Lehigh University Athletics
Stoners seek Bishop for guidance
12/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
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By Gary Blockus
Of the Morning Call
Sam Bishop, the outstanding former goalie for
''I am definitely excited about this,'' said the 24-year-old Bishop, who played professionally for the Harrisburg City Islanders, is an assistant coach for the
''After everything I heard about the club and what it used to be on the professional level, I know where it can go in the future.''
Bishop, a 6-2, 180-pounder, is a quick, rangy goalkeeper who is best known for his ability to explode to the ball to make saves. His pro debut with
''Being a player-coach with the experience I've had, I first and foremost bring experience to the table in both capacities,'' said Bishop, a native of Moorestown, N.J. ''As a coach, I want to pass on that experience from the professional levels to give our players something to strive for.''
Bishop played for the Harrisburg City Islanders – the second level of professional soccer in the
In his last two years at Lehigh, Bishop's goals against averages were 0.63 as a senior and 0.64 as a junior.
''I'm very pleased to have Sam on the roster,'' said Wolfgang Hochleitner, a member of the Stoners' personnel committee. ''With his qualities as a player and a coach, Sam personifies our efforts to field a strong team while delivering on instructional objectives. He'll provide our players valuable insight on being a professional while using his coaching experience to guide their understanding of what it takes to succeed in the game.''
Bishop said that because the Stoners roster will be filled by mostly college players on their summer breaks, or by recent college graduates, they need guidance in their quest to move to the professional ranks.
''A lot of the kids we will have won't have any pro experience and are hoping to play at the next level, but don't necessarily know how to get there,'' Bishop said. ''I'll be able to help them with that.''
''Having a guy like Sam around is a true treat,'' said Bob Ehrlich, another member of the Stoners board. ''He's always played like a coach and carried himself with the utmost professionalism from the moment I first met him.''
Since his time at Lehigh, Bishop has been a popular and sought after clinician at goalkeeping clinics throughout the
''I'm really glad to be returning to the
This story originally appeared in the Tuesday, December 4, 2007 edition of The Morning Call. Used with permission.
