Nazareth Area High School's new girls soccer coach Ned Yelovich inherits talented group

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

Since Nazareth's girls soccer team will rely on a lot of freshmen and sophomores next spring, perhaps it's a good thing the Blue Eagles will be coached by a man with nearly 500 varsity games on his resume.

Ned Yelovich was recently hired as Nazareth's coach after most recently handling the Northampton Community College men's team.

The former Central Catholic and Liberty boys and girls coach has compiled a record of 282-183-31 record and won Lehigh Valley Conference titles in 1998 (boys) and 2000 (girls).

"Somebody in the district told me the job was open," said Yelovich, a 1978 graduate of Freedom High School. "So I applied."

Having coached boys as well as girls, Yelovich says he's comfortable on either sideline.

"I don't treat them (girls) any differently than the guys," the former East Stroudsburg University goalkeeper said. "And the girls don't like me to be soft on them. They don't like to be treated differently. I like (coaching) 'em both."

Yelovich should like coaching the Blue Eagles girls since they come off a 12-5-2 season despite starting six freshmen by the year's end. And Nazareth also returns senior Vanessa Duarte, an Express-Times All-Area first team pick, and junior Lennon Kramer, a 24-goal scorer who was chosen to the second team.

"Kramer's a really nice player," Yelovich said. "Duarte's a very good defender. And the goalie (sophomore Kate Remely) was just playing in a college showcase game in Maryland. We have 18 returning players who played varsity last year and we have a nice freshman class coming in."

Yelovich has been meeting with the players and figures to get a better look at them in the weeks ahead as there will be three Nazareth teams playing in the Iron Lakes indoor league.

"It will be good for them to learn to work together," Yelovich said. "And they know that all positions will be open when we start (spring practice) in the second week of March."

Yelovich, who has also refereed at the high school and middle school levels, is looking forward to renewing some old rivalries in the LVC.

"It will be good to have those rivalries again. I always enjoyed going up against Conor Fry when he was at Nazareth," Yelovich said. "It was a good, friendly rivalry. And Easton, I see Tim Hall is doing just the girls team now. His teams are organized -- always."

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/11/nazareth_area_high_schools_new.html