Passion For Soccer
Ex-MSU star begins coaching career.
all levels. The 5-foot-1 dynamo started
79 of the 80 games she played at MSU
and had 15 goals to go with her 23
assists.
rin Konheim knows a thing
The Spartans were 48-28-7 during
or two about assists. She had
Konheim's
career and made their first
23 of them during her four
two
appearances
in the NCAA tourna-
years as a midfielder for the Michigan
ment.
Konheim was team
State University women's
captain
as a senior (2005).
soccer team, setting a
"Erin's
winning experi-
school record.
ence
at
Michigan
State
These days, she's the
will
help
move
our
pro-
new assistant coach
gram
in
that
direction;'
for the Towson (Md.)
said Towson coach Greg
University women's soccer
Paytner. Last year, the
team.
Tigers finished 5-11-2
Since being hired May
overall and last (1-9-1)
21, the West Bloomfield
in
the Colonial Athletic
High School grad and
Association.
former Jewish News High
The CAA is one of
School Athlete of the Year
Erin Konhei m
the
toughest mid-major
has spent most of her
conferences
in women's
time recruiting in New
soccer.
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and
"I really see potential in our
Texas.
[Towson]
team because they didn't
"This is a great opportunity for
give
up
more
than two goals in any
me;' said Konheim, who turned 23 on
game last year;' Konheim said.
Friday. "I'm joining a program with a
Konheim knows how to win on the
new coach, and I feel comfortable relo-
soccer field and in the classroom. She
cating because I'm close to a big city
graduated from Michigan State with
[Baltimore] in an area where there's a
large Jewish population. That was very a 3.8 grade point average and was
named to the Big Ten All-Academic
important to me."
team three times.
There's even a Jewish player on
Towson's team, senior forward
Marissa Gross from East Meadow, N.Y. Take a Walk
The Portland Trail Blazers will make
Konheim never had a Jewish team-
the first selection in the June 28 NBA
mate at Michigan State.
draft. The Trail Blazers are expected to
It's been a whirlwind couple of
take Ohio State University center Greg
months for Konheim. She completed
Oden.
a student teaching requirement for
Back in 1969, the Phoenix Suns
her bachelor's degree in education at
lost a coin toss to the Milwaukee
an elementary school in Okemos, was
Bucks for the top draft pick and the
interviewed for the Towson position
Bucks selected another storied center
and accepted it less than a week later.
— UCLA's Lew Alcindor (Kareem
Konheim wasn't sure if she wanted
Abdul-Jabbar).
to pursue a career as soccer coach or
But the Suns didn't get chopped liver
a teacher. She's coached youth soccer
with their No. 2 selection. They took
teams and taught soccer at MSU sum-
the University of Florida's Neal Walk,
mer camps, and she was an under-
now a member of the National Jewish
graduate assistant coach for the MSU
Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in
team last season.
Commack, N.Y.
The student teaching experience
Walk remains the only Suns center
made up her mind for her.
who grabbed 1,000 rebounds in a sea-
"I discovered I just didn't have a
son (1,006 in 1972-73). I I
passion for teaching',' Konheim said.
"My passion is being on a soccer
Please send sports news to
field."
sports@thejewishnews.corn.
Konheim was a passionate player at
Steve Stein
Special to the Jewish News
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