Making history


 


PRINCETON, N.J.Butler County now has a presence in the WPIAL Hall of Fame — courtesy of Meghan Schnur. 
The 2003 Butler graduate and former soccer great was one of 16 inductees announced at a press conference this morning at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum on Smallman St. in Pittsburgh. 
This year marks the seventh Hall of Fame class for the WPIAL. Schnur will become the first athlete from Butler County to be enshrined. 
The WPIAL Hall of Fame includes coaches, officials, teams and WPIAL contributors as well. 
“It’s a tremendous honor,” Schnur said. “I don’t think it will totally sink in until I see all of the names and meet the faces. 
“It’s hard to believe I’m the first from the county. Hopefully, many more will follow. I know there are deserving people out there.” 
Count Schnur among them. 
She scored 55 goals and added 55 assists in her prep soccer career at Butler, helping the Golden Tornado reach a WPIAL championship game and PIAA title game. 
Schnur went on to score 28 goals and 20 assists at the University of Connecticut, helping the Huskies reach the NCAA championship game. She played on the U.S. women’s national team as well. 
Schnur played more minutes than anyone for Sky Blue, New Jersey’s entrant in the Women’s Professional League, during that franchise’s championship season of 2009. 
She gave up professional soccer in 2011 after undergoing minor knee surgery. 
“It was time,” Schnur said. “I had to look at the next phase of my life.” 
Now a physical therapist at an out-patient clinic in New Jersey, Schnur has returned to soccer again. Not yet 30 herself, she played in an indoor over-30 men’s league during the winter and coaches an under-14 club team now. 
“I got totally away from soccer for a year and found myself really missing it,” she said. “I felt the urge to play again. 
“This men’s league was in the area and I asked if I could play. There’s one other woman in the league, but it’s a technical, quick-paced game and that’s the way I like to play. It was a blast.” 
She may play in the outdoor version of the league this summer. 
“Those games will be on a big-sized football field. The men are faster and stronger and that physicality could take over there,” she said. “We’ll see. I have to find a way to work the time in, too. 
“I’ve been playing this game since I was 5. It’s hard to let go of it.” 
Schnur took over as head coach of the U-14 club team a little over a month ago. 
“I like it. You really get into it ... I can see why my dad pulled his hair out back in the day,” Schnur said, laughing. Her father, Butler High School principal Jeff Schnur, has been a longtime soccer coach. 
Schnur considers herself in the “growing phase” of her physical therapy career. 
“There’s the psychological challenge of advancing in this career now,” she said. “Looking toward the future, I’d like to continue my relationship with sports in physical therapy. 
“I’m working with kids, I’ve worked with a 90-year-old man dealing with a hip replacement, it’s wide-ranging.” 
And she’ll soon be dealing with her name being part of a permanent display inside the Kaiser Room of the Western PennsylvaniaSports Museum. 
The WPIAL Hall of Fame induction dinner will be held in June. 
“I can’t wait. That’s going to be something,” Schnur said.