Erie Futbol Club College Players

Strehle

Her determination to bounce back from those injuries and keep playing soccer paid off Monday when Strehle signed a letter of intent to continue her education and soccer career at Point Park University in Pittsburgh

Strehle, who quit playing for Amherst this season to focus on her club team, the Erie Futbol Club, signed the letter at the GameDay Sports Center, where her team practices and where she works when she’s not playing soccer.

Not only were her parents and family in attendance, but her entire club team came to witness the signing. It was a gesture that moved Strehle to tears.

“I want to thank my parents, my coaches and my teammates for always supporting me,” she said. “It was really cool (that my teammates were here).

“This feels good to have it be done. I’m excited to start college, and it feels good to know that I’ll be able to keep playing soccer.”

Point Park is an NAIA school that just submitted paperwork to become an NCAA Division II program. By the time Strehle is a senior, the coaches are optimistic that Point Park will become a full-fledged D-II university.

No matter what the level is, Strehle was very happy to make the choice, which came down to Point Park and Notre Dame College.

“It was a hard decision between two schools, but I really liked the location (of Point Park),” she said. “It is right there in downtown (Pittsburgh). I also liked the coach (Mark Platts), who is really nice. I think it’s a good fit for me.

“I really didn’t care what the distance was (between school and home). I just wanted to find the best fit for me, and Point Park happened to be it.”

Strehle, who primarily played defender for the Comets — whom she played for as a freshman, sophomore and junior — and the Erie Futbol Club, will begin as a defender for Point Park. Platts, who attended the signing, said he is open to playing Strehle wherever he feels is the best fit.

“I want to play the best 11 women on the pitch at once, regardless of their position,” he said. “If we’re strong on defense but could use some athletic players at forward or midfielder, then I won’t hesitate to move her around.

“Her versatility over her playing career was one of the characteristics I was looking for with this recruiting class. I feel comfortable that, if she is one of our best 11 players, she will be on the field in some capacity, and I believe she will do well.”

Platts is in his second-year as the Point Park coach, but this is his first true recruiting class. The team improved from two wins in 2009 to four in 2010.

“I’ve been watching (Strehle) since she was a sophomore, because one of my old players played for (the Erie Futbol Club),” he said. “I saw her competing against 17- and 18-year-old girls as a 15-year-old and she was playing right at their level. She’s composed. She knows the game well. Those are the basics that you don’t want to teach in college. I hope that all my players come in with that, and she’s definitely got that.

“Hopefully, she’s at the point now where I can focus on developing tactics rather than skills. She’s where she needs to be.”

Strehle said she stopped playing for Amherst because of pay-to-play and decided to focus her energy on her club team, which is coached by Jim Toth Jr.

“Playing with Erie Futbol Club has helped me immensely,” Strehle said. “It gave me more foot skills and showed me a higher level of play. It allowed me to develop more as a player, and I think that will translate well to collegiate soccer.”

Strehle has been playing soccer since she was 5 and has been playing for Toth’s teams since she was 12.
“I just love playing soccer,” she said. “I’ve been playing it since I was little, and I can’t get enough of it. It’s just a fun sport to be a part of.”

Strehle plans on majoring in education with the goal of becoming a teacher.