Wheatley senior reaches his goal

Richard Tedesco

Wheatley School senior Eric Orologio recently agreed to take his goalkeeping skills to the University at Albany-SUNY, signing a letter of intent to play there after verbally accepting a partial scholarship offer before the fall semester.

“It kind of got the weight off my shoulders,” Orologio said. “It was good knowing where I was going.”

Orologio, who started as the Wildcats goalkeeper from his freshman year through his junior year, said he had been recruited by several schools before deciding on the Division I varsity team at Albany.

Orologio said he was impressed by what her heard about Albany from people, including teachers in the East Williston School District who went there. He also hit it off with the soccer coach, Trevor Gorman, he said.

“I connected with the coach right away,” Orologio said. “I can see myself playing with them for four years.”

Orologio didn’t play for Wheatley this season, choosing instead to tend goal  for the nationally ranked Albertson U-18 squad in United States Soccer Federation competition. He had previosuly played for both teams, but  the USSF instituted a rule change prohibiting players from competing for teams in its federation and their high school teams in the same year. 

“It’s honestly one of the toughest decisions I had to make. I knew I had to play for my club team,” he said.

Orologio’s Albertson club team is currently ranked sixth nationally and could compete for a USSF title before he starts his college playing career. In the USSF, he’s competing against pro prospects on under-18 teams for Major League Soccer clubs. 

Orologio fell one-game short of his dream of helping lead the Wheatley Wildcats to a state championship as the team’s goalkeeper in his junior year. 

The team lost a 1-0 match in the 2011 Class B state championship match to Broadalbin-Perth. The year before Wheatley lost a tough 3-2 match to Mattituck for the Long Island championship.

He said he wanted to match his brother, Greg, who played defense on the Wheatley team that won the state crown in 2004. 

And although his older brother ribs him about falling one game short of a championship, Orologio considers reaching the brink of a championship in 2011 “one of the best accomplishments in my soccer career.”

Orologio started playing on a “munchkin” squad at the Albertson as a four-year-old, coached by his father, Octavio, who played semi-pro soccer in his native Italy.

Like his father, he played defensive until one day when as a 10 year old, his father put him in the net when the team’s two goalkeepers couldn’t make it to the match.

“Once I threw on that long-sleeved shirt and those gloves that didn’t even fit me, it clicked. I was a natural,” he recalled.

His father wanted both of his sons to follow in his footsteps. He said he never imagined his son as a goalkeeper, but recognized immediately Eric was in the position where he belonged.

“His reflexes were really good. You can teach techniques but you can’t teach reflex,” the elder Orologio said.

His career at Wheatley included a record of more than 20 shutouts and style of play in which he never hesitated to challenge a charging striker for the ball. He also consistently exhibited the powerful leg of a defensive back to clear the ball far down the field.

“I’m very aggressive. I’m very strong around the ball,” he said.

His father said he’s “very proud” of what his son has accomplished on the field and sees potential for him in the ranks of the Major League Soccer.

“He was never scared. He was always comfortable in the goal,” Octavio said. “If he takes it seriously, I think he has the quality of going to the next level.”

Eric definitely has his sights set on a soccer career beyond college.

“I definitely would love to play professionally. If I do work very hard at it, I could see myself possibly playing at that next level,” he said.

His father was like a second coach to Eric through high school, reviewing each game he played with him – whether Eric appreciated his critiques or not, he said.

“Sometimes we didn’t get along because I was critical with my comments. There’s a never a perfect game,” the elder Orologio said.

Despite the occasional friction between them , Eric acknowledges that his father’s guidance was crucial to his success on the soccer pitch.
“Whenever I think of my dad, I think of a soccer ball. He was always there. If it wasn’t for my dad, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” he said.

And if it wasn’t for his mom, Ana, he wouldn’t have a photographic history of his soccer career. 

She became a big hit among his soccer teammates at Wheatley, who couldn’t wait to see the shots she published online after each match.

While he has professional soccer aspirations, Eric said he chose to attend Albany for its academic environment as well. 

He’s undecided about a major field of study, but said he is leaning toward a major in business or communications.

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