VOORHEESVILLE — Any coach who gets to lead his former alma mater is privileged, and Erin Sullivan is now realizing his gift as the new coach of men’s soccer at Williams College.

“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Sullivan, who graduated from Voorheesville in 1992 before playing for Williams as a goalkeeper. “It’s surreal to come full circle.”

Sullivan, 40, won a state title with Voorheesville in 1990, a Gold medal at the Empire State Games, and a Division III championship with Williams in 1995. He started his coaching career at Delbarton High School in Morristown, New Jersey while teaching English.

“I’ve always enjoyed being around the sport and teaching young people,” Sullivan said. “There’s no specific moment in my life; I was always drawn to the field and the people, sharing experiences. I love soccer as much now as when I played in Voorheesville.”

Still feeling as motivated and challenged as ever, Sullivan comes to Williams after 15 seasons as the head coach for Western New England College; his record of 207-96-37 makes him the winningest coach in WNEC history. Previously, Sullivan was an assistant coach at St. John’s University and Cornell University, and a volunteer for Lafayette College.

Sullivan will replace his former coach at Williams, Mike Russo, who coached 36 seasons before retiring in 2014 with 438 wins. Russo was the first New England Small College Athletic Conference coach to win 400 games, and he won the Division III Coach of the Year award four times: 1987, 1988, 1993, and 1995.

“First of all, I’m delighted,” said Russo, who jokes about being older than some of the buildings on Williams’s campus. “He [Sullivan] is a wonderful young man, well respected, and I couldn’t be more happy for him. He’s carrying the tradition.”

With Williams’s history of success — the Ephs have rarely missed the Division III tournament over the last 20 years — Sullivan says that the standards are incredibly high for soccer. “We expect to compete at the national level, but that’s not our limit,” he added. “Russo had everyday passion and competitive drive, and taught us the true meaning of teamwork: It’s not just for you, it’s for the culture of the program.”

Soccer is a lifestyle at Williams, Sullivan told The Enterprise. “You don’t pick it up and put it down, you carry it with you,” he said. “There are a number of traditions here, but it’s a new chapter. It’s a blend of past and present.”

Sullivan said that the legacy of his former teammate, Matt Stauffer, who died of leukemia in 1998, would continue at Williams. “It’s important to be mindful of things that happened before you,” he said. “Be a role model, give back to the game, and stay well connected. The team becomes your family; that’s the upbringing I had.”

^{_{Erin Sullivan is the new head coach of soccer at Williams College; he graduated from Voorheesville in 1992. Previously, Sullivan was the head coach at Western New England College for 15 seasons. His wife, Noelle, is also from Voorheesville.}} 

Bob Crandall, now an assistant coach at Union College, was Sullivan’s varsity coach at Voorheesville. Sullivan said that the Blackbirds were able to win a state title because Crandall’s ethic kept talented players with the team. Crandall is one of countless other coaches and parents in the Voorheesville youth programs and New Scotland Soccer Club that had an influence on his life, Sullivan said.

“He’s one of the most talented players I ever coached,” said Crandall of Sullivan. “He’s intensely competitive and driven, and a perfectionist in a positive way. I’m extremely proud and happy for him and his family.”

“We were well above small-school soccer,” Sullivan said of his Voorheesville days, mentioning that many of his teammates went on to play soccer in college. “We were really dedicated, always wanted something bigger, and that was instilled in us at a young age. We wanted to be among the elite.”

When asked about his fondest memory, Sullivan said that he always goes back to those championship seasons, but he’s endured enough failure, too. “I’m always reaching for that pinnacle, hungry for more, and there’s always that reminder of not getting complacent,” he said. “You’re faced with a lot of failure as a goalkeeper, and it keeps you humble. There’s no room for complacency or arrogance.”

But times have changed since he played, Sullivan says. Soccer has gone to a new level and the coaching may be better because of the increased access. For young players coming up, there are now four or five premier teams in an area, compared to just one or two.

“There’s a different sort of interaction, so you have to find a balance,” said Sullivan. “But that two-and-a-half hours of training and the game is still the exception — your team and its work ethic. I think players need to sacrifice more.”

Sullivan said that he always wants a high work rate from his players. “If you’re cutting corners on the field, you probably do in life,” he added. “My players learn pretty quickly that they should put more pressure on themselves than someone else does on them. I’m firm, but fair, and I expect a lot.”

Russo said that Sullivan would be coaching many of his recruits. What made Russo enlist Sullivan?

“He was, and probably still is, a tremendous athlete,” Russo said. “Physically and mentally strong, very courageous, and had good hands; he played point guard in basketball. He read the opposition well. He had it all.”

In Williams’s 1995 national championship victory over Methodist University, a team that Russo says was probably better than his, Sullivan made a great save late in the game. A Methodist player headed the ball to the far side of the goal, but Sullivan came flying across to save the title for the Ephs, 2 to 1.

Williams was 8-6-2 in 2014.

“If anyone can do it, he can do it,” Russo said of Sullivan. “He’ll take it further.”