Franklin Regional goalkeeper climbs ranks in Olympic Development program

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, August 15, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Aris Lamanna has been on a three-month, practically nonstop speed and strength training mission to be the best goalkeeper in the WPIAL, the state and … the country?

The Franklin Regional senior hit a benchmark goal Monday as she was named to the United States Youth Soccer East Region Olympic Development Team.

Lamanna, a Coastal Carolina commit, posted 11 shutouts last fall for Franklin Regional and earned All-WPIAL honors. She has been through a pair of ODP tryouts and shined in front of goal.

A successful summer with her Riverhounds Academy cup team could help to take her a long way.

Her ODP journey has lasted longer than three months.

“Other than my college commitment, it is a significant individual goal that I have been working to achieve for the last two years,” Lamanna said. “In soccer generally, most accomplishments are based on where your (club) team finishes, and this gave me an opportunity to showcase my individual abilities.”

Congratulations to Franklin Regional GK & @CoastalWSoccer commit @aris_lamanna for being named to the @usysodp East Region Olympic Development Team (11 states) competing Jan. 18-24th in Orlando! #HereComeThePanthers @DScott_Arnold @BillBeckner @WestmorelandSN @FRPantherSports pic.twitter.com/E6HrBOrOLD

— Franklin Regional HS Girls Soccer (@FRGirlsSoccer1) August 14, 2023

Lamanna has been working with a number of performance-intensifying programs, including the Riverhounds, USL and Kronis academies and the Keeper Institute in New Jersey.

She also has increased her weightlifting workouts and has been running four times a week.

✅ Gallagher Performance (S&S) 18x
✅ Weight Lifting 4x per week
✅ USL Training/Riverhounds 16x
✅KRONIS Academy (Ohio) 7x
✅ PRO Player training 7x
✅ ODP tournaments 2x
✅ The Keeper Institute (New Jersey) 1x
✅ Sprints/mile runs 4x per week

After an intense 3 month…

— Aris Lamanna (@aris_lamanna) August 13, 2023

“While I’ve been asked many times, ‘Is it a relief to be committed?,’ for me, it only made me want to work harder,” Lamanna said. “A commitment doesn’t guarantee playing time, and I wanted to do everything possible in the 18 months before going to college to give me the best chance to see a starting lineup.”

Lamanna also received another personal accolade this week as she was named to the ECNL Ohio Valley All-Conference U17 Second Team.

The ODP team will connect for camp and pool training Jan. 18-24 in Orlando, Fla., as players are evaluated more closely.

The team includes players from 11 states who will compete in the elite-level event.

Lamanna qualified locally for a regional pool in Connecticut, where she advanced.

“Now our team will play the other three regional teams in Florida,” she said. “From Florida, they will select a national team to compete internationally in March.”

While the word Olympic is attached to the name, the ODP events often are more about high-level training against top prospects from across the country.

“It also provides the added exposure that is needed to move on to the next level in my career,” Lamanna said.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional