This CPA Gets a Kick Out of Coaching

Team chemistry is important, along with being a good leader and teacher. In soccer, as in accounting and life, you need to be an effective communicator and goal oriented.

Patrick M. Trombetta had a pretty typical childhood growing up in Woodbridge. He had the typical love/hate relationship with his brother and sister, and he immersed himself in sports such as soccer, baseball and wrestling.

While it probably didn't seem like it at the time, he made a life-changing decision in high school where he took his first accounting class. "It was an entry-level class that I really enjoyed," says Trombetta. "I'm an analytical guy who's always liked math. Later on, I decided to major in accounting at Seton Hall."

Trombetta graduated with a B.S. in accounting in 1984 and took a staff accounting position at MSPC, and it's where he's been ever since. "I became a partner 10 years ago, and my specialty is auditing employee benefit plans in the construction sector," notes Trombetta. "I prefer the public sector because you get to work with different companies on a greater variety of projects."

But it's that passion for sports — and coaching in particular — that's in Trombetta's blood. You would think Trombetta would have had his fill coaching his three children's sports teams while they were growing up. But no; in 2004 he answered a newspaper ad from the Princeton Day School looking for a soccer coach for middle school boys. "I wanted to gain more coaching experience so I could one day coach at the high school or college level," says Trombetta. He achieved this goal in 2007 by being promoted to varsity coach of the girls' soccer team. "Princeton Day School is small, but the staff and parents are very supportive and the kids are great," he adds.

In 2008, in just his second season as coach, Trombetta's team won the state prep championship, followed by another title in 2010. Trombetta"s crowning achievement came in 2013, however, when he helped win the school's first-ever county championship. "What makes this title special is that Mercer County soccer is very competitive, and we had to beat some large public school powerhouses," says Trombetta proudly.

In 2013, he was named soccer coach of the year in Mercer County. "There are 20 schools in Mercer County that voted, and it was very gratifying to receive this award from my peers," replies Trombetta. His coaching has also been recognized by The Star-Ledger, Trenton Times and the Princeton Packet.

"I'm really grateful to the partners at MSPC and especially to my family who afford me the time to coach and recognize that it's important to me," says the Cranbury resident.