Moehlmann Retires with Legacy of Success

For 24 years Karl Moehlmann has patrolled the sidelines as the head coach of the Cherry Hill East boys’ soccer team. He has seen championships won and lost; players come and go; great goals, amazing saves and everything in between. Moehlmann has been a fixture of the Cougars’ program, dedicating his time energy and passion to helping East put forth the best possible team in an always competitive Olympic Conference.

When the Cougars return for training camp next season, it will not only be the start of a new team, but also a new era: Moehlmann coached his final game as East’s head coach last week when the Cougars fell to Absegami in the Group 4 semifinals.

The veteran coach enjoyed the incredible journey his teams had taken him on over the years, leaving him with few regrets. And while he looks forward to the next phase of his life, he knows there is plenty about coaching that he will miss.

“What I will miss most is to forge a team that plays as a unit and to respond to certain challenges, and finds a way to win games,” Moehlmann said.

Moehlmann grew up in Germany, where he developed a passion for the sport by playing pickup games on the street. He first came to the U.S. when he was 29 to play soccer for the University of Delaware. That was his first experience playing the sport in an organized format.

After his playing days were over, Moehlmann started his coaching career as an assistant at Villanova University before eventually getting an offer to become the head coach at Cherry Hill East in 1989. He accepted the job and the rest was history.

Moehlmann—who finishes with a record of 270-139-36—coached the Cougars to a pair of state titles, while motivating his players with a pregame “German Warrior” chant he learned in his childhood. His most successful years came in the 1990s, when he helped East win seven Olympic Conference titles. This season's squad shocked many by winning the Coaches Cup as a No. 13 seed.

The longtime coach has spent 35 years as a German teacher at East and will be retiring from that post at the end of the school year. He will also be leaving a boys’ volleyball program he has coached to over 300 wins and three state titles.

“He’s meant a lot to all of us,” said Cougars forward Zach Steinbock. “He’s been here forever and led this program. We are just disappointed we couldn’t end the season for him on a better note.”

Moehlmann’s coaching style has always been one of defend first, attack second, and this year’s bunch did that as well as anyone. The Cougars excelled at limiting opponents scoring chances, while making the most of its counterattacks. The team followed his mantra that games are won on ground control, not kick and run.

Moehlmann said he learned never to get too high or too low on a team early in a career, so it was no surprise the coach was able to maintain a centered outlook when his final game as a coach came to an end in disappointing fashion.

“It’s been incredible,” Moehlmann said. “Most teams lose at some point or another. We won a lot of games and made it far (in the playoffs). We played a great team on their home field and we didn’t quite live up to it this time.”

Don't miss any Cherry Hill news—sign up for Cherry Hill Patch's daily newsletter and breaking news alerts, and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.