In an article for Lehigh Valley Live, Moravian Academy's recently retired, award-winning head soccer coach reflects with gratitude on the success of the program and looks with optimism to the future. 

In October 2020, Bob Hartman of local soccer fame retired.  During his 18-year tenure, his coaching led the Lions to "10 District 11 titles, five Colonial League and two PIAA championships (2014, 2019). Hartman was awarded the Coach of the Year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America in 2014."

While he appreciates the wins, Hartman told Lehigh Valley Live's Desmond Boyle that the real reward is "seeing the growth of his students after they graduated." He doesn't have to search far -- his successor, George Andriko Jr. '07, is a former player of Hartman's. About Andriko, Hartman said, “That’s the dream of every coach, I believe, to have one of your former players come back. Especially because he’s a teacher at Moravian Academy, a great guy." 

Andriko plans to coach with the same kind of empathetic mentorship that has brought the team success. According to Lehigh Valley Live: 

“(Hartman) would always talk to us off the field. He would just help us out. If we needed someone to talk to, he was always there,” said Moravian junior Gennaro Mazzella '22. “Luckily, Andriko, he’s been doing the same thing. Fernando, (Juan) Rojo -- they’ve all been doing the same thing.”

Senior Abe McWilliams '21 echoes this sentiment, saying, "I couldn’t even describe how much he helped me -- a lot."

Hartman is also thankful for Moravian's Athletics Director Manny Oudin who hired him 18 years ago. 

"I couldn’t have asked for anything more or a better career. It was awesome … It’s always about the kids. It’s always about developing kids and watching them grow and become better players and pushing them to get to the next level," says Hartman. 

To read the original Lehigh Valley Live article, click here.