Remembering Mooch: Myernick Family Reflects on a Husband and Father's Legacy

Nancy Myernick
On the significance for the family to see “Mooch” inducted:
“This means everything to us, his whole world was soccer. It revolved around the game from the time he was a little kid playing in Trenton; to youth soccer, and then going to college, and being with the National Team. He could never get enough. We built our lives around soccer, and we traveled the country to make it happen for him and to be involved in whatever level he could be. He put 110% effort into whatever he did with soccer. We wish he could have received this honor himself but knowing the family will be there is a huge honor.”

On what Mooch would say about being inducted:
“He’d be very humbled. He wouldn’t have wanted the recognition; it wasn’t why he was involved in soccer but he would take it wholeheartedly. He would be very emotional about this honor because this was his whole life and to be honored by his peers, the community and the Hall of Fame, it doesn’t get any better than that.” 

On the legacy he left behind:
“To share the game and share soccer with as many people as he can, players through all the levels, and coaches in the United States, while bringing success to the soccer community across the country. He always wanted to promote the game at all levels and make it successful. He wanted to build soccer into the sport of the United States. He wanted to share it all.”

How he’d liked to be remembered:
“When I think of Mooch, I remember a passionate man. He was passionate about so many things, and it showed in everything he did. But when it came to soccer, it was a passion that was all consuming. He always knew how lucky he was to have the talent to pursue his dreams, and the opportunities that the game gave him throughout his life. He never took any of it for granted, and with each opportunity that came his way, his passion grew. I think what he enjoyed most was the chance to meet so many wonderful people and share his love of the game with so many. The stories he would tell were priceless and most ended with laughter. I could see the joy in his eyes. They always sparkled. How would he want to be remembered? As a person who was passionate and wasn't afraid to pursue his dreams. And he never took any of his opportunities for granted. He was thankful every day, and he lived each day as if it was his last.”

Kelly Myernick
On how you felt when you heard about being him being inducted into the Hall of Fame:
“I think I was just so happy and proud. It’s certainly something that he deserves. He would have been very humbled and honored for this recognition. I think he would have been really touched.”

On growing up with soccer and the legacy her father has left:
“It means a lot. He was so passionate about soccer and had this contagious love for the game. From our friends in a little field at home, to an international level; everyone could sense how much he loved the game. It’s great that he’s being recognized for this contribution. I think he would have loved to see how much the game has grown now; how much people love it and watch the game, and how much it has become a huge part of the nation. His memory will always be a part of that tradition. He just loved it and cared about it so much and always wanted to share it with everyone. That will be his legacy.

Travis Myernick
On his reaction to hearing his father is being inducted into the Hall of Fame:
“Obviously, my first reaction was to be very happy and proud. One of the amazing things - it’s been almost nine years since dad passed away, but every year it seems like every few months someone says something about him or something comes up, or he’s being recognized to this day for what he achieved in soccer- and this is just another moment and perhaps bigger, but something to be proud of, and something special to share with my mom, my sister and my grandmother.

On the way the soccer community remembers his father:
“I’m lucky enough to have been in the same soccer field, and I continuously come across people who have something kind to say about him and how he inspired them or helped them, and it’s something I never get tired to hear. For him to receive this honor is obviously tremendous support from U.S. Soccer and how he impacted the sport.”

On where Mooch’s love of soccer came from:
“I would have to say, it had to come up from when he was young in Trenton, New Jersey, and being in a part of the country where soccer was something that was available to him and allowed to thrive. It seems like it was an instant love and connection, and something he was naturally supposed to do with his life; whether it was as a player or as a coach at different levels. He was able to connect with it at a very young age without going far away to find that connection.”

On the legacy his father has left:
“I think about it pretty often. One of the things that he really took away from his work was his ability to connect with people, whether it was his colleagues or his players. That would be above all what he really achieved. It was his ability to connect, gain and give in return in a sport he loved at a really high level, and never taking it for granted, but being passionate and driven about it every day.”