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In sports, a special bond develops between coach and player, and such relationships are often lasting. So it is for Eric Delabar, head coach for women\u2019s soccer for the past 17 years, and Lori Chalupny, the team\u2019s assistant coach. The two first met when Delabar coached Chalupny as young soccer player.<\/p>\n
If the name Lori Chalupny sounds familiar, it\u2019s because the St. Louis native, already a 1998 Olympic Gold Medalist, gained worldwide notoriety as a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team that won the 2015 FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup in Canada. Chalupny\u2019s remarkable soccer journey began when she was 5 years old. She played for an indoor soccer league, coached by Delabar.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven at that young age, Lori\u2019s competitive fire was evident,\u201d he recalls. \u201cHer athleticism stood out, and she always worked hard to be better. She would spend weekends playing on as many teams as she could, and coaches would fight over her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEven at that young age, Lori\u2019s competitive fire was evident.\u201d
\n~ Head Coach Eric Delabar<\/p><\/blockquote>\nChalupny remembers that time well. \u201cHe was my first soccer coach and my favorite,\u201d she says. \u201cHe emphasized learning basic skills and not relying simply on athletic ability. This was huge for my development.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was my first soccer coach and my favorite. He emphasized learning basic skills and not relying simply on athletic ability. This was huge for my development.\u201d
\n~ Assistant Coach Lori Chalupny<\/p><\/blockquote>\nChalupny and Delabar kept in touch after she left the league. In July 2013, Delabar hired his former standout athlete. \u201cMy goal was to hire the best female we could, and I thought of Lori,\u201d says Delabar. \u201cLucky for us, she agreed to help develop the 丝瓜视频APPwomen\u2019s soccer program.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cComing to 丝瓜视频APPfelt like I was where I belonged,\u201d says Chalupny. \u201cCoach Delabar and I have known each other for so long. Our camaraderie and mutual respect create a good coaching relationship, and that trickles down to the whole team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Delabar, a former goalkeeper, is a member of the Quincy University Hall of Fame, NAIA Hall of Fame and St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame. His deep experience complements the skills Chalupny brings to the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cLori is great at training the girls and talking tactics with the other coaches,\u201d he says. \u201cHer experience helps her recognize teachable moments on and off the field. My girls are the luckiest soccer players in this country.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can tell that Lori and Eric have known each other for a long time,\u201d says player Katy Rood. \u201cThey enjoy working together and always get in a few laughs at practice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teammate Allison Verville says the coaching duo brings individual strengths to the field. \u201cDelabar is particularly good at creating an overall game plan and motivating the team in both practice and in games,\u201d she says. \u201cLori is very good at pulling you aside individually, and making small comments here and there that make all the difference. Even when Lori is not there we often quote her, saying, \u2018It\u2019s the little things.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Both coaches say their role is more than teaching the skills of the game; it\u2019s about being a mentor and creating a family of players and coaches who care about one another.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout the team family mentality, 丝瓜视频APPsoccer would not be what it is,\u201d says Verville. \u201cThese are not just people I play soccer with, these are people I rely on in all aspects of my life. This brings all the girls closer together and attributes to much of our success.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unquestionably, Chalupny\u2019s soccer career is an inspiration for her Saints team.<\/p>\n
\u201cHer success motivates me to push myself on the field,\u201d Verville says. \u201cShe is not just a professional soccer player though, she is also an incredible person. She makes us feel like we are important, not only as soccer players but as people, too. At the end of the day we aren\u2019t going to be professional soccer players but professionals in our own fields of study, and she is a great person for us to model our lives after on and off the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLori\u2019s success on the field inspires me to be the best player I can be,\u201d Rood says. \u201cShe inspires me to want to make it to the GLVC tournament, which 丝瓜视频APPwomen\u2019s team hasn\u2019t done before. To be a part of school history would be such an amazing opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of Chalupny\u2019s favorite moments from the 2015 FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup was when the final whistle blew against Japan. \u201cWinning a World Cup is something I had dreamt about since I first started playing soccer,\u201d she says. \u201cIt is an incredible feeling to achieve something you have worked so long and hard for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Between championship games in Canada, Chalupny took time via online video chats to share her excitement and inspire young athletes participating in Maryville\u2019s summer soccer camps.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot long ago, I was in the same place they were,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was a full-circle moment for me to talk to these young players who are just starting their journeys. Playing soccer professionally is a huge goal to have. Achieving it has to start with passion for the sport, because there isn\u2019t a whole lot of money or fame,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was fun to show them that dreams come true, and they can get to where I am with hard work and a passion for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
This article was first published in 丝瓜视频APPMagazine (Fall 2015 edition).<\/em><\/h6>\n