Correction appended

Alan Dawson started sweating while waiting with Gary Thompson in the nurse's office at Belfast's Orangefield Boys' Secondary School in Northern Ireland.

Dawson, then 12 years old, was told to come to the office by Orangefield's physical education staff, which included then-soccer coach and physical education teacher Barry Gorman.

"We thought we were in trouble," Dawson said. "We didn't know what was going on, if we had done something wrong."

As it turns out, Dawson and Thompson weren't in trouble. Gorman and the physical education staff were curious to see if the 12-year-olds would be willing to join several 13-year-old boys on a high school soccer tour in New Jersey. Gorman and the staff kept Dawson and Thompson waiting because one of the physical education teachers was on the telephone with his American counterparts to see if it was permissible for the two first-year students to join the Orangefield second-year team.

Recalling the scene 34 years later and two days before his Nittany Lions play Dawson's Old Dominion men's soccer team, Gorman can't help but laugh.

"We milked the situation," Gorman said.

"We just had a little bit of fun with them."

Although he doesn't see Dawson, quite as often as he did in the Belfast days, Gorman still feels connected with his old pupil.

"It's one of those things especially with Irish people," Gorman said, "You may not see them for years, but then you meet again and you carry on a conversation like it was yesterday -- the last time you saw them."

Today's game in Norfolk will mark another occasion for the two coaches to shake hands and exchange laughs. Dawson said it will be bittersweet to play his old mentor -- a mentor very similar to himself.

Both were born and raised Belfast natives, both hold degrees from Lock Haven University, both have American wives and both were a part of Linfield Football Club in Northern Ireland's Irish Football League, now Carling Premiership -- Gorman as a player and Dawson as a fan. Brenda Gorman, Barry's wife and Dawson's French teacher at Orangefield, thought similarities existed in their light-hearted Irish humor and love of soccer, but also believed the connection was still deeper.

"They have that shared effect that they grew up with the Troubles," said Brenda Gorman, referring to the period of political unrest in Northern Ireland. "I didn't see an end and neither did they so that's why they left their homeland. They loved it, but they realized

their families would be in danger there."

A year after emigrating from Northern Ireland, Gorman attended Lehigh College -- now Lehigh University -- for a year to attain a physical education and health degree and served as assistant men's soccer coach. At this time, Gorman helped recruit another Irishman, Trevor Adair, for Lehigh, but the now-Penn State coach left the college after one year. Adair in turn recruited Dawson three years later.

Gorman remained close with Dawson after Lehigh and followed his career as a coach at UNC-Greensboro, Methodist College, North Carolina and Old Dominion. In 2007, Dawson and Old Dominion beat Gorman's Nittany Lions 1-0 in the Penn State Classic. Brenda Gorman said the two still see each other when recruiting at the same high school tournaments.

"It goes beyond just the soccer career," Dawson said. "Barry was very influential in my personal being and growth as a young person. He helped me obviously with soccer, but more than that he was a role model for me."

The two are linked even in subtle characteristics. Brenda Gorman said both Barry and Dawson have terrible French accents.

As they meet again today, the link still lingers -- perhaps most in their ongoing Irish humor. When Gorman heard Dawson misplaced the setting of their Orangefield encounter as taking place in the physical education office, Gorman jovially corrected his friend's misconception.

"We actually met with them in the nurse's office, which was at the other end of the building," Gorman said. "I don't know if his memory is that good, but mine is."

Correction: This story incorrectly stated the name of a college. Barry Gorman attended Lock Haven College, now Lock Haven University. He helped recruit Trevor Adair for Lock Haven. Gorman remained close with Alan Dawson after Lock Haven.