Three-year starter gets high marks on and off the soccer field

BY JOHN SHERMAN - SUN NEWSPAPERS

Rollie Thayer, Minnetonka High's senior soccer goalie, defied the odds when he was named to the Class AA All-State team Sunday, Oct. 19, at the annual All-State banquet.

The odds were against Thayer because the Skippers had a sub-.500 season with a 6-9-2 overall mark. Usually, All-State goalies come from championship teams and have miniscule goals-against totals.

While Thayer's statistics are good, they hardly measure his value as the heart and soul of the Minnetonka team, according to Skipper head coach Mike Rogers.

"The purpose of the All-State team is to recognize individual performance; it's not based on what the team did," he said. "Rollie is very quick and also anticipates where he needs to be to make the play. He covers the corners better than any goalie I have seen this season, and his distribution is outstanding, as well."

The Skipper goalie faced 100 shots on goal and saved 88 of them, so it was pretty easy to figure out his save percentage. His goals-against average was 1.1 per game.

"I have been a goalie my whole career," said Thayer. "I can't say how it happened, but the position felt right to me. I never played in the Olympic Development Program or had any formal training."

Thayer joined the Skipper varsity as a sophomore, and when a senior goalie was injured he took over as the starter. He made the All-Classic Lake Conference team as a junior and is waiting to hear if he made it again this year.

One Classic Lake coach that noticed Thayer's talent is Edina's Dave Jenson.

"He pulled the ball out of the corners of the net a couple times against us," said Jenson. "After we played him in the last game of the regular season, I asked him, 'You're graduating right?' Rollie is definitely the best goalie in the Classic Lake. He comes up with saves to keep his team in the game."

If Thayer were just a soccer player, that would be impressive enough, but it doesn't stop there. He has a 4.0 GPA and he is also an accomplished pianist.

"I started taking private lessons from Tania Spector in St. Louis Park about eight years ago," said Thayer. "She is always worried that I'm going to hurt my fingers playing soccer. And I actually did break my wrist a few years ago. I don't think she's real keen on the goalie position."

In addition to having a piano teacher he likes, Thayer said he has enjoyed playing for all of his coaches with Minnetonka High and his summer team, Tonka United.

"The common characteristic of all the coaches I've had is that they are great players' coaches," said Thayer. "My varsity coaches, Jeff Hopkins and Mike Rogers, have been fantastic, along with my summer coaches, Tyler Wenkus and Jamie Plaisance."

Thayer, who stands 5-11 and weighs 180 pounds, said he is planning to go to college next fall, but he is not sure where.

"I have been talking to a few Division III soccer coaches," he said. "Coming back from the All-State banquet, my parents [Mitch and Kris] were encouraging me to play soccer in college. They did a wonderful job as captains' parents this year. I can't thank them enough.

"They have been with me since Day 1, watching my games and cheering me on. Goalie is a high-pressure position for me, but it's even more high-pressure for my mom."

Thayer said it was great to share the All-State banquet with his parents and his Minnetonka teammate, Charles Earl-Hansen, who made All-State honorable mention.

"I have played on teams with Charles for five years," said Thayer. "He has great skills, but it's his heart I appreciate most."

Coach Rogers echoed Thayer's appreciation for Earl-Hansen.

"Charles is a four-year letterman," the coach noted. "He is super-fast and what sets him apart from most fast players is his ability to hold the ball at high a high speed.

"Charles is a great team player; always very unselfish, and he knows how to use his teammates. As a midfielder, he expended a lot of energy. It really hurt us when he injured his ankle in practice just before our section playoff game with Edina. I looked at him, he looked at me and we realized that he wouldn't be able to play."

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"I started taking private lessons from Tania Spector in St. Louis Park about eight years ago," said Thayer. "She is always worried that I'm going to hurt my fingers playing soccer. And I actually did break my wrist a few years ago. I don't think she's real keen on the goalie position."

In addition to having a piano teacher he likes, Thayer said he has enjoyed playing for all of his coaches with Minnetonka High and his summer team, Tonka United.

"The common characteristic of all the coaches I've had is that they are great players' coaches," said Thayer. "My varsity coaches, Jeff Hopkins and Mike Rogers, have been fantastic, along with my summer coaches, Tyler Wenkus and Jamie Plaisance."

Thayer, who stands 5-11 and weighs 180 pounds, said he is planning to go to college next fall, but he is not sure where.

"I have been talking to a few Division III soccer coaches," he said. "Coming back from the All-State banquet, my parents [Mitch and Kris] were encouraging me to play soccer in college. They did a wonderful job as captains' parents this year. I can't thank them enough.

"They have been with me since Day 1, watching my games and cheering me on. Goalie is a high-pressure position for me, but it's even more high-pressure for my mom."

Thayer said it was great to share the All-State banquet with his parents and his Minnetonka teammate, Charles Earl-Hansen, who made All-State honorable mention.

"I have played on teams with Charles for five years," said Thayer. "He has great skills, but it's his heart I appreciate most."

Coach Rogers echoed Thayer's appreciation for Earl-Hansen.

"Charles is a four-year letterman," the coach noted. "He is super-fast and what sets him apart from most fast players is his ability to hold the ball at high a high speed.

"Charles is a great team player; always very unselfish, and he knows how to use his teammates. As a midfielder, he expended a lot of energy. It really hurt us when he injured his ankle in practice just before our section playoff game with Edina. I looked at him, he looked at me and we realized that he wouldn't be able to play."

Comment on this story at our website, www.mnsun.com.