Northwestern Lehigh’s soccer program didn’t produce any state championships on either the boys or girls side in the early 2000s.

In fact, it wasn’t until 2022 that the boys team would collect the first state championship, and the 2024 girls team was the first to even go to the PIAA finals and won the gold on their first try.

Even so, those earlier boys teams were well represented when both teams took state golds this season, since those teams turned out players who went on to coach the Northwestern title teams.

Coaches Nate Hunsicker and Jordan Smith grew up as friends, thanks to a friendship developed between their parents. The two spent a lot of time together as kids and continue to do so even today.

They also spent one season as teammates for Northwestern Lehigh when Hunsicker was a senior and Smith was in his freshman year.

“Our parents are really good friends, and we always kept in touch over the years,” said Hunsicker of the friendship between the two soccer players/coaches. “We both still live in the area and are involved in soccer, so the friendship has continued right up to this day.”

Hunsicker just completed his 14th season leading the boys team and upped his record to 275-44-10 with the Tigers.

Under Hunsicker’s leadership, Northwestern now has two state championships, nine district championships and six Colonial League titles. With a perfect 28-0 season, Hunsicker celebrated both his 250th and 275th wins as the boys coach during the 2024 campaign.

Smith’s coaching journey hasn’t been as long, but it has certainly been successful.

Smith learned much of what he knows while serving under head coach Kelly Bleam on the Northwestern girls team’s coaching staff. When Bleam left following the 2020 season, Smith was the natural choice to succeed her, and he took over the reins starting in 2021.

In his four seasons, Smith has put together a record of 89-9-2 with the Tigers and led them to their first state championship this season — which came in the program’s first appearance in the state championship game.

“We just, pretty much from the time that I was born, were friends and spent a lot of time together,” said Smith. “We spent that one year together as teammates, and it was great to have someone I knew well on the team to help me out as a freshman. I think we were about a .500 team back then and didn’t win any championships, but we had fun playing together.”

One thing the two have in common as coaches is that they have garnered the respect of their players during their time at the helm of their respective teams. That respect has helped the teams to play well together and turn into one of the most successful soccer programs in the area for both boys and girls.

“Coach Hunsicker has been great,” said senior Jake Van Lierop earlier in the season. “He’s not the type to scream and yell, but he gets his point across, and I think we all respect him because he treats us with respect.”

It’s worth noting that this year’s senior class were freshman in Smith’s first season after Bleam ended her 25-year career as the program’s coach. The class has put together impressive stats and were able to lead the transition from Bleam to Smith.

“There weren’t a lot of changes because he was so familiar with the program,” said senior Brook Balliet after a regular season win. “The older players already knew him and liked him, so as a freshman I already had a good feeling about playing for him. He has a good attitude and likes to joke around with us, but he also gets us to focus when we need to and that’s important.”

While 14 years is a long time, Hunsicker has no intention of leaving the coaching ranks at Northwestern. He has two young children who love soccer, and play in the Northwestern Youth Association where Hunsicker is also active in helping younger players to learn the sport.

“I definitely want to coach both of them, so I won’t be going anywhere for a while. It’s always been a goal for me to get to coach my kids at the varsity level,” said Hunsicker.

“We have been able to put together some good teams here and the youth program is strong, so we always have young players coming along who can help keep us successful. I’m looking forward to continuing to have good teams and then continuing the tradition when my kids are playing.”