Lawrence Township dedicated three soccer fields to the memory of the late Glenn "Moochie" Myernick, who grew up to become a professional soccer player and coach
By: Lea Kahn
Saturday afternoon was a beautiful day for soccer, and for dedicating three soccer fields at Village Park to the memory of the late Glenn "Moochie" Myernick, the Lawrence native who grew up to become a professional soccer player and coach.
About 75 family members, friends and soccer supporters gathered at Village Park, off Yeger Drive, on a warm, sunny afternoon to watch as the soccer fields were named in Mr. Myernick’s honor, seven months after he suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 51.
Later in the afternoon, a park bench was dedicated in Mr. Myernick’s memory at the Slackwood Elementary School on Princeton Pike, where Mr. Myernick attended and began playing soccer on the school fields.
Mr. Myernick’s widow, Nancy Myernick, attended both events, along with the couple’s grown children, Travis and Kelly. Mr. Myernick’s brother, Robert Myernick, his sister Gail Taylor and their mother, Ruth Myernick, also attended.
"In the 1960s and 1970s, Lawrence was the place to play soccer," said Steven Groeger, township superintendent of recreation. "Many excellent soccer players came out of Lawrence, but there was no one like Moochie. He took soccer to its highest level. Everybody aspired to be like Moochie to become the next Moochie Myernick."
Mr. Myernick graduated from Lawrence High School in 1973 and attended Mercer County Community College. He transferred to Hartwick College, in Oneonta, N.Y., and played professional soccer with the Dallas Tornadoes, Portland Timbers and Tampa Bay Rowdies from 1977 to 1984. Later, he coached the Colorado Rapids professional soccer team.
The newly dedicated Glenn Myernick Training Facility is the place where children will learn to play soccer and it’s also where the next Moochie Myernick will come from, Mr. Groeger told the crowd gathered at Village Park.
"When the children look at the sign and ask who Mr. Myernick was, they will learn all about the person they aspire to become. That’s what this is all about," Mr. Groeger said.
Rico Scardelletti, president of the Lawrence Hamnett Soccer Association, agreed that "it’s only fitting" to dedicate the fields to Mr. Myernick’s memory. Speak to any of Mr. Myernick’s friends, he said, and they will talk about his passion and dedication to the sport.
"We are proud to call him one of our own," Mr. Scardelletti said.
Ms. Myernick thanked Mayor Gregory Puliti and Township Council for agreeing to dedicate the Village Park fields in her husband’s name. She said the family felt honored the fields were named for Mr. Myernick.
"(My husband) talked about his hometown all the time," Ms. Myernick said. "I felt like I grew up here. This is where he developed his passion for soccer and for life. He lived life to its fullest. That’s what he did, and we are so proud of him."
The group moved on to the Slackwood Elementary School to dedicate a bench, also in Mr. Myernick’s honor. On the bench is a plaque that reads, "From the playing fields of the Slackwood Elementary School to the soccer fields around the world, Glenn ‘Moochie’ Myernick left his mark on the game."
Childhood friend Tim Murphy, who spoke at the bench dedication, recalled the Slackwood Elementary School as a happy place for himself and his best friend.
Mr. Murphy described the gathering as "certainly very bittersweet." The Slackwood Elementary School was a "real base" for Mr. Myernick and his friends, who were also fortunate to take part in the Lawrence Hamnett Soccer Association when they were growing up, he said.
Mr. Murphy, with his voice cracking, told Ms. Myernick that she and her children were lucky to have had Mr. Myernick as a husband and father. Mr. Myernick was also a wonderful friend, he said.
"We don’t have him any more, but we do have him in a lot of (other) ways," Mr. Murphy said.