If you take a stroll around Lehigh Valley United’s indoor training facility, The Turff Club, you’re likely to run into some great soccer minds on and around the fields. Over the last five years LVU has put together an eclectic mix of soccer staff with wisdom and experience ranging from youth, college, and professional soccer. According to Greg Ramos, Executive Director of Soccer Operations at LVU, "the goal at LVU has always been to put together a soccer staff full of varied experiences and insight in the game. Our coaches each have strengths and expertise in different areas. Put these minds together, and we all become that much better."
LVU has certainly done just that. Kendall Walkes, Head Men’s Coach of West Chester University, and Erik Burstein, Head Women’s Coach at Kutztown University, have recently joined the LVU coaching ranks along side long time LVU coach and DeSales University Head Men’s Coach, George Crampton.
Many on the LVU staff are involved in the Olympic Development Program. Mike Gorni and Greg Ramos are Head Coaches of Eastern PA ODP Teams, Rob Hurley was former Director of Coaching for Eastern PA’s ODP Program, and Chris Bleam is current Region I Girls ODP Head Coach.
Continuing education and Professional Development is stressed at LVU. To keep up with an ever evolving game LVU coaches sharpen their skills in some of the top coaching courses in the country and abroad. Six Head Coaches at the club boast the United States Soccer Federation ’A’ license, the highest coaching credential available in the US. Crampton and Ramos went abroad to continue their education. Both have received Europe’s second highest coaching credential the UEFA ’A’ Licence by spending weeks at a time in the UK acquiring UEFA credits.
When taking a closer look, you’ll find the expertise very broad covering many important areas and specialties of modern youth soccer. Hal Foss and Cory Grove, Director and Assistant Directors of Goalkeeping, work with players daily. LVU affiliate, Orthopedic Associates of Allentown (OAA), connect the players and their families with the latest Sports Science information as well as timely care and treatment. LVU’s relationship as a Youth Development Partner of YSC & Philadelphia Union means the sharing of resources such as Union Coaching staff, Sports Psychology staff, and Sports Science staff. In return LVU has coaches and players working and playing at YSC, Philadelphia Union, and Union USL Affiliate Reading United AC.
The future also looks bright for the coaching staff at LVU. Many of its’ younger staff were former players for the club. Matt Baker, Sky Rimmele, Phil Lichtenwalner, Cory Grove, Alberto Chavez, Dan Grodziak, Sam Hayden, and Josh Foss, to name a few, have all come up the playing ranks of LVU to now find themselves on staff. Says Ramos, "I think its great! Its one of the things I’m most proud of. That those guys were impacted in such a strong way as players at LVU to want to come back and teach those same skills and traditions to the next generation is a true measuring stick of the job we do here. My dad would also be proud. He wasn’t about the wins and losses, but the impact made on young people. He’s left quite a wake. These young guys coming back and working here are a testament to that."
