Program-building Point Park soccer coach announces retirement

Jeroen Walstra, the all-time winningest coach in the history of men’s soccer at Point Park University, announced his retirement Thursday.

Walstra coached the Pioneers men’s team, which included many WPIAL alumni among numerous international standouts, for the past 13 seasons (2007-19) and also served as the Point Park women’s coach for seven years (2003-09).

“It was an honor to be part of the growth of Point Park,” Walstra said in the announcement.

Walstra led the men’s team to 107 victories in the 13 seasons at the helm. The program had won just 66 games the previous 18 seasons.

“I feel proud of what everyone accomplished during my coaching years,” he said.

Long-time assistant Edward Child will coach the men’s team on an interim basis for the 2020 season. The season tentatively is schedule to begin Sept. 5 at Grace (Ind.) College.

Walstra, a native of The Netherlands, currently is the longest-tenured coach at Point Park.

“Coach Walstra will be a huge loss for not only the men’s soccer program, but out athletic department as a whole,” John Ashaolu, Point Park director of athletics, said in Thursday’s release. “Jeroen is single-handedly responsible for setting the building blocks for both our men’s and women’s soccer programs and their success over the years.”

Under Walstra’s guidance, the Point Park men’s team averaged 9.8 wins over the past 10 seasons, including double-digit wins in seven of the last nine years. The Pioneers made the playoffs eight straight times from 2011-18.

The 2012 and 2013 campaigns saw back-to-back conference championships and trips to the NAIA national tournament. Walstra earned conference coach-of-the-year honors in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

The 2019 squad set a single-season wins record with 15 victories.

While coaching at Point Park, Walstra also instructed the goalkeepers for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds for 12 years (2005-17).