Lower Moreland Graduate on Cusp of World Cup Title

When Erica Walsh was a senior at Lower Moreland High School, her talent level was obvious.

The year was 1992 and Walsh just completed a 1,000-point season for the LM girls varsity basketball team, but there wasn’t always a clear-cut path to her true passion, soccer.

Since there wasn't a girls soccer team under Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) rules and regulations, Walsh decided her best bet was to play on the boys team with her particular skill set.

Her parents were a little hesitant with the transition, but by season’s end Walsh was the team’s starting midfielder and earned All-League honors. But aside from the accolades, her playing days at Lower Moreland were a major factor in her career where she currently coaches at Penn State and now is on the verge of a second gold medal at the World Cup with Team USA.

“She admits that herself,” said Jon Oberholtzer, longtime soccer coach at Lower Moreland. “She says probably one of the things that made her advance was because the guys were faster. Playing on the boys team at Lower Moreland probably helped her tremendously. She went on to play in college and the national team U-17’s.

“Her dad was a little bit nervous,” added Oberholtzer, who just retired after this school year. “The coaches assured him that it wasn’t going to be a head-on-head position. She wouldn’t have a lot of tackles or problems. We played her at midfield and she made All-League.”

After high school she went on to play at William & Mary College, and then had multiple coaching gigs at Lehigh, Florida State, Harvard and Dartmouth before landing at PSU (where she currently resides). And in January of 2008, she learned she was tapped to stand on the sidelines as Team USA’s assistant coach. Months later, she was a gold medal winner at the Beijing Olympics. One year later she was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.

“She’s one of those kids that not only plays, but sees the game.” Oberholtzer said. “She would have never been able to play at the men’s level (if not for that). I would have never put it her in that position if she didn’t deserve it. It’s not the easiest thing to do to go in there and be in front of the guys on the men’s team. But I think everybody respected her. There wasn’t anything said except positive.”

Before playing for Lower Moreland, Walsh spent time playing for Council Rock club teams, but she wanted a more permanent team to play on since

“She played her junior and senior year,” Oberholtzer said. “We didn’t have the girls team so she played with the boys. She started for us. She had played a lot of club ball for Council Rock with the girls. They were looking for a team to play on.”

Even as a player, Oberholtzer saw she had some coaching in her. She not only gained the respect of the guys with her on-field play, but her ability to see the field and see plays develop before anyone else is what set her apart.

It comes as no surprise to see her still in the game of soccer as the teacher.

“She’s almost what they call a ‘Type C’ personality,” Oberholtzer said. “That competition just fits her. She doesn’t have the yelling and the screaming. She really is good (at coaching) at that level. And she communicates well. And she’s also a player’s coach who is sensitive to their needs … I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say anything negative about her. She is blessed with a personality and a talent that has put her at a high level.”

Walsh will help lead players like Abby Wambach, Hope Solo and Carli Lloyd on the pitch against Japan in the World Cup final on Sunday at 2 p.m. USA defeated France, 3-1, in the semifinal round after an exhilarating, last-minute win over Brazil in the quarters.

It’s truly a sign of the times when in 1992 there wasn’t even a girls team to play on, now she’s on the grandest stage at the World Cup with millions of people watching.

“It’s gone leaps and bounds,” Oberholtzer said of the women’s game. “They have so many good women’s soccer players now. In the past, like anything else, it was a different time. Now, a lot of those kids are full rides, like Duke, and Penn State. I can’t see them losing (in the World Cup final).

CAREER NOTES:

• High School All-American
• Team USA U-17 National team
• NSCAA All-Region selection at William & Mary
• Two-time first team All-CAA pick
• Two CCA League championships
• Assistant coach for U-19 USA team
• Member of the Panel of Instructors and Lecturers for FIFA Courses
• Chairman of the Women's Technical Committee
• 2009 Big Ten Head Coach of the Year
• Inducted into the William & Mary Athletics Hall of Fame (2010)