Mars girls soccer coach Blair Gerlach, right, stands for a photo with his daughter, Eden, who plays for the Planets and is headed to play at Edinboro University in 2023. The duo doesn’t let soccer get in the way of their relationship. Submitted Photo

Mars girls soccer coach Blair Gerlach didn’t really care if his daughter, Eden, ever wished to play organized soccer.

In fact, he seemed to hope that she wouldn’t.

There was always the chance that she’d end up under his tutelage. That became a reality, as Eden is now a senior forward for the Planets.

“When she got to high school, she became a victim of circumstance,” Blair joked. “She never had a problem with it ... She kind of looked forward to the time when that might happen.”

A portion of this story is shared with you as a digital media exclusive. To read the full story and support our local, independent newsroom, please subscribe at butlereagle.com.