Article Published in the DELCO Times
By Rob Parent

(February 27, 2008) Eric Sciocchetti’s excellent adventure in Houston could have been better, but the former West Chester United Soccer Club FC United'86 Boys team member is confident he can continue to reap benefits from his recent visit to that Texas town.

“I definitely enjoyed it,” Sciocchetti said.

The fun and intrigue should only mount in the future for Sciocchetti, a 2003 All-Delco goalkeeper for the Panthers who went on to a sterling career at the University of Richmond.

Despite the Spiders earning but four wins last fall, Sciocchetti earned second-team Atlantic 10 Conference honors, and was also a second-team All-State pick by Virginia’s sports information directors (VaSID).

That may have helped Sciocchetti earn a tryout with Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo this month. While he wasn’t selected for a fitting for a Dynamo jersey, Sciocchetti is encouraged.

“My hopes were definitely up,” Sciocchetti said. “I had heard they were bringing in two goalies and that one was going to make it, but they ended up sending both of us back. It was a little bit of a letdown, but it was definitely a good experience.”

Making it all the more rewarding was Houston goalie coach Mike Toshack, who told Sciocchetti he needed a bit of seasoning, but still considered him an MLS prospect.

“He’s going to help me with finding another team in a lower division,” Sciocchetti said. “But he said I was quick enough to play at a professional level now. I just needed some work on technical aspects, like taking a step on shots” instead of standing save attempts.

“Doing that,” Sciocchetti added, “would let me dive off my front foot and have a farther reach.”

It doesn’t seem like such a reach that, before too long, Sciocchetti could become the second goalkeeper with Delaware County roots in the MLS. If such a professional dream were realized, Sciocchetti would be able to join an elite group that includes Sun Valley High grad Jon Conway, a seven-year MLS veteran who tends goal for the New York Red Bulls.

Sciocchetti should have plenty of time to develop into the professional prospect he believes he can be, since goalkeeping in the MLS isn’t necessarily a young man’s vocation.

Conway is 29 and not the oldest goalie on his club. Then there is the Dynamo, who have 33-year-old Englander Tony Caig and 40-year-old Canadian Pat Onstad rostered as goalkeepers.

It was available experience like that which left the Richmond senior and another goalkeeper he only remembered as being “from Australia” out in the cold in their recent tryout.

But Sciocchetti’s career is only beginning to warm up.

“From my perspective now, it was good training,” Sciocchetti said. “Overall, it was a good experience.”

Then again, college has been, too. The young Sciocchetti is due to graduate from Richmond in May. Perhaps his family would have some mixed emotions over the prospect of a pro soccer career for Eric, as opposed to entering the professional world for which he has prepared himself in the classroom.

But the Sciocchettis are a soccer family. Eric’s older sister Lauren was an All-Delco girls soccer player in 1998, winning a ride to the University of Pittsburgh in the process.

And David Sciocchetti, executive director of the Chester Economic Development Authority, has been one of the many officials helping promote the dawn of an MLS franchise in Chester, something that will finally become a reality at a press conference this afternoon.

So of course David Sciocchetti would love to see his son pursue a soccer dream.

“You get a shot, and that’s all you’re looking for,” David said. “I hope someday to see him on our field, playing either for our team or some other MLS team. It’s really exciting to think about that.”