He used to play soccer for Jim Thorpe High School. Soon, he will play football in Romania.

In their country, soccer is called football and it’s where Jacob Geiser will be signing a professional contract to play the game he has loved all his life.

Geiser, a multiple year First Team Schuylkill League All Star, manned the nets for three years at Jim Thorpe before arm surgery caused him to play the field this past season.

He will pack his bags and carry with him tons of travel and club playing experience that contributed heavily toward his recruitment by the Romanian National Football Team.

“When I was told I was going to Romania, I didn’t take it as being real,” said Geiser. “Playing pro soccer was something I always wished for, but then when I had time to think about it, I felt excited, nervous, and even a little scared about leaving home to go and live in a foreign country.”

Once settled in Romania, Geiser will have a few weeks of training under the watchful eyes of coaches who will decide what level and league would be best for him to begin playing.

“I have no idea what kind of money is paid in my contract,” said Geiser, “but I’m sure I’ll start at the entry level.”

Jacob’s father Chris, who is retired from the military and has knowledge of other countries and cultures, understands that his son will have to make adjustments from living at home.

“He’ll be basically living with his team,” said Chris. “We know a Lehigh Valley club player who’s gone on to play in Sweden and Croatia and now plays in Romania so he might be able to take Jacob under his wings. It’s a much different culture for certain. Romanians are more old school in their lifestyle and their values. They are very friendly people. Jacob’s biggest adjustment is the language barrier as only 29% of the population speaks English. Without too many distractions, he’ll focus his attention on playing soccer.

“I’m ecstatic for Jacob to have this opportunity. We’ve been living the game of soccer our whole life. It’s nice to see his accomplishments get recognized by a country where the game is their national sport.”

His son credits Hardy Pinto, his travel team coach at Keystone Athletic for making this dream become possible. Pinto has years of international playing experience in Portugal, France, Spain, and Sweden among other places. “He is the only coach I’ve ever had who is 100% about making every kid he coaches better soccer players.”

Geiser also praised his goalie coach Bob Pipech, and of course, his father Chris, who was his very first coach, for getting him to the very top of his game.

Asked what he most loves about playing soccer and especially playing goalkeeper, Geiser said it’s the feeling he has ever since he first started playing the sport when he was five years old.

“I love being on a team. It’s like we’re one big family,” he replied. “And playing the net is a huge responsibility I really like. Soccer is a team sport, but I’m the last line of defense and if I make a mistake and let in a shot I should have stopped, that’s on me, not on the team. No one can fix my mistake so I work extra hard to try not to make any.”

He understands that he’ll be facing much better competition on the professional level in Romania than any team he faced in high school or on his travel team. He also knows that at age 18, pro soccer teams like youth and energy that comes with such an age and will even sign 16-year-olds into their system.

The hope is to develop the skill level on younger players from the country to eventually play for the Romanian National Team which is rebuilding its program in an attempt to get toreturn to the glory days of 1994 when the country defeated Argentina in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.

Geiser is part of the group of foreign players brought into the Romanian leagues to increase the competition and level of play in the hope of aiding the development of his host country’s top players.

For now, Geiser will set his sights on working his way up the ladder in professional competition while he learns how to live in a country nearly 5,000 miles away from his family’s home in Albrightsville.

“I have a lot to get used to,” he said, with the thought that he might not come back home until Christmas time.

“I’ll have a lot of guidance there as what to do and what not to do. I’m really excited about this chance and to see which team picks me up.”

Once Geiser finds out what team he will play for, and eventually takes his position in front of the goal, he’s confident he can continue to display the talent and skill playing the game he has loved since he was five years old.