December 17, 2009 PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS LeBlanc resigns as Rutgers GK coach
LA Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc stepped down from her college coaching position with Rutgers University. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
PISCATAWAY, NJ---Los Angeles Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc has stepped down from her coaching position with the Rutgers to concentrate on her professional career, it was announced Thursday.
“When you are playing at the highest level, you have to give it everything you have,” LeBlanc said. “It wouldn’t be fair to this program or the players if I stayed next year.
“It has been a fantastic five years. I didn’t even know I had the ability to coach, and I would like to thank [head coach] Glenn Crooks for giving me this opportunity, while also letting me live out my dream. I am thankful to the entire coaching staff – Mike O’Neill, Meghan Ryan, and Billy Bustamante. I would also like to thank the players, who gave me another reason to perform.”
LeBlanc, who joined RU in 2005, primarily worked with the goalkeepers, including overseeing the four-year development of Big East goalkeeper of the year Erin Guthrie (Sparta, N.J.). Guthrie surpassed U.S. Olympian Saskia Webber this season to become RU’s all-time career shutouts leader with 44.
“It was with disappointment that I accepted Karina’s resignation, but at the same time I am very happy for her,” Crooks said. “When I first hired Karina, it was clear that her dream was to be the best goalkeeper in the world and that is still the case. There is a great time commitment necessary to coach at the college level, and Karina was finding it increasingly difficult to do both. She will be greatly missed, but we all know that her heart will always be with Rutgers and our players.”
LeBlanc plays for the Los Angeles Sol of Women’s Professional Soccer and the Canadian National team. The goalkeeper led the WPS in goals-against average (0.53), shutouts (12), save percentage (.89) and wins (11) in its inaugural season.
The Maple Ridge, British Columbia native competed with the Canadian National Women’s Team in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, posting 12 saves in her team’s 2-1 extratime loss to eventual gold winner, the United States. She has played with the Canadian Women’s National Team since 1998.
“At the Olympics and while competing professionally, I was always thinking about Rutgers,” LeBlanc said. “I played, in part, for them. I will forever be a Scarlet Knight. Being a coach has made me a better player because it has given me another reason to be the best that I can be.”
Karina will continue to work with Rutgers’ coaching staff at camps and clinics, including her goalkeeping winter camps this January. For more information, visit www.karinaleblanc.com.
