Destiny’s Child

Wednesday, October 28, 1998

Destiny’s Child

Louise Lieberman’s fate rests in playing soccer, coaching and
her family

By A. CinQue Carter

Daily Bruin Contributor

Sometimes it is just meant to be, other times it’s not.

In this world, there are those athletes that play a certain
sport until they can play it no more and then they coach, but
they’re not necessarily good coaches. Then there are those that
coach because they never could play, but they’re not guaranteed to
be good either.

Finally, there are those that coach because they need to,
because that’s the way it’s supposed to be. They play until the
time is right to reach out and grab that goal of coaching.

The last type of leaders believe that some of the best coaches
are those that knew they were going to coach from the beginning of
their association with their sport, like Louise Lieberman with
soccer.

The 21-year-old Lieberman has played soccer for 15 years, the
last four as part of the UCLA women’s soccer team.

Ever since Anthony and Angelita Lieberman enrolled their
daughter in the neighborhood soccer league at age six, the Louise
has had aspirations to coach.

Even though she was the "better player in (her) area," even
though she was a standout on her club teams and even though she’s
gone through the Olympic developmental program and is playing
Division I soccer, Louise has always known her destiny.

"I want to be a soccer coach," said Lieberman. "I can offer my
knowledge and love of the sport to other people through
coaching.

Lieberman believes playing will help her as a coach, because, as
an athlete, she learns much from direct involvement with her sport.
As a player, a person can get a better feel for the game to carry
over to coaching.

"I feel I have a passion for the sport that I can give back to
other people," she said. "I love teaching people everything I
know."

Having just celebrated Senior Day with fellow Bruins Liz
Willemse and Larisa Kiremidjian on Sunday, Lieberman has already
begun her soccer coaching quest. She is the Beverly Hills High
School boys’ varsity coach for the second year in a row. In
addition, she will continue the tradition she started at age 12 –
coaching numerous soccer camps during her summers.

Next fall, Lou (as she is affectionately called by family and
friends) plans to join the Bruin coaching staff as a graduate
assistant to head coach Todd Saldaña.

In preparation for her future in coaching, Lieberman attained
her National Soccer Diploma from the National Soccer Association of
America this past summer. And in January, she plans to go a step
further and earn her Advanced Soccer Diploma.

But with all these achievements under her belt, Lieberman still
feels that she needs to learn more. She feels that, on the grand
scale of things, there is a wealth of knowledge about the sport
that she has yet to uncover.

"I have so much more to learn," Lieberman added. "That’s why I’m
fortunate to have Todd as a coach. He’s taught me so much as my
mentor.

"The situation with him being my coach now at UCLA is perfect
for me. He just knows so much. I got really lucky with him coming
here."

Though Saldaña is in his first year at UCLA, the Bruin
midfielder knows him well because of her time spent playing for him
on her Ajax club team. He coached Lieberman for two years prior to
coming to UCLA and was pivotal in Lieberman’s growth as a soccer
player.

On the other side of the coin, instrumental in Lieberman’s
growth as a person have been numerous people.

At the top of the list are Lieberman’s parents.

"My mom’s a big part of my life," Lieberman continued. "She’s
the strongest and most beautiful person I know. She’s given me so
much inner-strength.

"She and my dad always taught me to never give up."

And Lieberman has refused to give up regardless of the odds she
has faced.

In January of 1995, Anthony Lieberman passed away at the age of
56. His struggle with melanoma finally over, the father of six
Lieberman children would suffer no more.

"I was most definitely relieved that his suffering was over,"
Lieberman reflected. "He suffered for far too long, but he ís
in a better place now."

Lieberman also feels that while he is in that better place, he
is still watching over and protecting her. She feels that her
father would be proud of her accomplishments and the goals she has
reached.

Since her father and family had always been huge supporters of
her career, Lieberman decided to attend UCLA after high school.

And while Lieberman’s father did know she would eventually
attend UCLA, he never got to see her play in college.

"Itís really hard going through life without your dad,"
Lieberman said. "It was all really hard because he was sick when I
chose to go here. After I made my decision, things just went
downhill. I wasn’t able to concentrate.

"But then soccer got my mind off of it. That was pretty cool. I
know my dad is aware of what I’m doing. I hope he’s aware.

"I would love to see him on the sideline more than anything
else."

Lieberman knows, however, that she must get through the hard
times because that is what her father would want. He would want her
whole family to be strong, and he would want his best friend in the
world to look out for his survivors.

Alan Levy is that friend. And he has definitely made it his
business to look out for the family.

"Alan has been a really big influence in my life," Lieberman
said. "He’s been like a second dad to me. I love him to death. He’s
a big part of our family."

To Lieberman, family is the most important thing in her life –
even more important than coaching, even more important than
playing.

After all, that was part of the reason she felt UCLA was the
best place for her to be. Not only is it a big school with a soccer
program on the rise, but it was close to home. Lieberman is living
only 10 minutes away from her family. Well, most of her family.

Lieberman and her older sister Michele and former teammate Sarah
Miller are all roommates and have been for the past four
seasons.

"Lou is my best friend," Michele said. "She’s always there for
me. Probably because we’re the closest in age of the six siblings,
we have a connection that’s not like most sisters.

"She would do anything for me, and I would do anything for
her."

Michele, age 22, and Louise are the third and fourth of the
Lieberman children respectively. Louise, Michele and Sarah played
together for the Bruins in 1995 and 1996 with Sarah and Louise
playing together in 1997 as well.

Miller feels that Louise is the type of individual and player
who will turn out to be a great coach and great person. She feels a
serious bond with the younger Lieberman because Louise is such a
caring person, one who can consistently be counted on to take care
of others.

"Lou’s very dedicated to soccer," Miller said. "She’s also a
very caring and thoughtful friend. When I’m sick she always takes
care of me.

"But I really respect her soccer ability. I know she’s a great
coach," she said. "She relates to people very well and she breaks
things down very well so people can understand."

"I honestly think she’ll be successful as a coach. She wants to
spread her knowledge, and she does it well."

Lieberman’s teammates feel the consistency that Miller spoke of
and suggest that it helps them become better players as well. They
understand that Lieberman gives it her all whenever she is on the
soccer field. And even though she doesn’t star, to them, she
deserves to be a captain because she is a positive example of
athlete and individual for her team.

"She brings an enthusiasm that not many people have," sophomore
midfielder Sommer Hammoud said of her senior teammate and fellow
captain. "When she’s out there on the field she wants to be out
there, whether its practice or a game.

"Louise energizes you. You can feel that she loves the game; she
adores the game."

Once you have a conversation with Lieberman you understand that
she adores more than just the game of soccer – she adores life. Her
motto is to be the best that she can be at everything she does.

She is a dreamer, she’s ambitious and whether it’s motherhood,
coaching, being a sister, being a daughter or being a friend,
Lieberman wants to be the best.

Though Lieberman cannot see herself doing anything other than
playing soccer and then coaching, she dabbled in another sport.
Before Lieberman had to choose only one sport, she was also a
tennis player.

The deciding factor in her choice at the beginning of her
sophomore year in high school was the team aspect of soccer. She
felt that tennis was too much of an individual sport for her
personality. Lieberman said that there was no way she was going to
give up soccer, being the team player that she is.

"If I wasn’t playing soccer, I’d be playing tennis," Lieberman
said. "Yeah, that was my other dream – to play at Wimbledon."

In a family full of athletic children, Michele and Louise were
the odd women out with their choice to pursue soccer. Older sister
Andrea played tennis at UCLA, younger brother Jose is playing
tennis at the University of Florida and younger sister Nicole is a
sophomore playing varsity tennis at Beverly High. Nonetheless,
older sister Jo can be considered unique as well, since she’s not
playing sports at all, but attending medical school in Chicago.

Lieberman attributes her success to the people she keeps close
to her – family and friends included. She is quick to mention that
her family ties are major forces in how she has turned out as a
person. The passion that she feels for her sport is also the
passion she feels for people in general. It makes her a more caring
and kind person.

Her experiences and trials and tribulations have made Lieberman
a selfless individual truly concerned about the welfare of others.
And she cares about her own integrity as well.

"Values and morals are important to me," Lieberman said. "I try
to always be honest. That’s something to fall back on, who and what
you are.

"If you believe in who you are, then you’re alright."

And Lieberman believes in her motto, so she should be just
fine.

CHARLES KUO

As one of only three seniors on the team, midfielder Louise
Lieberman is the bright and sunny center of the women¹s soccer
squad.

Comments, feedback, problems?

© 1998 ASUCLA Communications Board[Home]