In the midst of the United States’ National Men’s Team’s run in the World Cup to the round of 16, a local soccer club is enjoying a remarkable run of its own.
The Abington Heights School Districts seventh and eighth grade soccer team members have not lost a game for two years.
Emma Dyska coaches the junior high team. She also coaches a travel team in which her current players were in U10 and in second and third grade.
“I tried playing sports when I was younger. I first decided I wanted to play soccer because I liked running around in the yard and kicking things like rocks and whatever was on the ground. Soccer seemed to be the sport that stuck,” said Emma Dyska.
Dyska is also coaching a U15 girls team in the Abington Soccer Club. It is based in Clarks Summit but welcomes players from all over. The club currently has boys and girls teams from U9 to U15. The teams play in a league based in the Lehigh Valley area and play teams south of Allentown with most games played in Northeastern PA.
She started coaching to help with her travel team in the Abington Soccer Club. She stayed involved with the travel club and became familiar with a lot of players in the Abington area.
“The school board made the decision to separate the boys and girls in the summer of 2021 and the girls team needed a coach. I was very excited at the opportunity to try coaching in a new setting with some players I was already familiar with,” she said.
Her husband, Frank Dyska, coaches the Abington Heights varsity boys soccer team.
She now plays in a recreational co-ed adult league at Riverfront Sports and plays in local pickup games when she finds the time.
Emily Dyska is a 2012 graduate of Abington Heights High School where she played soccer for four years and participated in art and photography clubs. She continued her education at the University of Scranton and graduated in 2016.
Calli Gilboy and Jena Schoenberg have played soccer together since the age of 5. They started playing in a recreation soccer league. They now play together on the Abington Heights seventh and eighth grade team as well as a travel team. They are in eighthgrade and hope to play soccer in the future at Abington Heights High School in ninth grade.
“I play defense. I like seeing my friends when I am playing. We had a good team and everyone is nice to each other,” said Gilboy.
When she is not playing soccer, she enjoys swimming and track.
“I play defense. I get to see my friends and play in games with my friends,” said Schoenberg.
She also plays lacrosse and tennis.
“I like playing and being part of a team,” said Sara Arcangelo, who plays mid and defense.
When not playing soccer, she enjoys basketball and track.
When Dysk is not playing or coaching soccer, she enjoys photography. She has taken pictures of the boys and girls soccer teams for several years.
“While playing soccer is a great way to exercise and there are so many ways moving parts to learn mentally and to play the game well, I think the biggest takeaway is the lifelong friendships to be made in the sport. I enjoy learning more about soccer and working on innovative ways to implement parts of the game among my players. The one thing I am most thankful for as a coach is the second family I’ve become part of. In addition to the friendships, I’ve made with my teammates. I’ve been lucky to build strong relationships with the players I coach and their supportive families and other coaches in the area,” said Emily Dyska.
