In honor of Charlotte Moran

Charlotte Moran (center) pictured with her good friends Louise Waxler and Sue Ryan.

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I share the passing of our friend Charlotte Moran. Charlotte passed away peacefully early this morning at her home after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Charlotte was one of the most active organizers for girls’ and women’s soccer in America. She had over 30 years of experience in soccer management, from her start as a team mom in 1977, through roles at regional and national levels. She has served at various times as a club secretary, league secretary, league vice president, state vice president and state president.

Link: EPYSA – In Memorium
Link: US Soccer mourns the Loss of Charlotte Moran
Link: NSCAA mourns the passing of Charlotte Moran
Link: Women’s Soccer World – 1997 Tribute to Charlotte Moran
Link: 2009 Glenn Myernick Service to Soccer Award
Link: 2007 NSCAA Women’s Committee Award of Excellence

Charlotte was an ODP state administrator for 20 years, Chairperson for the National Girls’ ODP from 1991-1995, and acted as the Chair of the US Soccer Women’s Committee from 1990-1991. She was the long-time Executive Director for the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association and the Administrator for the Region 1 Olympic Development Program.

Charlotte was the Director of Team Operations for the Philadelphia Charge of WUSA from 2001-2003, and was in support of bringing an MLS and WPS expansion teams to Philly. Click to download this PDF, it’s a tremendous article from 2001 when Charlotte left EPYSA for the Charge:

I can only imagine how proud she would have been at today’s ceremonial naming of the new Women’s Professional Soccer team in Philly, the Independence.

In 2009, Charlotte was awarded the Soccer Champions Coaches’ Clinic Glenn Myernick Service to Soccer Award. She was awarded the Youth Long-Term Service Award at the 2009 NSCAA Convention in St. Louis. In 2008, Charlotte was honored by the NSCAA Women’s Committee with the 2007 Award of Excellence, an award established in 1999 to recognize those who have brought honor and distinction to women’s soccer. She’s on the short-list with April Heinrichs, Michelle Akers, Lauren Gregg, Michelle Morgan, Adele Dolansky, Colleen Hacker, Lynn Berling-Manuel, Anson Dorrance and Tony DiCicco.

Here’s a congratulatory message from her Region 1 Team, filmed in the winter of 2007:

I can’t express how sad this makes me to lose such a wonderful friend and mentor. I feel lucky to have had Charlotte in my life… she gave me advice on nearly everything – from my career path to my boyfriends. Even my jewelry.

And I’m not alone. Charlotte touched so many lives… The notes of love and gratitude are flooding my inbox today… here’s a note from John Daly this morning: We have lost a jewel this morning. What Charlotte did for soccer in general, and girls’ soccer in particular cannot be measured. So many young girls are now enjoying, and have enjoyed, the fruits of Charlotte’s efforts. Whether playing in the new Women’s Professional Soccer league, or in coaching, young women all over the country have benefited from the remarkable work Charlotte put in over the years.

Below I’ve posted a little behind-the-scenes video I made at Regional Camp in the summer of 2007. It makes me so happy to watch this, and I know that none of this would have been possible without the love, support, hard work, passion, vision and guidance of Charlotte (she gets a cameo at 1:04):

Charlotte’s contributions to this world and to soccer were enormous and there is a huge void in our game, world and lives that will be difficult to fill. Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlotte’s family at this difficult time.

April 23, 2009: A Special Note from Amber Brooks for Pancreatic Cancer Research

Editor’s note: Amber Brooks is a Region 1 ODP player, where Charlotte has been the Regional Administrator for years.

Dear friends,

As you all know by now, our very own Charlotte Moran has been battling pancreatic cancer since her diagnosis in November 2007. Most of you are familiar with Charlotte’s numerous contributions to girls’ soccer, and recognize that she is in fact the embodiment of Region 1. She is the one responsible for providing us vast opportunities and we owe much of our personal development and success to her efforts. Many of you have reached out and provided support during her struggle, but now I am calling upon everyone to wear their support by purchasing a “Score for the Cure-Charlotte Moran” purple bracelet. These bracelets are offered for purchase in conjunction with the Inaugural Score for the Cure 3 vs. 3 Soccer Tournament in Honor of Charlotte Moran taking place on May 22, 2009. One-hundred percent of the proceeds benefit the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, which was created to find better treatments and a cure for pancreatic cancer.

Purchasing and wearing the bracelets is a simple, yet meaningful statement of your support. It would certainly bring a smile to Charlotte’s face if she saw coaches and players alike sporting the purple bracelets in her name at the 2009 Region 1 ODP Tournament in June and at Regional Camp in July. Together we can show our appreciation and inspire Charlotte to keep fighting!

Sincerely,
Amber Brooks

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Tagged as: charlotte moran, Chicago Red Stars, Emma Hayes, girls soccer, national soccer coaches association of america, NSCAA, odp, olympic development program, soccer, Technology, Women's Soccer, womens pro soccer, wps, wusa