Courtesy photo The 2025 Penn State Altoona women’s soccer team celebrates win No. 100 for head coach Pam Snyder-Etters (top row, navy blue jacket).

Penn State Altoona women’s head soccer coach Pam Snyder-Etters very recently celebrated her 100th career victory at the helm of the program.

This is a stellar achievement as Etters, like most PSU branch campus coaches, is only in a part-time coaching position. She must handle every aspect of the program from dealing with the athletes, game management, practices and all player recruitment.

“I am a part-time coach,” Etters said, “However, I can tell you I have a full-time passion for the game. I think that is what enables me to persevere through the rough patches. I believe the most challenging part of my job as a part-time coach is simply the time. I wish I had more time to be present for my team during the down time. I am not on campus often throughout the day so having regular meetings, athlete drop-ins, etc., just can’t happen. I work hard to build strong relationships with the team, but I always want to do more.”

She also feels recruiting can be a challenge. With both time and budgetary restrictions, she doesn’t get out as much as some of her peers, but feels the beautiful campus, reasonable tuition and top-notch athletic facilities make selling the program easier. Player retention has grown over the years and especially recently.

The strong core of four-year degrees provides an opportunity for athletes to commit to playing for all four years. In 2008-2011, she had a cluster of four-year athletes, and her teams were winning championships.

Etters would like to see the program move to a full-time coaching position in the future, but she would likely have to step down at that time due to her full-time position with the Central Pa. Festival of the Arts. Her passion for art is the only thing that rivals her passion for soccer (aside from her family).

At some point, she feels the position will have to move to full time to remain competitive with other programs with full-time coaches they compete against.

Etters started in the program in 2005 when Jim Fee was the head coach and she was still fighting for a playing career in the Women’s Professional Soccer League, playing for the Pepsi Pride. Fee asked her to consider coaching, and she turned her attention to coaching, taking over as head coach in 2010. This season marks her 21st season with the program and 16th as the head coach. Fee feels her work and commitment with the team has been incredible over the many years.

Etters feels very fortunate to have Moe Taylor as her assistant coach. Taylor served as head coach for the men’s program for almost two decades and was a previous PA West state championship coach and coach of the year. They have a long-standing relationship that goes back 30-plus years.

“He has been my soccer mentor since I was 14 years old when I used to practice with the boys team,” Etters said. “From day one, Moe has been the one person I continually look to for growth as a coach. He has developed me into the coach I am today.”

The two have made an incredible coaching duo for the PSU Altoona women’s team, both providing a wealth of knowledge. They have been able to deliver a coaching message that captivates the athletes and makes them simply want to do better.

Having Taylor on board has allowed her to take a very active role with her two daughters in their respective athletic endeavors.

Everyone involved with her coaching career over the past two decades have expressed their happiness at her achievement at garnering her 100th career victory. Her current squad has meant a great deal to Etters. They continue to win and have advanced to the AMCC semifinal playoff round by beating some teams where they were considered underdogs.

“I absolutely love this year’s team,” she said. “We have altered our recruiting philosophy to seek girls with a passion for the game, not solely girls that are good at soccer. This has created a very supportive, strong and competitive team culture. The girls are always seeking to improve and will challenge each other on a daily basis in practice. They are a coach’s dream — a team that wants to improve, that wants to win and has faith in the process.”

Much of their success and that of Etters has flown under the radar, but soccer fans need to keep an eye on this team and Etters in the next several years.

Tom Schmitt writes a monthly soccer column for the Mirror.