The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association
Tamara Browder Hageage Inducted 2009 - Class of 1990
With an academic background as impressive as her Sports Illustrated article, Tamara has always strived for excellence. Lettering in almost all of Woodward's traditional major sports, Tamara's 1989 Homecoming Queen Honor, coupled with position on the football team, placed her in the national sports spotlight and an interview by late night host Joan Rivers. Continuing her soccer career through her college years, Tamara prepared others for the Olympics and played professionally in Denmark and Russia. Following her introduction into Woodward's National Honor Society in 1988, Tamara has authored four books on soccer and earned a Master's Degree from The University of Toledo.
And now more of the story . . .
Tamara Browder was sporting two black eyes from her last soccer game when she was summoned to the office to meet Andy Fenady, noted movie and television producer. Excited about the get-
together with the Hollywood producer, she was hesitant about Fenady's realization that she received the injury from a soccer game, not football. Not only did Fenady find out the truth, but appearing the next day in The Blade's "I've Heard" column by Seymour Rothman, the entire world was informed. Little did she realize in 1989 that 20 years later she would be forever united in the Woodward Hall of Fame with previous inductees Andy Fenady and Seymour Rothman.
That wasn't the only honor that the young lady from Point Place's Edgewater School would receive in 1989. Tamara was also named to the City League's All-Academic team before the start of the Shoe Bowl game between DeVilbiss and St. John's at The University of Toledo's Glass Bowl.
Describing the Point, Tamara said ". . . just two blocks from the Maumee Bay and two blocks from Friendship Park. It was a great place to grow up. There was always some kind of pick up game going on which, I believe, helped me develop my interest and competitive drive in athletics. ..." Tamara's fond memories of Woodward include Herr Hanna color coding the chairs in the classroom to demonstrate the different tense of German words, Mr. Haga's silly jokes, Mr. Hoffman and Mr. McMurray claiming that the years at Woodward would be the best, and when she received her Woodward Varsity jacket her freshman year, letting everyone know ". . . yeah that's right, I play for Woodward." When her thoughts return to place-kicking for the football team and being crowned Woodward's Homecoming Queen, Tamara never thought that the combination would bring her to the forefront of applicants for college soccer scholarships. Besides, she quips, "I had so much fun in my 15 minutes of fame, it was a very special time in my life. "
With four books on soccer and a Master's Degree in English as a Second Language, Tamara has certainly led a full life since her professional playing career in soccer ended with a crushing injury to her foot.
Tamara married George Hageage III, in June of 2000, and they have a son, George IV, who is five. As team, Tamara and her husband coach the Division I soccer program at Eastern Washington University. Tamara is also head coach for the Junior Varsity program and goalkeeper coach for both teams.
Graduating from Woodward, Tamara reflects, ". . . gave me the tools I needed to succeed in and out of college." When Tamara is initiated, she will be one of the youngest inductees to the Woodward Hall of Fame.