The Pericciuoli name has been synonymous with great soccer in New Jersey for over half a century. Walter Pericciuoli is continuing that tradition today.
His father, Wally Peters (Pericciuoli), is enshrined in the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y., and his uncle Foster Perry (Pericciuoli) was a longtime soccer administrator and treasurer of the U.S. Soccer Federation for over 20 years.
Walter has enjoyed a legendary career as well dating back to his days as a player at Eastside High in Paterson and later at Springfield (Mass.) College where he graduated in 1966. When he returned home from college, Walter continued his soccer career with numerous Garden State teams. He began his coaching career as player/coach of Ocean County SC in 1974 and soon entered the team in Garden State League’s Fourth Division. Within three years the team had a string of first or second place finishes and soon joined the A Division where the team played until it was disbanded in 1984.
Prior to that, Walter had launched a career as a youth coach with the Berkeley Soccer Association, and within two years became club president in 1978.
That year Walter joined with Phil Morretta to creat Jersey Shore Boca Juniors to help enhance the development of the most talented young players in the shor area.
The Boca Juniors, under the direction of Pericciuoli and Morretta, enjoyed immediate success and were soon winning tournament and league championships.
In 1978, Walter was named a staff coach for the NJSA Olympic Select team, and in 1979 he started the men’s soccer program at Richard Stockton College where he coached for 11 years. His Ospreys had seven straight winning seasons and reached the ECAC Tournament twice.
In the late 1980s he served as a coach of the NJYSA Olympic Development Program, and in 1990 he helped form the Jersey Shore Boca Juniors into an open men’s program that joined the North East Super League. By 1992 they had joined the Garden State League and were soon a charter member of the Champion’s League.
Walter has salso served as head coach of the N.J. Stallions of the United League, and coached the Boca Junios youth teams in the Super Y League from 2001-2005 and was general manager of Boca’s Premier Development League (PDL) team in 2003.
Many of Walter’s former players have moved on to the national stage, including George Gelnovatch of Wall who was former assistant coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team, the U.S. U-18 team, and is now head coach at University of Virginia. Tim Lenahan played at Richard Stockton for Walter and is now head men’s coach at Northwestern University in Chicago.
