Aug 13, 2026 By Eleanor Bailey 6 min read

Rob Heuler of Bethel Park experienced an odd feeling when he recently attended a captain’s practice in his new capacity as Peters Township High School varsity girls soccer coach.

“I walked into the stadium with different eyes,” he said. “I felt only open arms. It was awesome and welcoming.”

For the better part of his 34 years of life, Heuler had been the enemy. He played scholastic soccer for neighboring Bethel Park High School and most recently coached clubs that opposed the Lady Indians. Either as an assistant or head honcho, Heuler had coached in the same section as Peters Township.

“So, I’ve seen both sides of it,” he said. “I know what it takes to get it done.”

While the Lady Indians were winning 321 games, including three WPIAL and PIAA championships and four district runner-up finishes under Pat Vereb, who resigned abruptly in July after 19 seasons at the helm, Heuler was honing his skills as both a player and coach at a variety of locations.

His career began at Bethel Park, where he was a three-year starter and captained the Black Hawks to a WPIAL championship in 2007. He gained all-section, all-district and all-state acclaim.

Additionally, he steered the Century United and Beadling Soccer Clubs to five state titles.

After a stint as a four-time all-conference and three-time all-regional performer for the Johns Hopkins University men’s soccer team, Heuler competed on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds U23 pro team before attaining his USSF National Licenses and embarking on his coaching career. He started as an assistant with boys and girls teams at his alma mater as well as with the Beadling Soccer Club.

In 2021, he became the head coach of the Bethel Park girls varsity squad. Heuler compiled a 39-25-7 record. The Lady Hawks qualified for the WPIAL playoffs three times during Heller’s four-year stint, reaching the WPIAL quarterfinals twice.

Last year as an assistant coach at Mt. Lebanon, Heuler helped the Lady Blue Devils reach the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs. Lebo was 15-3-2 last fall.

Heuler vacated the position at Bethel Park and took on the role as an assistant again because his coaching duties increased exponentially. He was now coaching Beading’s Girls Academy teams and he became the head coach of Beadling’s professional team that competes in the Women’s Premier Soccer League.

“It was definitely tough leaving Bethel Park. It was like being home for me,” Heuler explained. “I knew I couldn’t give Bethel Park 100 percent because of the other opportunities I had and wanted to pursue.”

The Peters Township opening only came recently. So, Heuler had no choice but to chase those prospects.

“It’s definitely one of the most prestigious programs to coach in WPIAL. A historic program,” Heuler said. “It’s an exciting opportunity to work with these girls and perhaps put my imprint on a program that has already experienced tremendous success.”

Since the PIAA expanded to four classifications for the 2016-17 school year, Peters Township has won seven section banners in 10 years. They are back-to-back champions, winning in 2024 and 2025. The Indians had a 28-match unbeaten run during that stretch.

One of those victories was a dramatic win against Seneca Valley in the 2024 WPIAL Class 4A championship game. After playing through a scoreless regulation period and double overtime, the Indians won on penalty kicks, 5-4.

Last year, the Lady Indians posted a 15-3-2 record. They were undefeated in the section with a 10-0 mark. They lost, 1-0, to North Allegheny in the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals.

“The goal is to continue to build upon their success,” Heuler said.

Understanding there are a “lot of expectations” at Peters Township, Heuler is working on unifying a talented group of players into a team with one objective.

“We want to be a team that is all playing for the same thing and has an identity of striving for the same end goal.

“These girls can achieve whatever they want. Anything is possible,” Heuler continued. “There are high expectations. The biggest thing is making sure the girls want that. That their personal goals match their team goals and hold them accountable for that.”

While Heuler is familiar with more than a dozen of the players because he has either coached them at Beadling or worked with them through private lessons, he is busy learning the names of more than 50 other girls who are in the program.

“It’s challenging,” he said.

Heuler has alleviated some of that stress. Two of his assistant coaches are Brendan and Liz Albright. They are teachers at the high school.

“They know the girls and it’s nice to have them because they know all the names and the faces. So I am leaning on them because it’s still all a new process for me.”

While he is looking for a goalkeeper coach to round out his staff, Heuler has hired Jeff Moyer, the founder of DC Sports Training, as his performance coach specializing in athletic development, motor learning and brain-based training.

Heuler has also added J.R. Little and Al Lopus to the staff. Little previously served as the head coach of the Moon Area High School girls soccer team. A Peters Township alumni, Lopus was a standout defender for the University of Pittsburgh.

“I think we have surrounded them with good coaches and as long as we are an organized team, the players will take care of the rest. They’re good on their own. As coaches, all we can do is steer them in the right direction, help them along the way and let them be the players they are.”

Heuler’s seniors are leaders. Returning starters Ava Hajnosz, Caitlin Martin Fallan Malley and Marina Hajnosz took the reins before Heuler’s hire. They have run the summer practices and the fitness drills.

After he was hired, Heuler dropped in on one of those workouts.

“It was nice to witness,” he said. “I was really impressed with their ability to encourage and motivate their teammates.

“I think they are embracing the change,” he added. “They all seem very excited for a new and fresh start.”