Michigan Boys Soccer Team Honors 17-Year-Old Teammate After Tragic Car Crash

Wilder Seeburger’s Traverse City Central teammates hung his jersey from the goal during their season opener and decided to retire his number following his death Sunday.

The Traverse City Central boys soccer team voted to retire Wilder Seeburger's No. 33 jersey and they hung it from a goal post, in his honor, during their first game of the 2026 season | UpNorthLive

The Traverse City Central High School boys soccer team opened its season this week without one of its teammates, but made sure his presence was still felt on the field.

Wilder Seeburger, a 17-year-old who was preparing to begin his junior year, died following a car crash Sunday night, according to a broadcast report by UpNorthLive.com.

Previously, UpNorthLive reported that the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash and believes alcohol was involved. According to the sheriff's office, a Ford F-250 driven by a 22-year-old man crossed the center line near Center Road and Mapleton Lane and struck a Honda CR-V driven by Seeburger. The other driver was transported to a local hospital with what were reported to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Seeburger's death was confirmed by an obituary posted by the Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home.

Players Honor Seeburger During Season Opener

During the varsity team's first game since Seeburger's death, his teammates hung his soccer jersey from a goal post in his memory. The tribute was conceived by the players, according to the report, as they tried to honor a teammate and friend while dealing with his sudden death.

"It was really emotional. It was really special," Traverse City Central coach Gavin Richmond told UpNorthLive. "It was kind of surreal, to be honest, to be part of something like that. Something bigger than football."

The Trojans also honored Seeburger through their opening night performance, defeating Forest Hills Northern, 6-4. The team overcame a 3-1 halftime deficit by outscoring the host Wildcats, 5-1, in the second half. Traverse City North will play its home opener on Friday evening against Oxford.

Seeburger's Jersey Retired

Members of the team also elected to retire Seeburger's No. 33 jersey.

Coach Richmond said he was proud of the maturity his players demonstrated while confronting such a difficult moment. The tribute allowed Seeburger's teammates to keep his memory part of the Trojans' season opener.

According to his obituary, soccer was one of Seeburger's greatest passions and he had been playing the sport since he was 3 years old. He was also an avid gamer and enjoyed working on Hypercars.

His obituary described Seeburger as "spunky, fun-loving, thoughtful, and full of life," someone who was almost always smiling and made sure his friends and family knew how much he cared about them. He also made it a point to let the people in his life know how much he cared about them.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 305 Sixth Street, Traverse City, Michigan.