Career
He played two seasons in the Netherlands, eight in the North American Soccer League and twelve in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Willrich, a native of Koblenz, Germany, began playing club soccer and played professionally in his home country before joining Dutch First Division club PSV Eindhoven during the 1977-1978 season. In 1978, Willrich moved to the United States and signed with the of the North American Soccer League (NASL).
The Sockers had played the 1977 NASL season as the Las Vegas Quicksilvers before moving to San Diego and changing its name to the Sockers.
The Mexican league played in the fall, winter and early spring while the NASL played in the spring and summer. As part of this exchange, Willrich spent time with Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in 1979 and 1980.
During its years playing outdoor soccer in the NASL, the Sockers were a decent, but not dominant team The NASL introduced an indoor soccer season in 1979-1980, however San Diego did not participate.
The following indoor season 1980-1981, was the Sockers" first.
That year they failed to qualify for the playoffs but the next year (1981-1982, they swept to the championship. The next year (1983-1984), the NASL ran its last indoor season and the Sockers took that title as well. Willrich was named Most Valuable Player of the 1984 Indoor Championship Series having scored 7 goals in the three-game sweep of New New York
At the end of the 1984 outdoor season, the NASL collapsed and the Sockers moved permanently to MISL. Willrich remained with the Sockers through all this, growing into a powerful and reliable forward.
In his first season with the team, he scored nine goals in thirty games. While that was a decent number, he blossomed when playing indoors.
During the Sockers run to the 1980-1981 NASL indoor title, Willrich was second in team scoring with sixteen goals. He continued to enjoy a scoring touch as he helped the Sockers to 6 consecutive indoor titles through the 1987-1988 season.
The inducted Willrich into its Hall of Fame.
He also played with the from 1990 to 1992. While with the Sockers, Willrich gained his United States. citizenship. In 1984, he was selected for the United States. Olympic soccer team which competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Los Angeles
In the first game, against Costa Rica, Willrich both scored and assisted on a goal in the United States. victory.
After retiring from playing professionally, Willrich coached the Rancho Bernardo High School soccer team He continues to coach youth soccer with the Poway Vaqueros.
