Mt. Lebanon’s LaLama commits to Lehigh
If Julia LaLama exhibits grace as she chases down opponents as they lumber down the soccer field, there’s good reason for that. The Mt. Lebanon High School junior is light on her feet because she spent many seasons also honing her skills as a dancer. LaLama and her sister, Jessie, who was a cheerleader, started dancing almost as soon as they learned how to walk. But, after nine years, she gave up her first love for her true passion.
“My coaches wanted me to be more focused,” said the 16-year-old daughter of John and Judy LaLama. “Since I liked soccer better than dancing, I decided to play soccer. Dancing was very intense.”
Just like soccer, LaLama was expected to attend all practices and recitals. “You couldn’t miss,” she said. “Competitions lasted the whole day and there’s a lot of waiting for your performance. Then the whole time you are worried if you mess up. You can mess up in soccer but you can make up for it. There is more pressure on dancing because it’s so condensed into a two-minute time frame.
LaLama conceded, however, her soccer benefited from dancing.
“It helped my flexibility,” she said. “I’m able to control my body better on the field because I was a dancer.”
That control on the pitch made LaLama an attractive recruit for Division I college programs. Lehigh University won that battle for her talents as LaLama recently made a verbal commitment to play for the Mountain Hawks.
“Academically the school has a great reputation,” said LaLama, who owns a 4.5 GPA, belongs to student council and Girls Who Code. “I loved the area and the campus, too. It was an all-around good fit for me. My goal is to go there and be able to make a positive impact on the team.”
As a freshman, LaLama did just that at Mt. Lebanon. After a hiatus, the Blue Devils have qualified for the WPIAL playoffs two years in a row, reaching the semifinals last season.
“We had high expectations of Julia when she joined the program,” said head coach Cara Senger, “and she proved that she was ready to handle those expectations. Her physical presence and awareness of where she needs to be on the field are aspects of her game that set her apart from many players.”
LaLama is one of the premier center backs in the WPIAL, not to mention in the region. Playing for Century United, under the watchful eye of Randi Rohm, she has played on two state cup winners and advanced to regionals three times. She also made an immediate impact for the Blue Devils as Lebo won its first playoff game in several seasons during LaLama’s freshman year. The Blue Devils also pushed PIAA champion Canon-McMillan to its limits before losing in sudden-death overtime, 2-1, and falling one game short of competing for the WPIAL title last November.
“My biggest achievements were being able to play in the regional league for Century for the past two years and this upcoming season. Plus, my freshman year with Coach Senger,” LaLama said.
This autumn, Lebo has visions of increased success and the Blue Devils look to LaLama to reach their objectives. “Julia has been a leader in the back for us over the past two years and we will look for her to continue that role this year,” Senger said.
Senger also envisions LaLama improving her skills in the next two seasons so as to become a welcome addition to the Lehigh program because of her passion for the sport.
“Julia will be successful at the next level because she has a genuine love for the game of soccer,” Senger said. “She doesn’t train hard because she has been asked to do so. She works and trains hard because she loves to compete and enjoys helping her team and teammates succeed. A lot of work goes into honing your skills and becoming a better athlete and the work that she puts in behind the scenes when no one is watching is another aspect that will make her successful at the Division 1 level.
Beyond that, LaLama has no aspirations for personal glory. No national team. No Olympics. She just wants to play defense for the Blue Devils right now.
“My speed of play will need to increase going into college because everyone will be bigger, faster and stronger but for now I want to work together as a team to get Mt. Lebanon as far as it can go in the WPIAL playoffs.
“When I started playing this sport five years ago, when I was in fifth grade and I tried out for club soccer, it just stuck. I love this sport. I get to play it with all of my best friends.”