For the new Wheeling Park High School girls’ soccer coach Tom Smith, success is not only measured by wins and losses, it’s also about the girls learning to work as a team, having fun and learning life lessons.
Smith’s coaching has led the team to an early-season 6-2-1 record. That includes an early season tie against last year’s Class AA-A state champion Charleston Catholic High School and wins over Brooke High School, University, John Marshall and others.
“I expect (the players) to have a good time, I expect them to be competitive, and I expect nothing less than winning and them being successful,” Smith said.
This is Smith’s first year coaching high school. His soccer resume includes a high school career at Waldwick High School in Waldwick, New Jersey where his team captured the county and state championship in 1995. Prior to coaching Wheeling Park, Smith spent nearly a decade coaching travel soccer teams in the region.
He came to Wheeling several years ago from Penn Hills, Pennsylvania. His early impressions of soccer in the Wheeling area has been very positive, noting the region’s youth programs are producing exceptional players.
“I think the youth programs like FC Wheeling are very good right now. It’s a feeder program for the high school kids to keep younger kids interested, so that when they grow up, they know they have a higher level at which to play,” Smith said.
One of the perks of coaching Wheeling Park this year is that Smith gets to coach his senior daughter, Katelyn, one of the team’s co-captains. His two sons, Chase, a sophomore, and Jake, a freshman, also are members of the boys’ soccer team.
Another co-captain, senior Caroline L’Ecuyer, had high praise for Smith’s coaching.
“I think he’s doing a great job, especially for his first year,” L’Ecuyer said. “I know he’s very committed, he stays up watching film and everything. He genuinely cares about the players, and I think that’s really important for a coach.”
Smith and the Wheeling Park girls are halfway through what is turning out to be an exciting season. Stay tuned as the Patriots push toward the state tournament.
