'Love of the game': Nicholson helped provide opportunities for area players on way to soccer hall of fame

Nov. 16—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — When thinking of a contributor to the world's most popular sport in this area, The Tribune-Democrat High School Soccer Hall of Fame committee member Angie Berzonski came up with the person who personifies the term.

Wilfred "Buddy" Nicholson was the one who steered Berzonski into coaching. Nicholson also made a profound impact by coaching at a few local schools and helped bring travel soccer to the region with PA West and Laurel Highland Futbol Club along with Mark Sotosky and Dennis Saylor.

When hearing of his induction into the inaugural class of The Tribune-Democrat High School Soccer Hall of Fame, Nicholson became speechless.

"I felt humbled really," Nicholson said. "Honored and surprised I guess more than anything."

Along with Nicholson, Fred Galiote, Casey Gallaher, Ryan Henry and Ray Leverknight will also be inducted on Thursday and be introduced to the crowd at Greater Johnstown High School's Trojan Stadium between the 13th annual Santa Fund Soccer Classic girls (5:30 p.m.) and boys (7:30 p.m.) contests.

After graduating from Conemaugh Township Area High School in 1968, Nicholson served as the head girls soccer coach at Bishop McCort Catholic for two seasons. He also was a volunteer assistant coach at Conemaugh Township and North Star. Nicholson also helped promote Penns Forest, the Keystone State Games and various indoor leagues and tournaments.

"I think Buddy is such a genuine guy," said Berzonski, who led the Conemaugh Township girls soccer program and had Nicholson on her staff.

"I think that everything he's done for soccer has really been done for the love of the game and for the love of encouraging young athletes."

Nicholson stoked the coaching fire within Berzonski.

"I don't know that I would have coached for almost 20 years if it wasn't for him," Berzonski said. "When I came back to the area after college, he really encouraged me to get my E license (to coach). To really learn how to do it the right way and he helped me through the process. He encouraged me and he said, 'Especially for young ladies, it was good to have young ladies who were good mentors and loved the game. It was great to have more young ladies get involved.' I did and I'm so glad I did."

Throughout his coaching career, Nicholson tried to encourage his players to be bold.

"I guess the one thing I tried to do, especially at practices, was don't be afraid to try something," Nicholson said. "Give it a shot. If it works, it works. If it doesn't, we'll work on it. It's better to do it in practice than in the games. Nobody's going to make fun of you. Just give it your best effort."

A common element on winning teams he coached was unselfishness.

"Just the players working together," Nicholson said.

"Working as a team, being unselfish and providing a winning atmosphere."

When there was little to no travel soccer in our area, Nicholson stepped in make a change.

"It was huge," Berzonski said of Nicholson trying to organize a local travel team. "When I was player, we didn't have those kind of opportunities. Just a few years later, he and other folks were instrumental in really saying, 'It's in other areas. Why can't we have that here?'

"Through PA West and Laurel Highlands Futbol Club, all these opportunities really came to life through his dedication and his commitment. "

His passion helped local players develop their soccer skills.

"At that time, in the 1980s and '90s, there weren't a lot of experienced coaching or players," Nicholson said. "It was parents driving their kids to practices and games. We were looking for an opportunity to play year-round in some way and especially indoors. There was nothing around here as far as indoor. You had to go to Irwin or Monroeville. What makes these other teams better? Just trying to find out what they were doing and bringing it here."

Jake Oswalt is a copy editor for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @TheWizOfOz11.