Soccertes, macot of the Wildcats, almost thought he was seeing double when Garo Yepremian, star soccer-style place kicker of the world champion Miami Dolphins, was standing next to Wildcat’s Vice President Bill Kiritsis.

When Wildcats Super Star Ben Brewster and Hubert Vogelsinger, the new Boston NASL coach (a long time acquaintance of Ingram), came to talk with Paul Ingram about a possible move by Ben from the Wildcats to Boston, Ingram felt a dilemma. In his heart he wanted the best for Brewster, even if it meant for him to go to Boston.  Ingram admitted later, “ The decision to let Brewster go to Boston could very well have been my biggest mistake in running the Wildcats.” Part of the deal of the sale was a home game for the Wildcats against Boston, all proceeds to go to the Wildcats. This would be an historic first game of an ASL team against an NASL team with Brewster playing his first game for Boston against his old Wildcats; it had the potential for a sold out stadium.  Whether this decision to let Brewster go had very little, or a lot, to do with the downfall of the Wildcats will be in the Wildcats book.

In losing Superstar, All American, High scorer Brewster, there was the concern of becoming less competitive in pro-soccer.  To compensate for this loss, Ingram signed Louis Sebastian, a high scorer in Belgium’s highest level of pro-soccer, as well as Jan Klosek, a forward from the top Polish League in pro soccer.  This was a major change in Ingram’s “Core” principal belief; he founded the Wildcats as an “American team with American Players”. (More in the Wildcats book.)

Quotes of Ron McEachen about his Connecticut Wildcats Coach Rene Koremans:

“Rene was a very focused and driven young man. He was on a mission to bring soccer to a higher level in the United States and his passion was infectious to all of those around him. He assembled a group of mostly American players who might not have been the best technically, but players who could fit his system of play and were able to put the play of the team above all individual glory.”

“We were a very close knit team, both on and off the field. Rene worked us very hard and there were times that we thought we couldn’t go on any further, but indeed we broke through barriers and became better in more ways than just the physical aspects of the game . ”

“Rene made us all better with the demands he placed on us each and every training and match situation. We always went into matches knowing that we were well prepared and motivated to work and play our best for Rene and the Wildcats. He had our utmost respect for his preparation, focus, passion,  and ability as a player. I had the pleasure of playing with him in our midfield and he was a clever, athletic, quick and very hard working player from whom I learned much.”

“Rene  was my role model as a coach. I took copious notes  on his talks and training sessions and have used them throughout the years as a soccer coach here in the US. He really was the first person/coach from whom I learned every day about the game. He set the tone for my coaching philosophy and I’ m certain he did so similarly for others on the team.”

“Rene was a great influence on many people during his time in the states and I believe that everyone he touched was a better person for having spent time with him. I will be forever indebted for the lessons he taught me during our time together.”