Women's assistant soccer coach steps up
Karlegh Bowen
Issue date: 9/30/04 Section: Sports
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It was a typical case of the right place and right time for women's head soccer coach Derek Arneaud when he ran into the United States men's soccer Paralypmics coach, an ESU graduate, at an alumni event.
Coach Arneaud suffered a stroke several years ago which made him eligible to participate. He tried out for the team and made it. Unfortunately, this once in a lifetime chance came for him in the middle of the women's soccer season. The question was, who would take over the team while he was gone?
Derek did not have to search far for the answer to this question. It seemed only logical that M'Liss O'Brien, the woman's assistant soccer coach, would fill in for his approximately two week absence.
Everything just seemed to fall into place for the East Stroudsburg native. A graduate of Notre Dame High School, O'Brien was offered the assistant position by Arneaud. Little did she know that when she accepted the job, she would be filling in for Arneaud as head coach when he got the opportunity to play in the Paralypmics in Greece. O'Brien said, "It's a once in a lifetime chance for him and a great opportunity for me."
O'Brien has known Coach Derek, more often referred to as "D," for most of her life. She grew up with him as a high school teacher and coach at soccer camps. That is primarily why despite her nervousness, she knew she had to rise to the occasion and come into a position of higher authority when Arneaud made the team.
O'Brien was not left stranded and overwhelmed as the coach. She knew that Arneaud trusted her to be the coach and make the right decisions for the team. They discussed some of the goals for the team before he left. One of which is to be a stronger presence in the conference and make their existence known. According to O'Brien, this goal was achieved on September 12 when the girls' captured a 1-0 win over Kutztown. This was O'Brien's first win of the season. O'Brien believes it is to their highest advantage they are in split conference play this year and get to compete against each team twice. She acknowledges the girls still have plenty of work to do as a team.
Coach Arneaud suffered a stroke several years ago which made him eligible to participate. He tried out for the team and made it. Unfortunately, this once in a lifetime chance came for him in the middle of the women's soccer season. The question was, who would take over the team while he was gone?
Derek did not have to search far for the answer to this question. It seemed only logical that M'Liss O'Brien, the woman's assistant soccer coach, would fill in for his approximately two week absence.
Everything just seemed to fall into place for the East Stroudsburg native. A graduate of Notre Dame High School, O'Brien was offered the assistant position by Arneaud. Little did she know that when she accepted the job, she would be filling in for Arneaud as head coach when he got the opportunity to play in the Paralypmics in Greece. O'Brien said, "It's a once in a lifetime chance for him and a great opportunity for me."
O'Brien has known Coach Derek, more often referred to as "D," for most of her life. She grew up with him as a high school teacher and coach at soccer camps. That is primarily why despite her nervousness, she knew she had to rise to the occasion and come into a position of higher authority when Arneaud made the team.
O'Brien was not left stranded and overwhelmed as the coach. She knew that Arneaud trusted her to be the coach and make the right decisions for the team. They discussed some of the goals for the team before he left. One of which is to be a stronger presence in the conference and make their existence known. According to O'Brien, this goal was achieved on September 12 when the girls' captured a 1-0 win over Kutztown. This was O'Brien's first win of the season. O'Brien believes it is to their highest advantage they are in split conference play this year and get to compete against each team twice. She acknowledges the girls still have plenty of work to do as a team.