If you had told me a year ago that I would become a goalkeeper coach for a WPSL team, would return to the high school sidelines as an assistant girls coach, get to meet NWSL players Aubrey Bledsoe and Erica Skroski, and would make my first appearance on a radio show dedicated to soccer, then I would have absolutely laughed in your face. Yet, here I am after all that has happened and I still do not believe it. It has been a whirlwind of a year for me since starting in Phoenix SC’s Amateur Cup Final loss to Philadelphia Lone Star FC and I sit here today wanting nothing more than to recap what an amazing year in soccer it has been for me.
One year ago, I made my first have final appearance as goalkeeper for Phoenix SC in a 7-0 loss. A broken shoulder, and some severe damage to my pride later, I was at a loss for what my soccer career was going to become. Now a day earlier, I had spoken on the phone with Charlie Flowe, head coach of the new Philadelphia Lone Star FC Women’s team, and he asked me to be a part of the coaching staff as the goalkeeper coach. Despite this terrible loss, I joined the coaching staff and so began an amazing year of soccer.
While preparing for Philadelphia Lone Star FC Women’s inaugural season, I was asked to become the head goalkeeper coach for Winslow Township Youth Soccer and a head youth trainer as well. My coaching career was blooming quickly. Almost simultaneously, I began working with Winslow and started preparing for the Lone Star season. Once May hit, soccer was in full gear for me.
Lone Star immediately hit the road for their opening weekend and I would have never imagined that I would be able to train such elite women’s soccer players. We picked up our first ever win in game two of the season and what came after that win was nothing short of spectacular. We were able to go to the Washington Spirit game after and spend time talking to Joanna Lohman, the Spirit owner, and head coach. To make it even better, I was able to meet their starting keeper Aubrey Bledsoe after an outstanding win. Talking to a professional keeper one on one was truly something I never would have pictured happening.
Our season continued before eventually losing in the conference final but finally I felt at home in a coaching situation. As the season ended, I had applied to join the Abesgami High School Girls’ Soccer staff. I joined for the fall season and was able to develop our keeper into a first team all conference player in her first season in net. Through Absegami, I was able to travel to a Sky Blue FC game at Red Bull Arena and even meet their defender of the year, and Absegami grad, Erica Skroski. Multiple professional soccer players in one year? Yeah I never would have predicted that.
Although our season at Absegami ended abruptly in the first round of playoffs, I got to be back in a position where I love and truly develop my goalkeeping methodology. In the weeks since the season has been over, I have started preparing for another season with Philadelphia Lone Star FC Women. In doing so, I had the opportunity to sit down with Charlie Flowe and John DiCriscio on their radio show the World Sports Show to discuss all things soccer.
I instantly fell in love with the soccer media, even more so than I have from writing. I got to listen in on a call with new USWNT Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski and then dissect what was next for the USWNT after the World Cup win and discuss the NCAA Women’s Soccer tournament. I never would have thought that I would become a contributor to the soccer world in such a way.
There are probably a ton of other stories I could share from this past year in my soccer career but for now I will leave it at this. I am so truly blessed for this past year. I cannot wait for what the next year in soccer holds for me.
Kicked in the Grass 