LMSC Legend Joe Hopkins passed away at the age of 75.
He is largely responsible for the creation of LMSC in the late 1980s
I am sad to report to everyone that one of LMSC's most influential people ever, Joe Hopkins, passed away on Easter Sunday at the age of 75. Joe was extremely influential in the forming of Lower Merion Soccer Club as well as its growth in the 1980s and 1990s. Joe and his family moved into the area around 1986 and he quickly got involved in coaching. He became Vice President, Treasurer and the head of the boys travel team program.
Joe was a major part of our effort to merge four very small soccer clubs into one. Gladwyne Soccer, Penn Valley Soccer, Narberth and Wynnewood soccer had all been operating independently. We merged Gladwyne and Penn Valley into the Gladwyne-Penn Valley Soccer Club in 1986 and then merged with Wynnewood Soccer Club the next year to form Lower Merion Soccer Club. Soon after, Narberth merged into LMSC as well.
LMSC was run from 1987-1998 by Bruno "Chick" Ceccarelli (President), Joe Hopkins (Vice President) and myself (Vice President). I greatly enjoyed working with Joe and Chick, they were very dedicated and cared a lot for the players and the programs that we offered. Back in the 1980s, everything was done by volunteers. Joe worked for LMSC for about 12 years and never collected a penny.
In 1989, Joe led the LMSC Dragons to the Under 10 boys' state championship. He later led other LMSC teams to state championships, including the aptly named LMSC Psychos and LMSC Derelicts. You can see the many honors that he won by visiting
www.lmsc.net/honors.htm. Most important in his coaching was his love of working with the players, helping them grow as both soccer players and as people.
Joe's two boys, Eric and Justin, were both actively involved as players in LMSC and also played for the Episcopal Academy varsity. Joe stayed actively involved in LMSC through 1998, helping the club to grow and become a major force in soccer in Southeastern PA.
LMSC would like to thank Joe and also recognize his very supporting wife Maria, along with sons Eric and Justin as well as their infamous dog Tucker. They helped us shape LMSC and are a major part of the success that the club has experienced since then.
On behalf of LMSC, I want to thank you Joe for everything you did for LMSC and for the community in general. I want also thank you for some great moments and some great memories. I know I'll someday see you "on the other side" where we can catch up and trade soccer stories.
Biff Sturla
President
Lower Merion Soccer Club
READ JOE'S OBITUARY
Maria and Joe Hopkins
April 6, 1996
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Biff Sturla
