New Paltz, NY –
Written by Erica Ellis, SUNY New Paltz senior
For the second year in a row, SUNY New Paltz men’s soccer coach, Eric Watson, was selected as the goalkeeper coach for the 2009 U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team. Watson returns to the team after last years Nordic Cup win in July where the team did not allow a single team to score on them. The U-23 team defeated Switzerland, 1-0 in the opening game followed by wins against England, 3-0 and Norway, 2-0. The team then defeated Germany, 3-0 to win the 2008 Nordic Cup Championship in Borlange, Sweden.
Watson, who was added to the coaching staff for one of the training camps in 2008 at the last moment as a replacement, was asked to stay on for the remainder of the season.
“Originally I thought it was going to be a one time event,” said Watson who was excited to be asked back. “Anytime you get to represent your country, either with a youth team or national team, it’s a great opportunity.”
Watson again joins his mentor; head coach Bill Irwin, on the team. This year marks Irwin’s third season as head coach. This was not the first time Irwin asked Watson to join his staff as Watson served as Irwin’s assistant coach on past occasions. Irwin was also a club trainer for Watson when he was a teen.
Prior to becoming the head men’s soccer coach at New Paltz, Watson spent five years as the head men’s soccer coach at Linfield College in McMinnville, OR. Two of the five years at Linfield he also served as the head women’s coach. Watson was the men’s assistant soccer coach at the University of Richmond in Virginia for two years and the men’s assistant coach at Williams College in Massachusetts where he completed his undergraduate studies. In addition to his coaching history, Watson holds a Class “A” coaching license from the United States Soccer Federation and goalkeeper diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America making him an ideal candidate for a national coaching position.
The 2009 U-23 team wasted no time in beginning its training with a trip to Chula Vista, CA in early January to train at the Olympic Training Center. The team had an intersquad game and also played two games with local teams, winning 7-1 against a women’s team and losing 2-0 against a men’s team.
While at the Olympic Training Center, Watson spoke with the Olympic strength and conditioning coaches and plans to incorporate new ideas into the program at New Paltz in the fall.
The U-23 team will have its first glance at international competition when it travels to Spain on January 31st for a training camp to compete against England and Norway. Dates for games beyond the eight day trip to Spain have not yet been released.
“Being abroad gives me the chance to talk to other coaches and athletes and bring back new training methods to New Paltz,” said Watson.
The roster for this year’s upcoming competition has also not been set due to a women’s professional league starting up in the United States. The league will decide whether or not its players will be released to compete for the Nordic Cup. If they are not, the U-23 team will be composed mostly of college women. Watson has no doubt that no matter the situation; the team will be competitive.
Watson completed his second season as head men’s soccer coach at SUNY New Paltz in the fall of 2008 and will hold summer camps July 27th-31st and August 3rd-7th at the campus.
