The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
A Torman Family Tradition
4/10/2020 1:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
BIRMINGHAM – UAB men's soccer is a family affair for Blazers' goalkeeper Seth Torman. Seth is the son of UAB Director of Athletic Performance Stacey Torman and former UAB men's soccer goalkeeper Harvey Torman.
Stacey came to UAB in 1988 to work on her master's degree in exercise physiology and was then hired full-time by the athletic performance department in 1990. She started as a strength and conditioning coach for volleyball and women's basketball before former head coach Mick Payne approached her to work with the men's soccer team.
"I knew nothing about soccer at the time," said Stacey. "We didn't even have soccer in my high school because I grew up in Minnesota." She has now been working with the men's soccer team for almost 30 years.
Harvey played soccer for the Blazers from 1982-84 and again in 1986 all under head coach Bob Norman. He is one of the most decorated goalies in UAB history, holding the program record for saves in a game (18), saves in a season (174 in 1984), saves per game in a season (9.16 in 1984) and saves per game in a career (6.17). He was named Sun Belt Honorable mention in 1986 and finished his career third in UAB history in saves (253).
"My dad would take me to the field to train me when I was younger," said Seth. "At first I wanted to play in the field, but then I realized I was much better in goal, so my dad taught me how to be a keeper."
Seth grew up around UAB athletics, attending basketball and soccer camps in the summers and riding his Big Wheel around Bartow Arena as his mom worked with the basketball team.
"He started going to camps when he was six years old," said Stacey. "I don't think he missed a year of soccer camp."
"I got an award for going to soccer camp nine years in a row," added Seth.
Soccer was not Seth's first love. He played multiple sports growing up and was a three-sport athlete in high school playing football, soccer and basketball. He said basketball was his favorite, and he did not start loving soccer until he was older.
"When he was growing up, I tried to step back and not push him with anything," said Stacey. "My focus was more about getting him to play other sports for his own health and athleticism. We had tennis Tuesdays where I would take him to the courts to hit the ball back and forth. Harvey and I both wanted to make sure he didn't miss the experience of playing multiple sports in high school like we did."
When it came time to make the decision to go to college, it might seem like UAB would be the obvious choice for Seth. However, he said it really ended up being a coincidence that he chose to attend school in Birmingham.
"I was talking to several schools, but I decided UAB was the right fit for me," said Seth. "I was familiar with the program and UAB has a strong tradition of soccer, especially with goalkeepers who have come here in the past. Most of them have gone on to play professionally, so that was a big part of my decision."
The decision to become a Blazer meant that Seth would be working daily with his mother, who would be his strength and conditioning coach for the first time in his life. Working together closely can come as a bit of a challenge, but the two have seemed to find a balance between soccer and family.
"She treats me like the rest of the guys on the team, but I like that," said Seth. "I don't want her to treat me any different or show me special treatment just because I am her son. It is cool, but it also feels normal. Several of the guys on the team don't get to spend time with their parents a lot so it is cool that I get to be around her every day."
"I try not to push him to be someone he isn't" said Stacey. "Sometimes he just wants to be part of the team and just be with the guys. It is hard at times not to use him as the mouthpiece of the team. It is easy to vet things through him because he knows how the team is feeling, but I don't want to rely on him as the spokesperson. I have to evaluate myself to make sure I am not harping on him too much, because it can be easy for me to call out his name. But he doesn't just want to be 'Stacey's son,' he wants to be Seth."
Even though Stacey and Seth see each other every day, they have set boundaries so that Seth still has his own college experience.
"She lets me have my space, I don't feel like she is overbearing or a helicopter parent," said Seth.
"He lives in a house with his teammates, which is only about a mile from me, but I don't pressure him to come see me other than to mow my lawn," said Stacey with a laugh. "His dad is really close too, and he does the same thing with just letting Seth take the initiative on when he spends time with us. But it is nice to know we can pop over if we need to."
It also means that Seth has a large cheering section at every game at BBVA Field. With Stacey on the sidelines and Harvey in the stands, there is always a crowd to watch Seth play.
"I get a lot of my friends from high school asking me for tickets," said Seth. "It is cool to get to play in front of my friends, family and old coaches."
"I get butterflies in my stomach watching him play," said Stacey. "It is better now that he is older because he knows how to handle the pressure of being a goalkeeper, but it is still stressful. A lot of times I just have to know when or how to approach him after a game, that is the hardest part. I either wait for him to talk about it when he is ready to, or just leave him alone completely."
Seth is finishing his third year at UAB and will be a redshirt junior next fall. He started in five games last season before sitting out due to injury, returning for one more game late in the season against Georgia State. He helped UAB to its first win of the season against Milwaukee. He made four saves including three in the second half as the Blazers defeated the Panthers 2-1 in overtime at BBVA Field.
Effective March 16, Conference USA announced that all spring sport competition and championships have been canceled. For more information regarding the Coronavirus, visit www.uab.edu/coronavirus.
For more information on the UAB men's soccer team, follow @UAB_MSoc on Twitter and Instagram.
Stacey came to UAB in 1988 to work on her master's degree in exercise physiology and was then hired full-time by the athletic performance department in 1990. She started as a strength and conditioning coach for volleyball and women's basketball before former head coach Mick Payne approached her to work with the men's soccer team.
"I knew nothing about soccer at the time," said Stacey. "We didn't even have soccer in my high school because I grew up in Minnesota." She has now been working with the men's soccer team for almost 30 years.
Harvey played soccer for the Blazers from 1982-84 and again in 1986 all under head coach Bob Norman. He is one of the most decorated goalies in UAB history, holding the program record for saves in a game (18), saves in a season (174 in 1984), saves per game in a season (9.16 in 1984) and saves per game in a career (6.17). He was named Sun Belt Honorable mention in 1986 and finished his career third in UAB history in saves (253).
"My dad would take me to the field to train me when I was younger," said Seth. "At first I wanted to play in the field, but then I realized I was much better in goal, so my dad taught me how to be a keeper."
Seth grew up around UAB athletics, attending basketball and soccer camps in the summers and riding his Big Wheel around Bartow Arena as his mom worked with the basketball team.
"He started going to camps when he was six years old," said Stacey. "I don't think he missed a year of soccer camp."
"I got an award for going to soccer camp nine years in a row," added Seth.
Soccer was not Seth's first love. He played multiple sports growing up and was a three-sport athlete in high school playing football, soccer and basketball. He said basketball was his favorite, and he did not start loving soccer until he was older.
"When he was growing up, I tried to step back and not push him with anything," said Stacey. "My focus was more about getting him to play other sports for his own health and athleticism. We had tennis Tuesdays where I would take him to the courts to hit the ball back and forth. Harvey and I both wanted to make sure he didn't miss the experience of playing multiple sports in high school like we did."
When it came time to make the decision to go to college, it might seem like UAB would be the obvious choice for Seth. However, he said it really ended up being a coincidence that he chose to attend school in Birmingham.
"I was talking to several schools, but I decided UAB was the right fit for me," said Seth. "I was familiar with the program and UAB has a strong tradition of soccer, especially with goalkeepers who have come here in the past. Most of them have gone on to play professionally, so that was a big part of my decision."
The decision to become a Blazer meant that Seth would be working daily with his mother, who would be his strength and conditioning coach for the first time in his life. Working together closely can come as a bit of a challenge, but the two have seemed to find a balance between soccer and family.
"She treats me like the rest of the guys on the team, but I like that," said Seth. "I don't want her to treat me any different or show me special treatment just because I am her son. It is cool, but it also feels normal. Several of the guys on the team don't get to spend time with their parents a lot so it is cool that I get to be around her every day."
"I try not to push him to be someone he isn't" said Stacey. "Sometimes he just wants to be part of the team and just be with the guys. It is hard at times not to use him as the mouthpiece of the team. It is easy to vet things through him because he knows how the team is feeling, but I don't want to rely on him as the spokesperson. I have to evaluate myself to make sure I am not harping on him too much, because it can be easy for me to call out his name. But he doesn't just want to be 'Stacey's son,' he wants to be Seth."
Even though Stacey and Seth see each other every day, they have set boundaries so that Seth still has his own college experience.
"She lets me have my space, I don't feel like she is overbearing or a helicopter parent," said Seth.
"He lives in a house with his teammates, which is only about a mile from me, but I don't pressure him to come see me other than to mow my lawn," said Stacey with a laugh. "His dad is really close too, and he does the same thing with just letting Seth take the initiative on when he spends time with us. But it is nice to know we can pop over if we need to."
It also means that Seth has a large cheering section at every game at BBVA Field. With Stacey on the sidelines and Harvey in the stands, there is always a crowd to watch Seth play.
"I get a lot of my friends from high school asking me for tickets," said Seth. "It is cool to get to play in front of my friends, family and old coaches."
"I get butterflies in my stomach watching him play," said Stacey. "It is better now that he is older because he knows how to handle the pressure of being a goalkeeper, but it is still stressful. A lot of times I just have to know when or how to approach him after a game, that is the hardest part. I either wait for him to talk about it when he is ready to, or just leave him alone completely."
Seth is finishing his third year at UAB and will be a redshirt junior next fall. He started in five games last season before sitting out due to injury, returning for one more game late in the season against Georgia State. He helped UAB to its first win of the season against Milwaukee. He made four saves including three in the second half as the Blazers defeated the Panthers 2-1 in overtime at BBVA Field.
Effective March 16, Conference USA announced that all spring sport competition and championships have been canceled. For more information regarding the Coronavirus, visit www.uab.edu/coronavirus.
For more information on the UAB men's soccer team, follow @UAB_MSoc on Twitter and Instagram.
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