Burlington County Celebrates Carli Lloyd Day To Honor USWNT Superstar's Career
DELRAN, N.J. (CBS) -- She is South Jersey's superstar. Thursday belonged to soccer great Carli Lloyd in Burlington County.
Of all her accomplishments, this honor may be the sweetest one.
Burlington County came out in droves as Thursday, Oct. 14 is now officially Carli Lloyd Day.
It was a celebration fit for a hometown hero as the town of Delran honored Lloyd on her retirement.
"All the kids just see her as, 'Hey, I live in a small town, I can do that too.' That's as good as it gets," Delran Mayor Gary Catrambone said.
"We got my whole team back here. It's a great time, there's a bunch of food, hot dogs and I got water," one boy said.
Lloyd will finish her career as the highest-scoring midfielder in U.S. history and fourth all-time among all U.S. players, an accomplishment that has inspired and energized players of all ages.
"Yes, she impacted my life and I started moving up levels because of her," Lara Paivi said.
Lloyd graduated from Delran High School before going to Rutgers, then the U.S. Women's National Team.
A true New Jerseyan, the state's first lady presented her with a proclamation.
"Carli's career is literally unmatched," Tammy Murphy said.
Playing right across the bridge, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz also made an appearance. The team even gave her her very own No. 10 Eagles jersey.
"Congratulations on your retirement from the Ertz family. What an amazing career," Ertz said.
Lastly, we heard from Lloyd herself. Her speech at the Delran Community Center encompassed what got her through 34 years in the game.
"I learned how to persevere, to work hard, to embrace challenges and never quit no matter how hard a situation is," Lloyd said.
The mayor announced the rec center where the event was held will soon become the Carli Lloyd Soccer Field and Multi-Purpose Center.