, but it’s another opportunity for the soccer community and anyone else to join his fight. The event will be held at the Naperville Riverwalk (736 W. Jackson). Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the Memory Walk stepping off at 10 a.m.

Mueller was once a sheet metal worker for Naperville-based Westside Mechanical only to have his life altered forever when he was diagnosed at age 38 with a disease generally associated with the elderly. Despite going to the same project for two years, Mueller suddenly forgot where his office was, where he kept his tools, where he parked his car, and even how to get home after work.

Now he does his best to manage his condition with medication and literally hundreds of notes.

“I write everything down and have lists everywhere,” Mueller said.

He’s been profiled by media from throughout Chicagoland and has served as a speaker for the national Alzheimer’s Association, but there still is no cure or totally effective drug to help the five million Americans stricken with the disease — a number that is expected to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050.

To make a donation and or help Mueller’s team triple his initial fundraising goal, visit http://WalktoEndAlz.kintera.org/naperville2011/jimbo99.

Area scoring leaders

Perhaps some may have figured the top three point producers in The Beacon-News area a year ago would receive double or triple-team defensive attention this year. Actually that has been the case, but you can’t keep a good scorer down as evidenced by some familiar names leading the offensive categories.

With a third of the season still be played, last year’s runner-up in points — Hinckley-Big Rock’s Bernie Conley — has already surpassed his 2010 totals. The Royal senior leads the area in both points (59) and goals (25, with nine assists). Last year’s leader, Marmion’s Mike Frasca is certainly on pace to beat his total from last season (56 points) with his tally of 46 points (20 goals, 6 assists). The No. 3 man from 2010 — Oswego East’s Jorge Alvarez — boasts 51 points (two shy of his junior year total) thanks to 21 goals and nine assists.

Plano, Sandwich improving

Not to be overlooked are two more individuals who are helping their programs make history. Plano’s Moy Villa is a major reason why the Reapers have already set a school record for victories with their current 8-5-1 ledger. Villa, who has a trio of hat tricks, aims on adding to his school single-season goal record which is now up to 16.

In its second year of existence at a school where football and cross country have been perennial success stories, Sandwich already boasts a pair of victories after last year’s 0-16 campaign. And the Indians also have a “mad hatter” of their own in Guilheme Gomes, whose trio of goals helped produce wins over Interstate Eight Conference foes Westmont and Wilmington.

The senior also boasts another distinction that no one else in the area can claim, having a hat trick in a loss as Gomes did all he could to help Sandwich in a battle with Ottawa.

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