joel lilavois

heard he is no longer with us, classy guy.

He was the best skills coach my kids ever had. When my BB was in the hospital, Joel came to visit him. My family is pretty torn up today. Definitely didn't tell that man enough how honored I was to have him train my DD and BB. Now when I see bad habits creep into their game, I don't know who I'll call.

DrSoccer wrote:heard he is no longer with us, classy guy.

Please clarify. Did he move away or pass away? He made a big difference in my 98dd's skills and confidence. I hope I am reading this the wrong way....

Very sorry to hear that. I can't even count how many fine players he helped develop. And always with passion and grace. He will be missed.

Itsme wrote:

DrSoccer wrote:heard he is no longer with us, classy guy.

Please clarify. Did he move away or pass away? He made a big difference in my 98dd's skills and confidence. I hope I am reading this the wrong way....

You read it correctly, sorry to say. I don't have any details, but I received the call this morning and we've been in mourning ever since. My DD put a black band on the cast on her arm.

can somebody please follow up with what happened?

Yes, Joel passed away last night. He was laying in bed when his heart ceased at about 9:30pm. When paramedics arrived he was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead soon after. As recently as yesterday he was doing what he has done with a passion for decades. Teach children football. What a lose to our community.

I cannot think of a much better man than Joel. He had the utmost integrity, was the picture of respect, and had a passionate love of the game. Joel changed lives for so many kids. He will be missed beyond words.

MegaHoser wrote:I cannot think of a much better man than Joel. He had the utmost integrity, was the picture of respect, and had a passionate love of the game. Joel changed lives for so many kids. He will be missed beyond words.

I couldn't possibly say it any better. Such a loss.

Itsme wrote:

MegaHoser wrote:I cannot think of a much better man than Joel. He had the utmost integrity, was the picture of respect, and had a passionate love of the game. Joel changed lives for so many kids. He will be missed beyond words.

I couldn't possibly say it any better. Such a loss.

We agree, my 92 and 87 are sending their prayers. They did skills with Joel for years...

that is so sad, what a wonderful man and a true person of quality: RIP and will keep his family in my prayers.

Joel was an unbelievable skills coach, great club coach and all around good guy. If your DD trained with him then your DD was asked to think and not just play. He will be so missed. NTX Soccer lost a vital member of the soccer community.

Such awful news, still so hard to believe. We just saw him a couple of weeks ago and he was joking with my dd everyday at camp, she loved him.

Great guy! He was instrumental in my DD's development in her first year of select soccer. The Sunday sessions he use to hold at Inwood was a great experience for all kids there.

Back when ODP had more meaning, Joel was the first coach my DD called when she made the pool.

He will be missed.

Joel was a great guy, incredible coach, a mentor and a true friend. He touched so many lives including my DD, BB and myself as a coach and a friend. He will be missed and but never forgotten. His legacy will live in every DD and BB he touched for the rest of their lives. My thoughts and prayers go out to his 3 children and wife.

Good bye my friend...

Sean Miller

The above picture was taken by my wife. We were taking ferdie camp this week when that picture was taken. We have trained with Joel on weekly basis for the last year and he has been the biggest and most important person we have met in her soccer development. Joel often came to our games to watch our daughter play. He was a great role model to her. He will be deeply missed and it has been a blessing getting to know him over the year. RIP Joel. We won't forget you ever.

Great man. Will be missed.

Super great man! People come in and out of our lives all the time, but if you ever had conversation with Joel then you learned something about soccer and about how to live better. We'll miss seeing him around.

All 3 of my kids started with him in the little field at Inwood at 5 or 6.

"Pick your head up!" for my 95.

"Go to space!" for my 97.

"Away from pressure." for my 01.

AND

"David my man, how are you?" with that big smile and hand extended for me.


He will be missed.

Two of the girls in the picture posted by fsmagic10 are my daughters. They loved Joel.

Joel was a tremendous instructor, teacher and human being.

My daughter's smile (in the red Addidas shirt) says it all - she is enjoying herself, loving soccer and happy. And it all has to do with Joel.

It was Joel's trememdous ability to challenge young players to improve while still conveying that he loved and respected them as persons. His passion was immeasurable. I cannot say enough good things about him.

The loss is great because the man was great.

Joel - you are already missed. My family prays for you and yours. May the lives you touched carry your spirit forward and continue the example that you have set.

I just pray for his sweet wife and kids. My non soccer daughter was a Royale with his daughter and in the same graduating class as his son. A truly sweet man with an amazing family. He did a great job at in the father daughter dance 2010. His wife is an amazing volunteer. His daughter is a beautiful dancer. He will be missed.

If you wish to pay your respects to Joel:

Visitation with the family is Wednesday starting at 5:00 at:

North Dallas Funeral Home
2710 Valley View Ln
Dallas, TX 75234
Phone: 972-241-9100

Funeral Mass is on Thursday at 10:00:

Prince of Peace of Catholic Church
5100 West Plano Parkway
Plano, TX 75093
Phone: 972-380-2100

Thanks for posting service info. Would be great if all players who attended wore their team jersey in honor of Joel.



If you wish to pay your respects to Joel:

Visitation with the family is Wednesday starting at 5:00 at:

North Dallas Funeral Home
2710 Valley View Ln
Dallas, TX 75234
Phone: 972-241-9100

Funeral Mass is on Thursday at 10:00:

Prince of Peace of Catholic Church
5100 West Plano Parkway
Plano, TX 75093
Phone: 972-380-2100

Here's a link to the obituary: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/obituary.aspx?n=joel-lilavois&pid=158371162

I miss that guy.

Just returned home from Joel's Funeral Mass, and although there was a lot of soccer talent in the room, there was also a lot of character in the room (and characters!). The often repeated story from every father who spoke was, "I took my kids to Joel for training, and I got a friend in the bargain."

My wife and children and I were trying to identify some of the qualities that made Joel's teaching so effective, and one of the points made was that he treated the kids like adults. Parents will always treat their children as their children (as they should), and school teachers are trained to relate to the children at what ever point in their development they are (first graders, freshman, etc), but Joel took the leap of faith and determined to relate to the children as beings responsible for their own soccer development. Not every child could handle this, but those who could are members of a unique group.

I challenged my kids to honor Joel's memory by trying to live up to his expectations every day, both on and off the soccer pitch.