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GIRLS SOCCER: Neumann-Goretti Girls' Soccer Program is Back and Rebuilding After Two-Year Hiatus

By Mark Zimmaro (photos and video by Mark Zimmaro), 09/02/21, 1:45PM EDT

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By Mark Zimmaro

PHILADELPHIA--It’s officially a reboot.

After years of struggling to field a competitive team and following a short absence from a varsity girls soccer program, Neumann-Goretti High School has returned to the Philadelphia Catholic League pitch this fall.

It may be years before the Saints make a push up the standings, but the building blocks are now in place to rebuild a soccer program that was dearly missed by the student athletes.

“We had a good freshman sign-up,” Saints coach Joe Joyce said after the team’s first day of practice. “We’re trying to work throughout the growing pains but we’re really excited to start over again. We’re just hoping we can get the numbers that we need in order to field a team and have enough subs and be competitive with the rest of the league.”

Joyce coached the Saints in 2018, which ended up being their most recent appearance. Low turnout forced the program to withdraw in 2019 and Covid certainly didn’t help any lingering plans of revival in 2020.

Even in years past, Neumann-Goretti has struggled to stay afloat in the Catholic League, which is loaded with talented teams. The Saints have gone winless in league play since 2015 and the 2021 season won’t be measured by numbers in the win column. It’s more about providing a foundation to keep younger players coming back and building a winning tradition.

“If we can compete and the girls can go out and have fun and learn the game of soccer, hopefully they will have a great time doing it,” Joyce said. “The encouraging sign is having about a dozen freshmen sign up. You can always build off of the previous year.”

One of those freshman is Alivia Leuzzi, who has played at the Southeast Youth Athletic Association for the past 10 years. The timing of the reboot was perfect for Leuzzi, who will begin her high school career next week and could benefit from the rebuild years from now.

“It’s been a great opportunity to meet everyone before I go into high school to feel things out,” Leuzzi said. “I love that I have the opportunity to play soccer with all classes at Neumann-Goretti. I’m just really excited to get out here and start playing."

Neumann-Goretti teammates, Deanna Capaldi, Alivia Leuzzi and Alura Troilo are looking forward to building a team. (video/Mark Zimmaro)

Upperclassmen were concerned they might never get that opportunity. Deanna Capaldi is entering her junior year, and this is the first time her school will field a varsity team.

“I’m really glad that we’re trying to get a team together,” Capaldi said. “With Covid and everything last year, we lost out on a lot of our high school experiences.”

For others like senior Alura Troilo, it was a chance to rekindle the high school soccer experience, having played as a freshman before the program took a two-year break.

“I’m extremely happy,” said Troilo, who had two older sisters play for the Saints. “It’s been a couple years. But I’m back.”

There will certainly be struggles as the Saints simply won’t have the firepower to compete with the likes of perennial favorites Archbishop Carroll, Wood, Ryan or Lansdale Catholic.

Neumann-Goretti junior Deanna Capaldi on the practice field. (photo/Mark Zimmaro)

Neumann-Goretti junior Deanna Capaldi on the practice field. (photo/Mark Zimmaro)


Neumann-Goretti senior Alura Troilo looks forward to leading the team.(photo/Mark Zimmaro)


Neumann-Goretti freshman Alivia Leuzzi works on moving the ball. (photo/Mark Zimmaro)

Soccer still takes a back seat in the population at Neumann-Goretti behind volleyball and cheerleading as far as sports activities go in the fall season. Joyce is hoping that will change soon, and so far, there have been signs of encouragement.

“(This year) the girls all have soccer backgrounds where in the past, we had to grab kids from other teams. Now, I think we’re going to have some good soccer players out there,” said Joyce.

The players are just happy to have soccer return to their school.

“It’s really just to get back together and get back in the swing of things,” Capaldi said. “It would be nice to get a good group of girls together and just honestly have fun. Make it worth it.”