John Ward recently completed his second season as an assistant coach working with the Quaker goalkeepers in 2017.
Ward oversaw the development of second-year keeper, and 2017 First-team All-Ivy selection, Kitty Qu as she rose to prominence on a national level this season. Qu posted five solo shutouts on the year while only conceding four goals across seven matches in Ivy League play. The sophomore's .890 save percentage was tops in the Ivy this year and ranked ninth among all NCAA Division I keepers at season's end, as well as second all-time in program history. Additionally, Qu's 0.62 goals against average was good for second in the conference, 27th in the nation and fifth among the program's all-time ranks. Qu recorded 73 saves over 1,301:03 minutes in net across 14 games, while also posting three consecutive shutouts against Harvard, Cornell and Dartmouth to being Ivy play (Sept. 23-Oct. 14).
Ward enters his second season with the University of Pennsylvania women’s soccer coaching staff in the fall of 2017, primarily working with the Quaker goalkeepers. Prior to his arrival in University City, he served as an assistant coach for the Shipley School boys’ varsity soccer team for two years. In addition to training the keepers at Penn and Shipley, Ward was named head goalkeeper coach for the Lower Merion Soccer Club in 2016 after two years with the club. He has also trained keepers at Rosemont College, FC Montco, King of Prussia and Greater Chester Valley while also working for The Keeper Institute — run by former US Women’s National Team keeper, Jill Loyden — and Just 4 Keepers.
Ward played his collegiate soccer at Philadelphia City 6 member institution Villanova University from 2004-2007. Although injuries limited him to competing in just two full seasons, Ward split time in the net during his final two years and ended his career as a four-time All-Big East Academic selection. Following his playing career at Villanova, Ward moved to Los Angeles and had the transformative experience of training with then-LA Galaxy goalkeeper coach Ian Feuer and his protégé, then-Italian Women’s National Team goalkeeper, Anna Piccarelli. Ward enjoyed a brief stint within the Pali and LA Blues PDL and USL teams, respectively, but ultimately left in the summer of 2012 to pursue a trial in Manchester, England in front of scouts from the EPL through League 1.
Ward later returned to Los Angeles where he began coaching through the Blues’ Beverly Hills SC training outreach program. At the start of 2013, he made his way back to the Philadelphia area to complete a documentary project and continue his coaching career with the University of Pennsylvania women’s soccer program.
Ward graduated from Villanova in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a concentration in media and film.
