Women's soccer team to honor 'Magnificent 13' before games

Women's soccer team to honor 'Magnificent 13' before games

The Eastern Florida State College women's soccer program will be honoring the 13 fallen Brevard County police officers before games this season.

Head coach Jeff Carr got the idea after seeing a memorial to the fallen officers on the Melbourne campus.

"It made an impact on me when I read the names. I wanted to learn more about each of them and I wanted my players to be aware of the sacrifice of these true heroes and wanted to recognize them," said Carr who is also the Associate Vice President of Athletics. "They are the Magnificent 13 ­– they gave it all – we should never forget what they did for all of the residents of Brevard County."

The team will memorialize the 'Magnificent 13' by wearing a gold shirt that has the names of every police officer who has died in the line of duty.

The back of the shirt says Brevard County's Finest – Magnificent 13 – Never Forget with the name of each officer - Lt. Amos 'Rabbit' Cox, Officer Jack H. Schnell, Officer Joseph S. Pellicano, Officer Ronald M. Grogan, Officer Gerald D. Johnson, Deputy Robert Nicol, Officer Stephen F. House, Officer Philip J. Flagg, Sergeant E Edward Hartmann, Deputy Raymond E. Warner, Sergeant Lucille Ross, Deputy Barbara A. Pill and Agent Kevin Stanton.

Carr hopes that people will remember those who have given their life in the line of duty and the shirts are just one small way to remember the heroes.

The fourth-ranked women's soccer team opens the 2019 season Thursday evening, hosting Southwestern Illinois College at 6 p.m. Admission is free to games at Titan Soccer Complex.