Goal Lines Magazine - Issue 11 - December 2016

OREGON YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE

ISSUE #11

GOAL LINES YOU PICK THE WINNERS! On January 21st, 2017, we’re giving away some fantastic awards to members of Oregon Youth Soccer to people that you nominated and here’s the best part…YOU get to help decide who wins, in multiple categories, and who will be presented with an award at our Annual General Meeting next month!

REGISTER NOW! (cost goes up after January 4th!)

Presidents Reception: January 20th, 7pm Workshops & Presentations: Jan 21st, 9am - 5pm Awards Gala: Jan 21st, 7pm - 9pm Annual Business Mtg/AGM: Jan 22nd, 8:30am - 10:30am

ALAN BLACK We are extremely excited to welcome Alan Black to our Annual General Mtg and workshops to give 5 hours of instruction to our top referees in the State.

Alan’s resume speaks for itself and we consider ourselves very lucky to have someone instructing our referees who has such a vast knowledge of the game.

Alan’s bio: In 2002 refereed first Irish Premier League game as a 26 year-old and was 11 years as a professional referee.

Appointed to the FIFA list as a referee in 2007 and in 6 years refereed in the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, ‘A’ internationals, under age level internationals (U17,19, 21) 2 UEFA finals tournaments (2007 U17 in Belgium and 2010 U19 in France). Over 6 years as a FIFA referee, officiated in 60 games in nearly 40 countries, including as a referee at the World Student Games Tournament in Belgrade in 2009. In 2010 was selected as one of only 12 referees in Europe to be part of the UEFA Talent and Mentor Development Program (2year program). Retired from active refereeing in 2013 aged 38. Within one year was selected to become an elite Irish FA Premier League Assessor and became referee coach for two FIFA referees. Since arriving in the U.S. in 2015, I now work as a Cal South State Instructor, one of the new USSF National Referee Coaches for 2017 and recently appointed as PRO Match Official Regional Development Assistant in addition to duties as an MLS Assessor.

OUR KEY NOTE SPEAKER ON JANUARY 21st

TIMBER JIM SERRILL

Image courtesy of Street Root News

Make your vote count by voting for one of the OYSA members in each category in the following pages‌

HOW DOES THE VOTING WORK? IT’S AS SIMPLE AS 1, 2, 3…

4, 5!

STEP ONE: Go ahead and read through the nominations as they appear. Each is divided into their own category and are listed in the order they were received.

STEP TWO: Click on the VOTE NOW button at the bottom of the page.

This will take you to the form for that category.

STEP THREE: Vote for the bio that you feel should win.

STEP FOUR: Come back and vote for other categories.

STEP FIVE: TELL EVERYONE ABOUT IT!! The more votes you get, the better chance you have of winning!

——————— SUBMISSIONS: all entries contained here in Goal Lines are exact copies of the submission that we received. Entries were required to be a minimum of 200 words. Punctuation may have been edited. Non-OYSA member submissions were deleted.

FINE PRINT: your vote can only be cast once (captured by IP address) so be sure to select the the correct entry first time. You do not have to vote for each category if you choose not to. The ‘winner’ from the Goal Lines votes will count as a vote toward overall recognition along with the OYSA Selection Committee. Winners will be contacted prior to AGM. Voting ends January 4th, 2017 at 11:59pm. In the event of multiple nominations for the same person, we used the first entry submitted chronologically.

VOTING CATEGORY:

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:

KRISTI POLTE Club/Org: NEU/PDX Submitted by: Brandon McNeil ———————— Kristi is the business manager and registrar at Northeast United Soccer Club. She positively impacts 2000 players and families across Recreational, Development and Competitive Programs. She supports 200 Recreational Volunteer Coaches, including team formation. On the Competitive side she handles all team tournament registration along with player billing. In addition Kristi is responsible for processing vendor accounts, setting up bill pay and reconciling accounts. She is working closely with the clubs Treasurer and Club Director in the financial reconciliations and reporting areas essential to the success of the club. Her customer service levels and communication with our membership are second to none. She does all of this while supporting her daughter and son in their soccer pursuits. Her tireless work with Bonzi to set up registrations to streamline programming for our families is a necessary business function we could not do without. The expansion of her role within Northeast United Soccer Club from only the registrar function and into a greater business manager speaks to her qualities. Her latest pursuit has been to update our internal processes and procedure manual. A detailed 100+ page document, which was sorely needing attention to continue to be aligned with our constantly growing / changing club.

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:

BILL KANABLE Club/Org: Tualatin Hills Junior Soccer League Submitted by: Keith Ericson ———————— Bill Kanable is the President of Tualatin Hills Junior Soccer League, a position he has held for many years, methodically filling the role with tireless energy and enthusiasm. His commitment to the game of soccer, to the member clubs, the community and, most importantly, to the children playing soccer in the THJSL organization motivates others in the organization to succeed - and to exceed - as well. Bill will confront any problem or project that comes his way and derive a solution that achieves an optimum resolution. Recently he has, with the cooperation of administrators from three other leagues, implemented cross-league recreational play to expand the range of competition for the member teams. This required coordinating among the leagues to insure understanding of the scheduling process and field usage, addressing the bureaucratic issues from the various park and rec districts who administer the playing fields, and steering the member clubs to an understanding and acceptance of the concept. His prior association with our local Park and Recreation District has proved invaluable in expediting solutions to facilities issues availability, condition, usage - when they arise. For example, many games that faced cancellation - usually due to weather conditions - were resurrected by Bill's intervention to secure additional playing sites and/or playing times.

Among the least desirable aspects of Bill's job is dealing with player and coach misbehavior and the resulting administration of appropriate sanctions for the offender. He is consistently able to ferret out the facts of the situation, work as necessary with other league administrators to derive an appropriate resolution and then communicate the resulting decision to the parties involved. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Bill also coached two club teams this past season - a 4th Grade Boys team and a High School Rec team. I happened to be standing on the sideline at his last HS Rec game and at the conclusion of the game, while Bill was having a post-game rally with his players, I was informed by one of the moms that Bill is easily the best - most enthusiastic, approachable, involved - coach her child has ever had. Moreover, when necessary, to insure the kids could play their scheduled game he would stand in for other team coaches when they were unable to be at the game. Bill is a walking encyclopedia of the financial aspects of the League. He understands incomes and expenses, the appropriate timing for both collections and expenditures, and provides clear and concise summaries and details for the other league administrators to examine, discuss and revise as deemed necessary. Those agreed-to changes are then incorporated into the plan and redistributed for final approval. One aspect of the game that Bill has championed is work to improve our referee corps. Under his leadership we have developed a mentoring program where veteran referees observe the game from the sideline and then work with the referee to enhance their development and improvement. As a recreational organization, many of our referees are in their first season of refereeing: this program has paid dividends in accelerating the advancement of these new referees' abilities and capabilities.

Lastly Bill has been working at collecting and documenting "everything you need to know" about the internal operations of the League. Recognizing that at some point someone else will be taking over the helm he is sedulously enumerating the workings of the organization so that successor administrators won't be required to reinvent the wheel over and over again.

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:

ANGELA LOPEZ Club/Org: Silver Falls Soccer Club Submitted by: Anita Grimes ———————— Angela is the registrar for our club, it's not just that she gets everyone in the system and ready to play, she has her hand in everything the club needs to keep the ball rolling!! She is always just a call or email away from our questions for help, no matter what the issue is....referee's not showing up, practice schedules, jersey questions, equipment, paperwork for coaching/team managers and the players, communicating with the other associations so that we are all in the know no matter what the subject is, she is just all around awesome and helpful!!! She dedicates a lot of time, help and care to our league, she deserves to be acknowledge for all this and more!!

Examples: We had no referees for our first game, she got on the phone and made calls to Keizer right away to locate them. Referee was saying that our goals needed to be secured down at Mark Twain, I called her and she called our fields coordinator to get it fixed. I asked her about ordering Spirit wear, she had lined up products she thought that everyone would enjoy so that we could have a chance to show our support. She really does have a hand in every aspect of keeping our club running smoothly.

Angela has supported our clubs teams in so many ways, not least of which has been communication. In past years, it was not uncommon that too much important information would fall through the cracks on its way to parents and coaches. But this year we've had Angela to make sure that everyone is prepared with the information they need, when they need it. As a coach, I've had all the information I've needed, and have always found Angela ready to help me navigate coach training and team communications sites. She sends frequent reminders without sounding naggy, and backs up much of the information with redundant communication directly to parents. Both of these practices guaranty that parents and players don't have to suffer if their coach is overwhelmed or less organized. It's nice to know that a player's experience is not so dependent on the "coach lottery" of which parent eventually agreed to volunteer for their team.

She has helped us with training, photos, awards. She's given quick updates to us and parents when times and sites have changed. I had meant to identify her by her board position or office, but the fact is I don't know. Among our club it's just understood that 'Angela takes care of everything'.

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:

FREDY SOLETO Club/Org: Southside Submitted by: Ben Sostrin ———————— For Mr. Freddy Sotelo it is not only about the game of soccer or about the game of club soccer, but it is more importantly about the boys. Freddy brings a realistic yet soulful approach to the game. His honesty is refreshing. I have never detected, while talking to him any nonsense.

Where many clubs focus on winning Mr. Sotelo seemingly focuses on the boys. Regardless teams in his clubs do win. My children have been involved with other clubs. I have seen their teams win versus teams in the summer tournament season only to get thrashed by the same teams later on.

With Southside it has been the opposite--the marked improvement is seen. Yet Mr. Sotelo, through all of this sees the children not as athletes but as children, where they properly belong. Many of the boys seem to come from families where the parents are recently arrived in the USA. This can only provide more challenges for Mr. Sotelo to overcome while administering a club.

When my sons were cut by other clubs Mr. Sotelo found a place for them at Southside. He was not rounding out short rosters. I am sure he fully realized they were not difference makers but he felt the boys should have a shot at playing and improving. As mentioned earlier they do improve.

Part of the success is no mystery. Southside offers more opportunity, than other clubs we have been associated with, for practices (without added clinics and added costs) for the boys to practice and play.

As a coach Mr. Sotelo is patient, engaged--both at practice and games- and effective at improving their technical skills and tactical sense. For Mr. Sotelo's perspective, skills, attitude and effectiveness I am nominating him for Administrator of the Year.

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:

KEVIN PRIMERANO Club/Org: Rogue Valley Soccer Club Submitted by: Jason Catz ———————— I have gotten to know Kevin over the past four years, since moving to Southern Oregon from the Bay Area. Having moved from an area where there are endless pathways for player development as soon as age five, moving to a more more remote community with fewer options for my soccer-loving kids presented a challenge of finding them more opportunities to grow as players. I have had the opportunity to witness the impact Kevin is having on growing soccer in this rural community because I have three boys playing across the rec, competitive and premier platforms. I am also now vice president of the nearby Ashland Soccer Club. Under most circumstances, a person in Kevin's position would typically view a nearby club as a competitor. But, Kevin regards the smaller Ashland club as a partner. He sees expanding soccer in Southern Oregon as a rising tide that lifts all boats. He allows our young rec Ashland teams to play in the larger Medford rec league that he manages at very little cost to the small town club. He includes our coaches in learning opportunities that he extends to his coaches, and he extends the the same opportunities to our kids that he does to the RV Soccer kids.

I have two kids playing in Ashland and one child playing in Kevin's RV Timbers program. Kevin has run his U11 academy for several years and its success has been evidenced by what appears to be 200% growth in the number of kids who have committed to learn and play competitive soccer over the past four years (that is my estimate, not an official statistic). Moreover, Kevin has successfully partnered with professional coaches from the area, including coaches from Southern Oregon University, Rogue Valley Community College, and the local talent to coach as well (e.g., former professional, collegiate and national team players). Significantly, Kevin has overseen the growth of soccer in Southern Oregon while focusing on the right things--sportsmanship, personal growth, safety, and good health. He has fostered a culture where parents are taught not to emphasize winning but development, and that parents who are positive will help their kids have longer, better and more enjoyable soccer careers. For example, during one Saturday morning U9 game, a parent became very upset and confronted an Ashland coach. The parent accused the coach of stacking a team to beat their child's team--presumably because the Ashland team was missing players from the prior time they met and the results of the second meeting were very different from a scoring standpoint. The parent was very angry and confronted Ashland and RV Soccer coaches on why the kids from the other club were even allowed to play in "their" league. Anyhow, Kevin intervened to stop the dispute from escalating. Some in Kevin's position may have been inclined to favor his own club in such a dispute. But Kevin remained focused (and always does) on the principles of rec soccer. He strongly explained to the angry parent that winning is not a point of emphasis for U9 rec soccer. It's about learning and having fun; and he noted that the parent was not modeling the right behavior for any of the kids. The scoring results have little value. The Ashland kids are welcome in "their" league because it is good for those Ashland kids and it is good for the RV Soccer kids. He diffused the entire situation and the parent ended up reaching out to personally apologize to the coach and the Ashland club. It up a teaching moment FOR THE PARENT. In other words, Kevin's impact has been to grow both the size AND depth of soccer in the Rogue Valley. He has done it by emphasizing the personal growth, health and skill development of the kids and he has done so while improving the way families engage in youth sports. And, in that way, he is having an incredibly positive impact on youth sports across this entirely overlooked portion of the state. His good work should be commended by OYSA.

ended

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:

CHAR MUNTZ Club/Org: TFA Willamette Submitted by: Hans Schneiter ———————— As we all know it is extremely hard to find individuals with the skill set, availability, and appropriate demeanor that are willing make a long-term commitment to the success of a youth soccer club. Char Muntz has been involved with Albany soccer clubs for 8 years. She has endured many changes, conflicts, visions, and through it all has been the rock that has kept it all going despite the fact that her own sons were long gone from the youth soccer scene. Her specific talents in the areas of organization, communication, planning, accountability, administration, and pragmatism are a huge factor in the growth of TFA Willamette which has doubled its size each year of its existence.

She oversees registration, uniforms and spirit wear, internal communication, team manager training, field administration, OYSA communication, and many other smaller functions and tasks. For most of her 8 years in service of the club she was a volunteer and only recently started receiving pay for her work. Even so, she only receives a small stipend for her work when she deserves a huge paycheck for her hours of work. I believe that Char has one of the most difficult jobs in the state for any club because she is forced to wear so many hats while working with limited resources and serving an underprivileged population.

In spite of these obstacles TFA Willamette is growing, will continue to grow, and a large part of this is due to Char Muntz!

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:

JEN DAVIN Club/Org: Bend FC Timbers Submitted by: Sean Scaramuzzo ———————— Jen has been an amazing Director of Operations for our club, Director of our Junior Academy, a coach, and mentor to our other coaches in the club. She has dedicated herself and made a ton of sacrifices to develop our club to be an amazing program in our community that gives our youth a place to grow and develop as an individual, grow as an athlete, and create multiple opportunities for our youth to succeed in Life.

For our coaches she has provided us with the tools we need to succeed with our kids, and guide us in a positive direction that will carry over to how we guide our youth. When I started with the Bend FC Timbers Jen was just hired as the director, and she hired me to coach in our Junior Academy which is our U10 Development program. I was new to town and didn't know much about this program, and it seemed to be a fairly new program, which come to find out it was, and it was Jen's job to create and develop the program. Since then our Junior Academy has grown rapidly, we have a great coaching staff, an amazing curriculum for the kids, and most importantly we all are having fun. She essentially developed a soccer program that no kid or coach could walk away from without heartache.

It's an honor and a privilege to work with someone like Jen Davin, and I am thankful she has given me the opportunity to be part of something that is this awesome!

ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR:

COLLIN BOX Club/Org: Capital FC Timbers Submitted by: Michael Rice ———————— Collin leads CFC as executive director. He has helped to create a soccer club that produces great soccer players. Much more importantly, he has been a champion of leading the club to serve the less advantaged population. Because of Collin’s hard word and leadership, countless kids lives have been changed. He runs the club with the vision of making the community a better place.

I personally know kids that have completely changed the course of their lives because of the efforts of the club. He's expanded programs and innovated to bring soccer to a much larger audience This guy cares more than anyone I know. He's done all of this while getting paid 1/3 of what a typical club CEO would be paid.

To help serve our large disadvantaged community he led a huge Capital campaign and was project manager for a turf field development that will create a self sustaining program that will serve kids for generations to come. This is someone who simply cares for people and puts his effort where his mouth is. He has inspired others to follow his mission to "Make the community better through soccer".

He is very deserving of recognition for his tireless efforts for disadvantaged kids.

VOTING CATEGORY:

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR:

SHANNON McARTHUR Club/Org: Clackamas United Submitted by: Kelly Alexander ———————— Shannon has been the team mom on the soccer team that my daughter plays on for the last 2 years.

She is always there for the girls from fun events, practice, games, and just checking in on them (ex: if they are not feeling well or got hurt in practice or a game). She is always ready to give the girls a high five when they sub out of the game and offering them a drink of water and ice on the hot games.

The girls all love her and look up to her as the team mom. She works a full-time job but still makes time to be at every practice, game, and other team event. She is always encouraging the girls and helping them to do better on and away from the soccer field. She looks out for them 100%. She is the right hand woman for the coach sending out team correspondence for practices, games, and tournaments, and even running practice when the coach cannot be there.

She works hard with the girls with their conditioning drills. Shannon is friendly with all the parents and works hard for team and parent bonding. She is always positive the girls and with the parents. Shannon deserves to be recognized for all her hard work that she volunteers to do for our team and organization.

SHANNON IS THE BEST!!!!

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VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR:

JON LUCERO Club/Org: Yamhill Carlton Submitted by: Karen Wright ———————— Coach Jon Lucero exemplifies the kind of grassroots involvement in soccer that can truly effect the face of soccer in our area and ensure that it truly is a game for everyone. Coach Jon first came to our community as a volunteer coach at the request of Mike Smith in 2013 for a Timbers Camp. Ever since that day, Jon has been hugely involved with well over 400 hours of volunteerism annually, helping our club develop programs that have greatly strengthened not only the skill level of our players and coaches, but the community of soccer in Yamhill Carlton. He has trained with every age of player in the club and continues to help us expand our coaching education. Jon is dedicated to our club philosophy that the only way we can guarantee truly great soccer opportunities for ALL our youth in Yamhill Carlton, is to bring the highest level of coaching possible into the community, keeping all our players involved and connected here at home. To this end, Jon worked to secure a job in Carlton with the School District so that he could be fully available to help with our small-sided games program and to establish and conduct academy programs in both outdoor soccer and indoor/futsal skills for our 5th-8th graders after school and before his paid coaching positions at GFU and in Portland. The Academy program has allowed all of our middle school players to afford an exceptional soccer experience right here in our own community because of Jon’s amazing volunteerism and leadership. (Academy cost is $80. and runs year round to include outdoor, indoor and futsal skill training with scholarships available to all in need in exchange for club project involvement.) In addition, Jon encourages our coaching staff to attend (and join in) his academy practices so that we can each take what we have learned back to our individual teams and programs.

Just as important as Jon’s incredible volunteerism of time and skill, is the deep since of responsibility, sharing and giving back he has brought to the players. He leads by example with kindness and inclusion, and teaches all the players that they can (and how too) take ownership of their game, inspiring them to become leaders on and off the field. You can see his influence, especially on the middle school players, as they welcome younger players to join in at Drop with encouragement and guidance, as well as, offering their friendship around the community.

The connections being made between the players of all ages and skill have lifted up our club and inspirited our families to create a very special kinship. Yamhill Carlton is truly blessed to have Coach Jon Lucero as an invaluable leader in our club and our community! We deeply believe he deserves to be recognized as the Volunteer of the Year!

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VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR:

JUSTIN RINEFORT Club/Org: Ashland Soccer Club Submitted by: Caroline Dryland ———————— Justin Rinefort has volunteered coaching soccer since our boys were 3. 12+ years later he still offers both indoor futsal, and spring club soccer coaching. His enormous height and deep set eyes could intimidate. However, on the contrary, Justin nurtured and supported a hoard of boys for over a decade. He is a silent supporter, personal developer who never criticizes and only encourages.

His love of game, team ethical play and appreciation of different styles is never overtly hostile nor backstabbing (a rarity from my observations). His children are never prioritized or highlighted. In fact, they carry a silent burden of arriving early and leaving late to clean up, so they learn how to support their community, like he does. For all the high school games, Justin has video taped the matches so the boys could revisit and learn, celebrate or receive constructive suggestions for improvement. He's a gifted teacher and mentor who supplements the hired coaches.

In addition, Justin still volunteers on the ashland soccer club board even though his kids are high school age and someone from the elementary or middle school parents should take over this role. He does it "because nobody else will ". He's a secret "father figure " for my whose dad is out of his life. Justin is kind, gentle and a great role model for all of us, but especially boys becoming men. An unsung hero, Justin never receives enough recognition for all he does/has done for so many. I hope he might start to be openly appreciated via this award!

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VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR:

EMILY BJELLAND Club/Org: Eastside Timbers Submitted by: Carly Copplestone ———————— Emily has made a huge difference to Eastside by fund raising and has encourage people to follow suit. We have many people who can not afford to play soccer and by raising money it has shown people how the community can work together to achieve things that have a big impact on individuals and families. This has increased participation in soccer and opportunity for those who was unable to afford it.

Emily has now created a culture at Eastside that people have seen the benefit of fundraising and are willing to help and be part of this. She is a positive role model to all and we are lucky to have her. For our Jamboree she brought her own slide, popcorn maker and drinks (all for free) and was there from 6.30am-5.30pm working to allow the kids to have this.

Donating her time and resources to allow us to print flyers to advertise, spending time at the office so people could come and collect their items that they have brought, to giving out uniforms, Emily has done it all.

She is a kind, caring person and has good relationships with other people in the community which has helped the fundraising and other events be so successful.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR:

JERRY BOISVERT Club/Org: Lower Columbia Youth Soccer (Astoria) Submitted by: Cecelia Wakefield ———————— Jerry has been volunteering his time for the local soccer league for over 20 years. He has coached hundreds of youth soccer teams and has maintained relationships with these athletes even into their adulthood. Jerry manages the maintenance at the local soccer fields, and is often seen putting in 40+ hours of labor to ensure that the fields are kept in good playing condition.

Recently, Jerry spearheaded a movement to get a playground installed at the soccer fields and have some building maintenance done. I met Jerry through this effort when the company I work for was able to donate to this cause. After meeting Jerry and getting to know him, I started to realize just how much his dedication to the soccer program was. Driving by the field twice a day on my commute. I would see him singlehandedly prepping the land for the playground, moving logs for parking bumpers, cutting back sod and digging holes. I would drive by later to find that he had finished those projects and was working on something different--mowing the fields or coaching a practice.

Forget about the impact he has made on youth soccer--jerry has made an impact on youth in Clatsop county all over! His efforts to put the playground in at the soccer fields has jumpstarted interest in improving parks in our community and has given residents in nearby apartments an outdoor area to call their own. He does all of this simply because he sees a need in our community and he wants to see these kids and LCYSA thrive for another 20 years.

VOTING CATEGORY:

TOPSoccer BUDDY OF THE YEAR

TOPSoccer BUDDY OF THE YEAR:

SARA KLOTT Club/Org: Rogue Valley Timbers Submitted by: Dave Potter ———————— It is with great pleasure that I nominate Miss Sara Klott for the 2016 TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year Award. I have been waiting anxiously for the announcement that the award nomination window was open and I could finally submit my nomination for this most meaningful award on behalf of a deserving candidate. Sara has been working in my Medford program for three years and has contributed wonderfully to the lives of numerous players. During her years with us, she has gleaned the skills and caring needed to be a model buddy. She not only contributes as a buddy, she is also my go-to recruiter of buddies. My goal is to have one buddy for each player, and that means I need 16 to 18 buddies per session. I have not had to promote the program with potential buddies or recruit a single buddy. Sara does that for me. She knows and understands the TOPSoccer players in the program and knows which high school players are right for the role and the match-ups that work. I cannot impress upon you enough how well Sara makes it clear to the buddies their attendance is needed and that if they say they want to help, they need to be be there. As for Sara's own skills as a buddy, she is a natural and wants to give everything she has for the good of the players she works with. I emphasize players because it is typical for Sara to take two players under her wings at sessions. And these youngsters take to her with so much appreciation and affection that they become inseparable. Her caring touch with the kids is easily observable and heart-warming. Her players give me hugs at the end of the night because they have had such a good time. Sara Klott is truly my right hand in the program. She has waited for the opportunity to play a key role in our TOPSoccer program in Medford. I have yet to arrive before her on our session night this fall, and I have a policy of getting to the facility at least 20 minutes before opening. As I walk in the door, she is waiting for me to get out the name tags and start the prep for the night. I appreciate her, but it is what she does for the players that truly stands out. Needless to say, she is greatly valued, and it is with pleasure that I nominate this outstanding young lady for the honor of being recognized as OYSA TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year.

TOPSoccer BUDDY OF THE YEAR:

KAELA LEE Club/Org: FC Columbia County Submitted by: Amy Forman ———————— Kaela is the epitome of what a TOPSoccer Buddy should be.

We started a program out here in St Helens this year and had more buddies initially than kids! One kid, 7 year old Angie, just fell in love with Kaela from the moment she arrived.

Angie has some mobility issues, and Kaela was so incredibly patient with her, and they formed a real bond together. Whether it was kicking a ball, just sitting and chatting or simply being a fantastic role model, Kaela was someone who Angie knew right away every week she came. She would always gravitate to her, and they became close.

The best part was that they stayed in touch outside of TOPSoccer, too. She asked for Angie specifically to come out and hold her hand during her Youth Night games at the high school, and she made her the unofficial mascot of the team.

Everyone fell in love with Angie. I just found out that Kaela also is putting together a Christmas package for her this year, which almost melted my heart.

These two, separated by nearly 10 years in age, have formed an inseparable bond and I cannot wait to see what they end up doing in the future. Kaela Lee is an outstanding TOPSoccer Buddy.

TOPSoccer BUDDY OF THE YEAR:

RILEY MURRAY Club/Org: West Hills Junior Soccer League Submitted by: Carrie Cool ———————— By day, Riley works as a Physical Therapy Assistant in a children's intensive group. In this career, she helps some of the most physically challenged children in our society, ever diligent to bring them functional independence.

On TOPSoccer days, she brings her work expertise and her passion for soccer to our kids, and they ALL.LOVE.HER. Riley makes sure that every player is having a good time. She can engage even the most resistant child, and often she will work with two or three at a time, and have them play together. When it's time for group stretches we can rely on her, and her expertise, to know which of the kids need support. She gives them encouragement, and makes sure that the sessions end with a giggle or two, as well. At the last session of each year, we let the kids come in their Halloween costumes.

The goal is to make sure kids are 1) comfortable in their own costume and 2) make sure they are comfortable with OTHER kids in costume. This year, Riley jumped right and came as a Gumball Machine. It was a huge hit (see attached)! For her passion, energy, dedication and willingness to play, we would like to nominate Riley Murray for TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year. Thank you.

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VOTING CATEGORY:

TOPSoccer COACH OF THE YEAR

TOPSoccer COACH OF THE YEAR:

SEBASTIAN TRICKETT Club/Org: Eugene Timbers Submitted by: Sandra Brown ———————— He is always full of energy, kids love him. He is sensitive to each players disability. He picks awesome volunteers. He is also really kind to parents. All around "He is Awesome!" He has a way to encourage players to get out there and be motivated to try. He is out there jumping around and playing with the kids. He is great to watch!!! He get's the kiddos making goals and cheers them one. They get high fives and loud cheers.

My son is so proud of how he is doing and loves making goals. everyone is a winner on his team. He trains his staff so well its fun to watch their great acting. Yes acting.. The goal always let the person kicking towards the gaol score. It is so hilarious to watch. They do this so dramatically by falling over the ball to allow them to score. The kiddos love it so much!!! If you could see the smiles and joy of every player it is amazing to watch.

My son loves his couch and all the volunteers. It takes someone very special to do so well with special needs.

Their smiles, laughter and proudness of playing says "Everything" TOP Soccer.

VOTING CATEGORY:

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

NATE WALSER Club/Org: NEU/PDX Submitted by: Brandon McNeil ———————— Nate Walzer is the Age Group Head Coach for the 2000, 2001 and the 2004 Boys Age Groups. Nate also balances these responsibilities while being an Assistant Coach at Concordia University. Nate also oversee all of the Goal Keeping and Speed, Agility, Quickness responsibilities for Northeast United Soccer Club. Programs that continue to grow in depth due to his dedication.

Nate's responsibility as Age Group Head Coach includes all parent communication, curriculum, training planning along with guiding 8 team coaches. Nate is responsible for bridging the gap Northeast United Soccer Club had at the High School Ages for Boys.

Growing last years 2000 boys from one team to 3 teams (2000 & 2 2001). The 2004 have grown into 3 teams , nearly 50 players due largely to Nate's communication and player development. Speed, Agility & Quickness is quickly becoming one of our most loved external programs due to his expertise, energy and enthusiasm.

Nate's tireless dedication to his players development across the widest spectrum of players is amazing. Many of the High School Age Boys come from very tough home environments and without Nate's connection with them it would be easy to see them taking a less desirable path.

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

STEPHAN HAUSMANN Club/Org: Clackamas United Soccer Submitted by: Michaella Johnson ———————— Coach Hausmann is one of the most dedicated, motivated coaches with a soft touch. He's tough, but caring. He has led our kids from a somewhat bumbling and uncoordinated group of kids new to playing with each other to a very coordinated team of kids who have improved tremendously and are committed to each other as well as our coaches. He evaluates the kids based on their skill-sets and has carefully given kids a chance to excel in their positions. He has worked hard to have the kids build trust in each other and enjoy working together. This has resulted in better skills, better passing, better teamwork. He encourages the kids and teaches them - without stressing them out or trading competitiveness for teamwork. He never gives up. I have seen him coach the kids in the darkness (Scouters Mountain in the fall neared with earlier and earlier dark nights and no lights on the field). He embodies what make sports GREAT, what makes soccer great.

Despite more losses than wins, he possesses unwavering commitment to these kids. I LOVE his enthusiasm on the field, and I know that the other parents respect him and trust him. He is full of positivity and energy, and I respect him tremendously. He has built a great team, and these kids look forward to each and every practice. We have a tough time prying the kids away from practices after an hour and half of a hard workout. has made soccer enjoyable for the kids and the parents. I wish I had a video - but trust me that Coach Hausmann cares very deeply about the kids' progress and skills development!

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BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

CONOR PETERHANS Club/Org: Willamette United Submitted by: Dylan Cernitz ———————— Conor is an amazing young man and coach. I have three sons who all played competitive soccer for Willamette United Soccer Club (U9, U11 and U14). Over the years, Conor has coached all three of them in some capacity. Most recently, this fall outdoor season, Conor was the head coach of the Crossfire Oregon 03 (U14) team, in which my oldest son was a member. This season represented the third consecutive season Conor was my oldest son's head coach. As parents, we have been involved and observed several years of competitive club soccer. But we have never seen another coach who connects to his players and his community like Conor. While Conor has an incredible ability to coach the game in positive, fun and yet firm way, he creates an atmosphere for the players in which they genuinely believe and trust in him and each other. Conor is so talented and I am sure he will be afforded many opportunities to advance his career. We feel so fortunate and honored that our boys have had the opportunity to play for him. He has fostered a love and passion for the game in all of our boys and has a true connection with them off the field. Conor has taken the time to learn about our boys other interests and activities and will routinely email us to check on them or provide an update as to their training. I could go on and on about Conor. In short, our sons' soccer experience has been drastically enhanced by having Conor in their lives. Further, the role-modeling displayed by Conor regarding character, work ethic, sportsmanship and community has made our boys better young men off the field and will serve them well the rest of their lives.

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

FRANCISCO TOLEDO Club/Org: Basin United Submitted by: Joanna Toldeo ———————— I am nominating Francisco Toledo. He is not only my husband but he is also a wonderful soccer coach. He has been coaching our son Mario's soccer team now for 5 seasons. One of those seasons we lived in California.

He has always taken the time to develop each player on their weaknesses and improve on their strengths. You will always see the boys come to soccer practice with a smile on their face and ready to see what coach is going to teach them.

He has not only played soccer since the age of 6 but also started coaching at the age of 12 where he also received his F license and at the same time he was also playing on a soccer team. I feel because of the amazing coaches he had growing up that encouraged him and the love he has for the game he enjoys sharing that with the boys he coaches.

He takes the hands on approach while coaching from getting the parents involved to giving the boys homework assignments and even making a mandatory meeting for the boys to watch High School games to develop their understanding of the game.

So I believe Francisco definitely deserves the Boys Competitive Coach of the Year award. Thank you

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

COLIN GARRON Club/Org: FC West Submitted by: Forrest Huntington ———————— Colin is a coach for Men's soccer at Pacific University. He brings that passion to the youth teams he works with.

The U14 boys have changed their style of play this season and it matches with the US Soccer Youth initiatives for game play. He works well with all ages which is rare when you get a coach of his skill level. College all the way to U7 recreation level. Colin is the head coach for U14 boys.

The boys respect him, learn from him and aim to meet his expectations. Colin is working on developing full players. There is so much to be said about a well rounded coach that allows the players to grow in all areas not just soccer. There are many multiple sport players on the team and Colin works hard with the practice schedule to accommodate as many of the players as possible. We all understand that at the youth level multiple sports help grow a well rounded soccer player. Overall I have watch the player progress from late spring until now while we are playing in a local tournament and it is amazing. All players have shown improvements and the team truely is playing as a team.

With the age changes this season we were faced with broken teams.

This is hard but Colin made quick work of it and that short period of time is not even remember.

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

SAM ADELMAN Club/Org: Capital FC Timbers Submitted by: Krista VanSlyke ———————— This is the first year that we have known Sam. He is a recent graduate of Willamette University where he played soccer. Our year got off to a rough start with some coaching issues. After having our first coach replaced with a temporary coach through the summer Sam stepped in as our 3rd coach just as the official season started.

Sam has done an amazing job of earning the respect of these boys and following through as someone they can depend on. He has a way of being completely honest with the boys in a loud and direct manner. They seem to respond very well to it. Our son wants to go to practice and he wants to do well to make his coach proud.

Sam not only is coaching our son's team but at least 1-2 other teams that I know of on top of offering additional strength and conditioning training 5 days a week to the kids that are interested. I'm pretty sure he's doing something coaching related 7 days a week. It's my understanding that he is involved with the Academy teams at CFC as well.

Sam has also been working with the high school players getting them the tools info they need to transition into college play. He's so young and has taken on so much and appears to be doing it well.

We are lucky to have him has part of our club.

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BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

MOISES MENDOZA Club/Org: 4H Club Submitted by: Sandra Cruz ———————— Moises Mendoza has been coaching fc joga for 3 1/2 years. He has dedicated his free time to coaching these boys year round since day one. He also goes to western university and works on top of coaching 2003, 2004 and McKay soccer teams.

The teams he coaches are low income families and he give rides to the players to and from practice and games also. He keeps these kids busy by playing leagues and tournaments to keep the off the streets. He also holds get togethers at the end of the year so that the boys can bond not only on the field but off the field as well. He gives them trophies as well.

Our teams have been thru so many players and our coach continues to teach these players to play at a competitive level he loves soccer and the kids see that. Moises the coach has helped our boys do fundraisers so that we could get new uniforms and has written sponsorship letters so that we could get new sports equipment.

He does so much for our players and he's a wonderful coach. He has also brought home so many medals for our kids which helps with their self-esteem

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

MARC EVANS Club/Org: Eastside Timbers Submitted by: Mike Reed ———————— Marc Evans struck me as the kind of mentor you would want for your impressionable young son. He was not only a coach, but a role model in the truest sense. He came to coach my son's U12 Eastside Team with some pretty impressive credentials having won a National Title several years earlier with his oldest son's Eastside U18 team. He had coached this particular team from the time they were U12s and helped mold them into the winning team that they became by the time they turned 18 years old. He had also stressed the importance of good grades to prepare them for college and the result was 17 of these boys went on to play soccer in college and one went on to play professional soccer. Marc was very influential on my son in many similar ways including motivating my son to make the highest grades possible in school: "Andrew, if you can maintain a 3.8 or higher grade point average, 40 or more colleges will be wanting you to play soccer at their school." Those words have motivated my son to complete his homework, study and maintain a straight A grade point average throughout his middle school years. Marc's influence on my son's soccer playing was equally impressive. During the years my son played with Marc, the teams were made up of a mixture of 02 and 03s. As my son was an 03, he had to learn to play with boys that were older, larger, faster. Marc never made size an issue. Marc focused on the skill sets necessary to play competitive soccer with an emphasis on winning. My son would find himself matched up against bigger boys in practices, but with Marc's excellent coaching, my son quickly learned to apply defensive and offensive strategies to help him win a starting spot on the "A" team. In addition to all of this, my son and this entire team of boys, incorporated a winning playing style that helped them win their Premier Club league title 2 years in a row, the State Cup title (2nd place the following year), Northwest Champions league title, as well as ending up with impressive wins in the Far West League playoffs. To try to put all the things Marc has accomplished with my son and the other boys under his leadership is not easy to put into a few short paragraphs but I hope I have touched on some of them. If there was one important lesson that Marc has clearly incorporated into my son, it is that there are no limitations if you desire it and are willing to work for it. My son's achievements in the last few years leading to RTC and ODP invitations on travel teams to Regional Championships in Idaho and Arizona and a recent invitation to be a guest player with the 03 Timbers Academy Team on their trip to this coming January 2017 Regional Championship is a testimony of Coach Marc's influence and legacy. Thank you very much for all your help Marc! You helped set a high bar that my son has learned to can be obtained through desire and practice. We hope you come to be recognized for the good work you have done preparing our Oregon boys to play the best soccer possible!

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BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

DOM GOUGEON Club/Org: Washington Timbers Submitted by: Lisa Meany ———————— Coach Dom has impressed our family since June with his strength of personal character, excellent coaching and interpersonal skills, and incredible perseverance. He rarely misses a practice or game; he collaborates well with his assistant coaches and parent rep; and coaches with a positive attitude.

This is a coach that teen players can look up to. It never fails to amaze our family that he does all this without being paid. Even if he has earned the award previously, I think he ought to be considered for another.

Coach Dom has impressed our family since June with his strength of personal character, excellent coaching and interpersonal skills, and incredible perseverance. He rarely misses a practice or game; he collaborates well with his assistant coaches and parent rep; and coaches with a positive attitude.

This is a coach that teen players can look up to. It never fails to amaze our family that he does all this without being paid.

Even if he has earned the award previously, I think he ought to be considered for another.

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

JOSE LUIS SANCHEZ Club/Org: FC Portland Submitted by: Isabel Kang ———————— Coach Jose coached my sons competitive team last year, boys U11 at FC Portland. Coach Jose was a positive role model for the boys team. It was an honor for my son to play for him. His attitude, instruction and encouragement will be remembered for a long time for both my son and myself who served as his team manager.

Jose's approach to coaching was so positive yet honest. He never sugarcoated anything yet gave constructive criticism without breaking the spirit of the player. Already I have witnessed many kids crushed by demeaning and discouraging words by other coaches.

This has never been the case for Coach Jose. His intentional words and care for the boys on his team was so genuine and refreshing.

He found a great way to connect with his players and made each player a better athlete through his instruction. I can honestly say that every child coached by Jose loved him.

In addition, I also love that he loves the sport of soccer himself and truly becomes invested in the kids that he coaches. He even encouraged his team to bond outside of games. He was a great leader and it would be wonderful to recognize him as an outstanding competitive coach.

Go Team Jose! I have a great video but the file is too large to attach.

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

BRIAN PATRIDGE Club/Org: Ashland Soccer Club Submitted by: Mike Kirkwood ———————— Motivated the boys to try new things, and work hard. Also spent extra time working with the recreational team. Merged new team together

BOYS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

TONY SINO Club/Org: Timbers Academy Submitted by: Danielle McFadden ———————— We feel extremely grateful that our son has Tony this year. He is extremely qualified and so patient with all the boys.

His philosophy and judgement is sound in not worrying about whether the team wins or looses (believe me, our son's team lost most of its games this season) but in helping the players to develop individually and as a team. He is a great teacher and has successfully instilled the concept of discipline (the need to pay attention and work hard, not goof around) in the boys, who all seem to listen intently to him and respect him. My husband is quite frank in saying that out of this Whites team which has very little natural talent/ athleticism, the change from the beginning of the season to now is startling...the boys have a cohesive shape and pass very well to each other. They started to win games at the end of the fall season.

Finally, Tony has dealt so professionally with personal challenges this fall including tough scheduling; he often had overlapping game times with his older Whites team, but he always came to our boys' game as soon as he could. Most parents on the team did not know that Tony had injured his back later in the fall, either, as he continued to coach the as always, even though he was in so much pain he said once that it hurt to walk and that he couldn't even bend over properly to tie his shoes. He is truly an inspiration for following your dreams with diligence.

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VOTING CATEGORY:

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

LISA HARINGS Club/Org: FC West Submitted by: David Henkemeyer ———————— FC West is a very small club. We barely had enough girls at U-11 tryouts to field a team. In fact, we had one girl join us mid-season from Rec. Despite this, Lisa was able to coach these girls with excellent results.

The team had only one loss, and finished among much bigger clubs (THUSC finished first, FCWest came in second, only due to GD tie breaker, and FC Portland finished third). FC West was such a powerhouse, that FC Portland brought down players from their elite team to face us towards the end of the season, after losing the first game of the season to FC West. Despite having all these elite-level girls, FC West took a 1-0 into halftime, and only lost 3-2.

Not only can Lisa drive the girls to a successful season, but she also saw to it that they learned different positions. One weeks when we would play teams in the bottom of the table, Lisa would shuffle positions, to expose girls to positions that they needed more development.

Lisa devoted so much of her time and energy to these girls. She never missed a practice, and even brought in another age group (U12) when their coach needed help.

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

SEAN RYAN Club/Org: Clackamas United Submitted by: Steve Morser ———————— I met Sean when my daughter started playing competitive soccer this year on a Clackamas United U12 team. Shortly after meeting him I was inspired by his commitment to teaching our children about a sport he loves. He coaches 3 teams and he has dedicated an amazing amount of time to the girls he coaches. He inspired me to take an active role with the team and assume the team manager position. I have spent the last season working with Sean and I am amazed at the patience he shows with each of the girls he interacts with. He is not just teaching them about soccer but about being a good team mate and about their responsibility to each other. Sean has created an environment where my self conscious daughter has really flourished with a group of girls she has only known for one season. He encourages the girls to take on leadership roles with the team and helps each girl achieve their individual goals. Sean introduced our U12 team to his U14 team and allowed our girls an opportunity to bond with the older girls and now the U14 team has become mentors to our girls. What's amazing is this has not just translated to a bond around soccer but in school as well. My daughter just started middle school this year and being new to the school and now with the older kids in the school she was uncomfortable at first, but with the bonding that occurred with the U14 girls my daughter has shown growth confidence at school. Competitive sports is about more than just winning and losing its about developing skills that will help our children on and off the field, Sean sets the example that ALL coaches should follow.

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GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

ESTY GEIGER Club/Org: NEU/PDX Submitted by: Brandon McNeil ———————— Esty Geiger was a OYSA Timbers / Thorns 2015/16 State Cup Champion with the U11 Girls White Team Coach. In a short time after playing at Portland State University, Esty has established herself as an up and coming Girls Coach in Oregon. Her 2000 Girls Team played in the Far West Regional League, finished in the top 4 for the Winter League and lost in the Quarter Finals of State Cup. She was also involved with the 2003 Girls, which after a coaching change a the end of summer, took the girls through the Fall League and eventually out of bracket for State Cup. In addition to coaching at Northeast United Soccer Club, she was part of the East Regional Training Centers. In March of 2015 she added an administrative role within the club overseeing our monthly newsletter, website content, expansion of our social media channels, recreational coaching manuals and internal programming communications to our membership.

For the 2016 /2017 Year, her role expanded to be an Age Group Head Coach for the 2002, 2003, 2001 & 2000 Age Groups. Overseeing the curriculum, development, communication, player movement and team coach mentoring across the above girls age bands. It is important to reward the next generation of female coaches, which Esty is quickly fulfilling.

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

CHRIS ANNEN Club/Org: Ashland Soccer Club Submitted by: Meredith Page ———————— Running a soccer club is not easy. Coach Chris Annen is up for the challenge. He has succeeded in creating a community of soccer players when the odds were stacked against him.

I have never heard Coach Annen complain of the complexities it takes to manage a soccer club, coach numerous teams, as well as work a demanding full time job and still show up for practice ready to go. Super Man? Yes! Chris Annen is Ashland Soccer Club. There would not be a soccer club in our small town with out the hard work and dedication of Coach Chris Annen.

I speak as a mother with a daughter on one of the teams he coaches. He has coached the Crossfire Competitive team for two years and has helped these girls to grow both as a player and in their overall level of confidence. With his seasoned experience he leads these girls by example with practical insight and guidance. They respect him and want to do well for him. He has created culture on the field that demands your absolute best.

He is full of passion and empathy, and is wholly inclusive – but has an instantly obvious layer of endearing humor and fun.

This is why I believe Coach Chris Annen deserves coach of the year.

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

NICK SCHWARTZ Club/Org: Lake Oswego Submitted by: Carol DuQuette ———————— Nick is such an incredible coach and influence to these girls. They play at the premiere level and he has helped them grow tremendously as soccer players.

More importantly he has used soccer as a foundation to help the girls develop confidence and trust and foster true friendships. He genuinely cares for these girls like a father and he says 'our team is our soccer family'. He lives this in all that he does with the girls.

He has taken them out to a team breakfast at the Original Pancake House, he regularly holds team get togethers outside of games, he even custom designed a team logo for the girls and had t-shirts and sweatshirts custom made for each of them. He bought them each a pair of rain pants! I've never seen a coach go so 'above and beyond' before.

He truly has a group of 13 and 14 year old girls captivated by his words, they are inspired by him and they love him. Resulting from his leadership is a team of close knit girls absent that care about each other outside of soccer. This is a year in soccer that my daughter will never forget and will set a foundation for the rest of her life.

I am so appreciative of the effort that Nick has put into this team and what a special year it is for the girls.

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

TINA ELLERTSON Club/Org: FC Salmon Creek Submitted by: Mollie Plocher ———————— I am nominating Tina Ellertson because she represents what is pure and true about the game of soccer and coaching is her gift. She coaches with passion and commitment to her team and players. She is a mentor, leader and an inspiration to every player she works with. She coaches selflessly and is never worried about how much time she spends on the pitch or her hourly wage. She is driven to impact and improve her players. I have watched her show up at a State Cup game 9 months pregnant when told not to travel only to coach the team to a State Cup championship and give birth 4 hours later. I have watched her work tirelessly to grow and improve her players through dedication and patience. She cares about the details, she breaks down film with her players, meets with team one on one at every competitive tournament, putting in far more hours than any coach I have ever witnessed and I am a coach of 20 years myself. The FCSC Nemesis00 has been on a National Stage representing both Oregon and Washington for the last 3 years. They have been Champions in the following events: USYS Region IV, NPL, Oregon State Cup, Washington State Cup, FWRL, NWCL, and the OPL 4 years running and are on their second year of competing in National League and most recently represented Oregon for the first time in almost 10 years across both genders at USYS Nationals in TX this year and for the first time ever for girls side. Tina has developed many players that have reached state, regional and national ODP levels and has coached OPD herself. Several of her players have be selected to US training center and she is preparing her first group of future college athletes this year, giving them exposure from coast to coast. This is a team of girls that love to play for Tina - they are inspired and driven to perform for her because she give as much to them as they give to her. She represents the small hardworking clubs, the coaches that are coaching because they love to coach and the women that are changing soccer.

Oh and by the way she is a former US women's national team player, Record breaking college player at UW and Thorns player (during their championship season), and on top of that a mother of 3. I am grateful to have had my daughter have Tina as a coach as I know she is a stronger more capable young woman as a result and I know I am not She has impacted many young women and I hope she can continue to share her gift for many, many years. Awarding her this honor would show a commitment from Oregon to growing the game, supporting women that are coaching and playing the game and acknowledging a coach that is maintaining focusing on player development through a rapidly changing soccer environment in our state.

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GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

JAVIER HUAPEO Club/Org: WFC Submitted by: Elizabeth Cortez ———————— Nominating Javier because he goes great work with his players.

Make sure that everyone is able to be there even when he has to carry up to 8 players in his car and taking them out to eat after a game. Kind to all parents and teaching his players never to give up. Focus in each player to find their skills. Teaching them to never give up and keep trying. Never giving up on his players. Always there to help other coaches in anything they need. Even when his English is not perfect he speaks his mind and support each player.

Open the door for every kid that what's to play soccer no matter what age, skills they may have. Gives he point of view of the team and always share what can be or won't be. Happy to call him my daughter's coach! The words that encouragement he give each player no matter if they win or loss a game. Encourage them that no matter what they go through they will be great player and to try their hardest. Take his own time to help with park and rec plus club soccer. Puts his family time on hold to help other kids from stay out of trouble by keeping them busy with soccer.

Javier step up for all at WFC. Thanks to him our kids still keep playing soccer and want to become a professional soccer plays. Even looking in to collages with great team to apply when they go to college.

Thank you for you courage and effort Javier.

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

FACUNDO DISPASCUALE Club/Org: FC Portland Submitted by: Anna Cornhoff ———————— Facundo is excellent with the youth players. Facundo is in charge of the youth academy for FC Portland. These players are just starting soccer and being coached by Facundo can only add to their budding love of the game.

The dedication and love for his job and sharing the sport he loves is obvious during training. Facundo is focused on making sure players are learning correct technique and growing the players game knowledge as well as learning life skills that will help players long into their lives. Facundo is also part of the office staff at FC Portland. His dedication is obvious club wide. I have had the pleasure of working with Facundo on tournaments and other club-wide events.

His efforts in the office and for the club are top notch. He is a dedicated ambassador for Clive Charles', founder of FC Portland, philosophy “Through the game of soccer there is an opportunity to prepare and develop young people for the challenges of life.” He cares deeply about the success both on and off the field of every player he comes in contact with.

I feel that Facundo Dispascuale would be an excellent choice for either Girls coach or Boys coach.

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

MIKE KERBS Club/Org: Pacific FC Submitted by: Kirk Brewer ———————— This team is not an elite team and has mainly rec level players, but his coaching and team building has, over the last two seasons helped these girls reach a level I wouldn't have thought was obtainable.

Last year they took the Washington State rec cup title. This year they played select soccer and took the Founder cup championship for G04 girls group. These girls play so hard and even though some don't have the athletic talent, they do have the determination to play hard and smart. They take advantage of the abilities they do have, to be competitive. Mike has over the years, taken coaching classes, earned licenses, read books and watched videos to improve his own skill set, helping him teach the girls the skills and knowledge of game.

He puts in a 100% to giving the girls the best chance to be competitive and have fun at the same time. He pulls together team events which allow the girls to enjoy each other outside of soccer and has built a very tight group. These girls would do anything for each other and when new girl is introduced, they are greeted with open arms and immediately part of the group.

Like I said earlier, I don't think these girls would be where they are now if they didn't have him as their coach. Thank you.

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

CRIS LEWIS Club/Org: THUSC Submitted by: Jill Arzie ————————
 I have comments from a few parents a couple of Cris' 2003 teams: Cris has high expectations for all the girls- she believes in them and she has taught the girls to believe in themselves. She is committed and passionate to the sport, to the team, and to the individual girls. Her communication is stellar...she is able to break down concepts so they understand. Although her patience can/should get tried, Cris always remains positive and respectful. She also is good about acknowledging the growth in each girl and letting them know when they do well or improve. ~Sarah Day, '03 parent Cris is firm, fair and motivating. We appreciate her consistent voice and her toughness. ~Jenny Goodman, '03 parent I really appreciate how she recognizes strong potential in the girls and pushes them and calls them on their actions on the field. I love the respect the kids have for her. You've got to earn that đ&#x;˜Š . We have been super lucky to have her as a coach. ~ Kathy Saunders, '03 parent Cris brings her passion for soccer to every one of our games. It's great to hear positive reinforcement as well as constructive/instructive feedback from the sidelines; building the players up vs tearing them down (eg., 'well done!", "nice ball!", 'who are you marking?" "hello!! how are you helping?" "I need you to play the ball earlier", "pick your head up"). You can tell she cares about how the team performs. Cris sets high expectations for the girls and I think the girls have risen to the occasion because of it. Just as a Mathematics teacher breaks down a math problem into steps so students understand the solution; Cris breaks down a soccer game and explains strategies and teaches skills for effective team play. She is a real coaching asset to the THUSC organization and a role model for girls. ~ Cara Williams, '03 parent

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

BILL ENSLEY Club/Org: Thelo United Submitted by: Crowfoot Lapham Capella ———————— Bill is a demanding coach, he expects his players to demonstrate enthusiasm and to dedicate a lot of time to practice. He also works hard to improve his own coaching.

But, the best thing about Bill is how much he cares about the girls. He shows this in many ways: being conscious of any specific medical needs (reminding them to take inhalers when needed, to rest if they have an injury); organizing fun events; helping them deal with disappointments (he seeks input from the girls after a tough loss rather than lecturing them himself).

Another great thing is how much he recognizes improvements and the way he casually compliments girls during and after practice. In fact, even when my daughter moved onto another team, she still called him to talk about a tough game. He let her cry and then helped her get back to focusing on the positive. She says that she knows she can count on Bill, because that is just how he is with every kid.

As a parent, I always knew I could count on Bill to keep my kid safe, to nurture her, and to expose her to new styles of play and new events.

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

STEVE PIERCY Club/Org: Willamette United Submitted by: Kathryn Whittaker ———————— Steve united and ignited this group of girls in a year rife with change (transition to birth year teams). Not only did Steve elevate the girls' level of playing through dedicated and keen instruction, he inspired them to play their best soccer every minute of each game. He worked with each player individually to bring out their strengths and show them how to improve. He challenged them each with different positions, but then developed them into a team players who could count on each other and make things work out on the field that usually would not be seen until much more advanced levels of soccer. He fielded three teams to play in this age division, even though he could have made it easier on himself and just rostered two teams and limited players' field time.

His organization and passion allowed the girls to gain more experience and, as a result, they wanted to play more and more and thus gained invaluable field experience. The main reason that I am nominating Steve, however, is a conversation I overheard in the back of the car coming home from a soccer tournament. Two of his players agreed that the best part of the tournament was not winning the game, but getting a trophy for Steve because "he is the BEST COACH EVER!"

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

ROSIE ROCHA Club/Org: Southside Soccer Club Submitted by: Heike Shipton ———————— Coach Rosie truly represents what I believe coaching should be about. Teach the kids what they need to know to become good soccer players. He has high expectations for them and makes them own their game. He holds them accountable. Parents are there to support their children but the coaching is left to him. Rosie knows the personality of each one of the girls on his team. He knows how to get the best out of them even though he is not treating all the same way. He is aggressive in what he believes the team can do, he manages to coach them to understand what and why he wants them to do certain things a certain way. Rosie has a positive attitude and uses positive coaching. He knows there is no point putting these kids down to achieve something, they get all his support and positive coaching to learn to do things better. He uses humor to gain their trust and have these pre-teens relate to him as a like able person.

He seems to be able to get them to perform at their best because thy learn what they are capable of doing. Rosie is committed to his team, getting the very best out of each player and the team. He coaches to play the game at its best. Rosie has a wife and four children. His family is his priority. He understands family dynamics, lows and highs and what is truly important in life. I could not ask for a better coach for our daughter. He brings the best out of her in a way that makes her love soccer even more.

GIRLS COMPETITIVE COACH OF THE YEAR:

CORY HAND Club/Org: Westside Timbers Submitted by: Davy Dupon ———————— I have known Cory for many years and his dedication and passion for both the game is his players have never changed. His outgoing nature and positive outlook in contagious. I have heard countless stories of Cory’s dedication in getting girls into various college and his tireless dedication in helping these ladies both on and off field. It does not matter what the socio economic background of these girls, he treats them equally and works just as hard of each one them to reach their goal. Whether it is getting them exposure to colleges, National Team, ODP, etc. All you have to do is talk to Cory and instantly you will feel his passion for the game and for his players. He dedication is not only limited to girls in our club but in many instances has helped girls outside our club. Cory has conducted outreach soccer camps with Hispanic youth,, worked with youth in Nicaragua , has trained both coaches and players in the African nation of Rwanda as a part of Play for Hope, a non-profit aimed at bringing professional-level coaching and hope to vulnerable children through soccer. The program's outreach academy grew from 200 youth to over 800 in a year-and-a-half, with Cory serving on the academy's board of directors.

Cory says “Coaching, for me, is more than just a game; it is a conduit to help young athletes understand and explore their God-given talents and abilities, to learn how to express those skills in life.” Cory is not only a coach in our Club but also is the Women's Soccer Head Coach for George Fox University, a National Staff Coach for the Oregon based U.S. Training Center, Olympic Development Program Coach. Cory and his wife Samara are proud parents of two. We are truly fortunate and proud to have such a compassionate, caring and dedicated coach as part of our Westside Timbers family.

VOTING CATEGORY:

BOYS REC COACH OF THE YEAR

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

MARK BOST Club/Org: Grants Pass Submitted by: Summer Johnson ———————— Mark has been an amazing coach. He is a great balance of fun and fair. The boys really respect him and want to work hard for him.

The team grew as a whole and each individual boy excelled and progressed by the end of the season. At the beginning of the season my son wasn't sure he wanted to play soccer any more.

By the end of the season he was excited about playing again and tried out yesterday for the U10 Academy team, which will also be coached by Mark. Mark made a huge difference in my son's attitude towards soccer. He played hard, learned to play new positions and made new soccer friends.

His confidence increased by the positive feedback mark had to give him and all of the other players. Our U10 boys (8 and 9 year olds) actually played on a special development team that competed against Rec 5th/6th grade boys. Most games they were playing against kids 3 years older than them but they always went in with a good attitude. Win or lose Mark worked hard to keep the boys spirits up and gave them key things to focus on practicing each game.

We finished the season in 3rd place. Mark did an amazing job. :)

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

AARON WILLARD Club/Org: Scappoose Soccer Club Submitted by: Sheri Melling ———————— Aaron is amazing with the boys. He doesn't just pick kids who are good to play, he gives them all a chance. And they arise to the challenge. His team is alway on time and ready to play and often win. He's an amazing coach who is helping shape these boys into strong and confident men.

Scappoose is a small town and there aren't a lot of people who volunteer their time, but Aaron makes the time. He works full time and is a single dad yet he still volunteers for these young men. Aaron not only volunteers for the regular soccer season but is also volunteering for the spring season.

These boys are so excited and committed to their coach they will all be signing up for Spring soccer. I think Aaron should win as his dedication and commitment is something we just don't see that often. He's alway there at every practice and game, has very open communication with us parents, never play favorites, never yells at the players in anger and is always supportive. I've seen coaches yell in anger at their players. You will never see this with Aaron. His players respect him and play hard for him.

They don't want to let their coach down. He's the best.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

LUKE MILLER Club/Org: Lower Columbia Youth Soccer Submitted by: Christina Erickson ———————— I choose Luke Miller as soccer coach of the year! He is an amazing coach and has the ability to teach soccer in a way where my son actually enjoyed it. He treats all the kids and their families like they are part of his family. He is always giving positive feedback on a job well done and encouragement that they can do it. He is so patient and truly wants to make the kids feel that they are a valuable asset to the team.The kids really enjoyed the soccer season. Since Soccer my son chose to play basketball and is not really liking it.

After having such an amazing, caring, personable coach for soccer, all he can talk about is next soccer season. My son tells me that soccer is just his thing and that reason is Luke Miller. Out of all the coaches my son has had he was the absolute best ever! Next year we will definitely be requesting Luke Miller for our son's soccer coach. I hope he decides to continue to coach as he really is a great asset to the LYCSA. They are truly lucky to have such a great volunteer coach. He even took the time at our end of the season soccer party to give each child an engraved award and speak about each one of them.Thank you Luke Miller you are an awesome coach!

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

BILL MILES Club/Org: Clackamas United Submitted by: Katie Julison ———————— Bill was an amazing Coach but also a mentor. He showed the bits how to be competitive and fight for a win, all while remaining calm and encouraging.

Bill is one of those rare guys that can actually communicate and relay his heart. He saw each boy for their own talent and passion. My son, had come off a team last year where the coach repeatedly was frustrated and disappointed with the kids. "Come on you guys!" " "we practiced this!"

There was so much frustration in his voice that my 9 year old finally broke towards the end of the season and didn't even want to play anymore. (He's been playing each year since he was 3!) He tearfully finished the season. This year we had the complete opposite. Bill didn't sugar coat anything. He expected those boys to play the plays. He expected them to do their best. But the sound of frustration never came out in his voice. My son's first "message up of the year came".

Coach subbed him out. I cringed....layer, I asked what the coach had said (I was expecting to hear some kind of reprimand given like last year). My son said, "He was reminding me how good it am." (((Deep sigh of gratitude!)))) Only a true Coach can speak into existence what can be!

All the kids loved him. All the kids still live soccer! All the parents love him for teaching discipline, heart and seeing our boys as the individuals they are.

He is a great coach!

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

ANTONIO GONZALEZ Club/Org: Raleigh Hills Submitted by: Catherine Morgan ———————— Coach Antonio was an outstanding coach and role model for my child and the entire team.

Although my son has been playing soccer for the past three years he struggled playing the game.

Coach Antonio was able to break down the technical aspect of soccer as well as to motivate him to perform at a higher level than he ever thought he could. It has been wonderful to watch his interaction with the team. He has modeled and demands respectful behavior, fairness and good sportsmanship.

He exhibited all of the following: Positive communication, clearly and consistently taught soccer fundamentals and rules, gave positive and direction during practice and during the games. Helped players become fit while providing a safe environment. He helped kids develop character by caring, being honest and respectful and taking responsibility.

Not only did we feel that we were so fortunate to have him as our sons soccer coach, our son and I would say the team as a whole felt that way.

We hope that Morgan can have him as a coach next year. He continues to use the skills he learned from Coach Antonio while playing soccer at school and carry the confidence that he gained with him.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

TREVOR THARP Club/Org: NEU/PDX Submitted by: Brandon McNeil ———————— Trevor Tharp is the Director of Northeast United Soccer Club's Youth Development Academy, which spans the U8 & U9 ages.

In 2015 / 2016 Trevor oversaw the curriculum, development and growth of the Boys & Girls. His role includes coaching the youngest, least experienced coaches within Northeast United Soccer Club. Many of these coaches will transition to into the Competitive Teams in short time due to the tutelage and mentorship of Trevor.

Trevor's never ending enthusiasm and energy is unmatched. Trevor during the day is a full time Teacher, which brings great understanding and perspective to our young coaches many of whom are transitioning from playing at the college level. The success of our u10 - u12 ages is largely due to the organization, development and leadership of Trevor.

Ask around, I don't know anyone else who could manage, educate and communicate with 125+ families at these essential ages better than Trevor. He is loved by all the players, at every level from the Top player to the players interested in joining from our recreational clubs.

He is the perfect match, for parents to get a grasp of the differences between recreational soccer and potentially participating in the competitive pathway within NEU*PDX.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

STEPHANIE BILLMYRE Club/Org: Clackamas United Submitted by: Chris Hoepfner ———————— Coach Stephanie showed great enthusiasm and put forth a very high level of effort towards coaching my son's team. I was very impressed on how Coach had a lot energy to actively engage and demonstrate her coaching even though she had an extremely busy schedule outside of the teams' already busy schedule.

She showed great compassion for each player, I distinctly remember a game where one of our players was injured and she rushed on to the field and scooped him up as if he was her own son and carried of to the sideline to make sure he was ok. Coach went over and above to increase each player's skill level during the season and helped strengthen their knowledge of the game. I also appreciated her continued patience for the boys and how she treated all with kindness and support.

She also worked successfully at building team unity and teaching the boys how to work as team.

Coach Stephanie was very easy to communicate with in person and through bonzi and by phone.

She was very receptive to parents concerns and was quick to remedy any issues that popped up with the crazy end of season weather, etc.

I would recommend her as a coach and would be very happy to have my son play for her team again. Thank you.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

AMY PEDERSON Club/Org: CUSC Submitted by: Sean Thompson ———————— I am nominating Coach Amy because of her continued selfless devotion to not only her team, but the sport of soccer itself. I am active duty military and will be in Oregon for only 1 year; however, immediately upon arrival, Coach Amy went out her way to make my son feel like a valued member of the team from day one (even when the rest of the team had been playing together in previous years).

Through rain or shine, Coach Amy coached her team by herself, and expertly managed to corral 10 active 1st graders into a team that consistently competed in a league in which they were "playing up." As an all-1st grader team playing in a 2nd-grade league, Coach Amy's "Lighting Bolts" exhibited discipline, comradely, and enthusiasm. Moreover, they finished the season with a winning record. Of course, winning isn't the litmus test for whether a Coach is deserving of such an award, especially in a Rec league; however, it highlights Coach Amy's effectiveness and her teams' willingness to follow her lead.

Lastly, Coach Amy was there for her kids even through the most trying of times. Unfortunately, Coach Amy lost her mother this season. Yet, even when the needs of her family called upon her, she continued to be there for her players during the season. She selflessly gave to others even in the midst of trying times at home.

Because of her unwavering commitment to her community and her team, Coach Amy Pederson is most certainly deserving of the Boys Recreational Coach of the Year award.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

JOE PREWETT Club/Org: Westhills Soccer Club Submitted by: Cecily Au ———————— Coach Joe observes each player carefully and gets to know them as individuals throughout practices and games. As a result, he's able to provide feedback and improvement suggestions unique to every player. This takes a lot of purposed observation and active coaching.

During practices, he also intentionally calls out a player to give them immediate feedback. He's always mindful of being fair, giving equal opportunities to each player regardless of skill level or participation. He has instilled a real sense of team spirit.

I especially appreciate how Joe provides constructive criticism. He's able to do it with humor and conciseness. More often than not his way of telling a boy to focus on a skill makes the player laugh. Praise mixed in with a little of suggestion. For this age group, this type of positive instruction really made a difference in practice quality.

Coach Joe also communicates with parents timely, and is always quick to let us know of changes in schedules, etc. He's volunteered to coach our team the last 2 years, always with a smile and a sense of humor.

The boys love him and look forward to practice week after week. We appreciate his dedication, love and respect for all the boys.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

FREYA GUSTAFSON Club/Org: Clackamas United Submitted by: Sirina Hazeem ———————— Freya is an awesome person and an awesome coach. She was really patient with the boys. I think the boys loved her a lot. She always gave them the best directions and the best practice.

She was always on time for practices and games. She was always willing to stay and play with the boys even in bad weather. She was a very good communicator with the parents. Always reminded us of time and location of practices and games via phone and e-mail.

The team won so many games with her just because of her good lead. She was great in everything. She knew what she was doing. She was full of energy anytime she showed up for practices. She gave each one on her team equal chances to control the ball. She started with teaching the players soccer fundamentals.

Freya always made sure that her players are playing in a very safe environment. She always introduced soccer rules and incorporated them into her instructions. Always made it fun for the boys.

My son loved being around her. She would make them laugh by her jokes. She wouldn't get mad at them for goofing around, she was always able to put them back on track in professional manner.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

JORDAN PARKER Club/Org: Illinois Valley Submitted by: Shelly Steiner ———————— Coach Jordan is an above average, admirable, humble coach which my two boys, and many others have looked up to over the years. His coaching skills are phenomenal and his ability to reach and mentor young men in our challenging community is priceless. My boys admire him, look up to him and listen to him, even after leaving his team.

He goes above and beyond to constantly mentor these young men and keep them involved in healthy recreational opportunities, even offers rides to support participation. I have one kid that has moved on to high school that still attends his brothers practices just so he can interact with Jordan.

Jordan also continues to attend high school soccer games to support the young men that have moved on. He is a family man, with a good heart, that cares deeply about our boys succeeding in life and maturing into responsible young adults. He also maintains a full time job in our small community while he's dedicating his free time to mentoring our youth.

I appreciate the time he's dedicated to have an impact on my young men's lives and futures. I wish he could coach them through high school!

Thank you for being such an amazingly admirable man in our boys lives, our community and this world. You are awesome!

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

SAL CASUCCIO Club/Org: Eastside Timbers Submitted by: Carly Copplestone ———————— Sal has been coaching for Eastside for 5 years as a volunteer coach. There are players that request him every year as he not only helps his teams but is a great coach to others when playing against him. Nothing is too much for him when it come to soccer.

He has great knowledge of the game, his sessions are fun and he just cares so much for the kids.

This has helped kids love the game and want to continue to come back and play every fall and spring season.

He has coached 2 teams each season and was willing to take on another team to help as they did't have a coach. This man is all for the kids. He would be there checking the equipment before the game, making sure the lines are visible, if they weren't he would be painting them and always willing to help out.

Every clinic, event you can guarantee Sal will be there, not only for his team and players but for others too. I have seen many coaches but Sal has something special. His way with people you can just tell he cares and wants the best for the kids and the community.

He is a great role model not only for the players but for other coaches too.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

ONA DAVIS Club/Org: Eastside Timbers Submitted by: Lynde Wright ———————— Coach Ona has been coaching my son for the past 3 years. We stumbled into soccer quite by accident. I had a rambunctious, daredevil of a son who needed to burn some energy. I thought soccer might be worth a try and that's where we met Ona. At the time she was coaching her older sons recreation team and had just started coaching her younger son.

As the season progressed, it was easy to see that soccer was a good fit for my kiddo, but more importantly, Ona was a good fit for my son. Up until that point he struggled to follow directions, stay on task, and be focused. But Ona (and Shelley, her amazing assistant coach) were clearly masters at wrangling crazy 4 year old boys and soccer, and they got my son to not only focus on learning something new, but on being a good team player, trying his best, and so on. At the end of the season, Ona explained to us parents (there were only a few of us) that she had been coaching her oldest son since age 4 and planned on coaching him until he was ready to play competitive ball and that she had every intention of showing up season after season for her younger son as well and she'd love to have all the kids grow together. I couldn't believe my ears. Had I won the rec-soccer coaching jackpot? You see my oldest son had been playing rec sports for years, and coaches came and went, but not Ona. She was in it for the long haul.

Season after season my son played with her. Some kids came and went, but many kids came and stayed. Ona's commitment was not without sacrifice. Not only was/is she a phenomenal coach, but she is also a single mom who works full time. She is dependable, and although she has multiple commitments, including work commitments, her own teams commitments, and her oldest sons teams commitments, she shows up every day, rain or shine, ready to teach, and lead.

She's a role model, and shows our kids what it means to love soccer, to care about health and fitness, to put yourself before others, and to give the best of yourself. My son is 7 now, and wants to be a pro-soccer player. He lives and breathes soccer, and it's because he's had such a strong female role model in his life. He says if he doesn't make the pros he wants to be a teacher and a soccer coach.

I have Ona to thank for his passion. Her son is a great kid and a phenomenal player thanks to her influence. And every kid on our team feels important as she highlights their strengths and encourages improvement of their weaknesses. She has a loyal following of players because she's such a great coach and person. If anyone deserves to be recognized as coach of the year, she does.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

MARGARET BRYANT Club/Org: Lake Oswego Submitted by: Janetta Johnson ———————— This was one of the best year we have had in soccer. My son has been playing soccer since kindergarten.

Coach Bryant taught the boys not only the game but how to work as a team and have respect for the other team members. She taught them skills and drills. She had an incentive for the players that if they played their best they might be the one picked to come up with a drill for their next practice.

We had practice's 2 times a week plus early practice before each game. She was prepared and communication to parents was wonderful. She had some flexibility when she made the practice schedule so that the times were more convenient for the parents and not her schedule.

For the year end party she had printed sports cards of each player with a sports protector page for them to put them in. Each boy got to sign them. They loved it.

At the end of the year she told the parents that if they are interested she will coach next year. I thought this might be our last year but since she is going to coach again then I will certainly be back.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

MIKE MINOR Club/Org: FC West Submitted by: Markus Roberts ———————— Mike has a wonderful rapport with the kids. He manages to keep them on task and enthused without ever seeming to be applying any pressure. He always keeps his sense of humor, never looses his patience, and builds a sense of mutual trust with his teams that makes them want to do their best for him (and for each other).

At a particularly tense game (what was looking to be the team's first loss late in an undefeated season, against a particularly aggressive older team) one of the parents near me commented "You can just hear the difference in their coaching styles--Mike is yelling TO our team while the other coach is yelling AT his." And that's the way it always is.

Mike works hard to build a broad range of skills in the kids--everything from developing basic coordination and practicing patterns of action till the flow smoothly and automatically to more abstract issues like communication, strategy and integrity.

He works with the kids on bouncing back after setbacks (in the tense game I mentioned above, our team went on to tie the score in the final minutes, because even though they were losing badly for most of the game they never gave up) and respecting the other teams and the refs.

Mike is a fantastic coach.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

ERIN TAMBLYN Club/Org: Westside Soccer Club Submitted by: Jesse Brough ———————— I had the privilege of being assistant coach for Coach Erin. I don't know a lot about Erin because I only worked with her for one season, but what I saw was remarkable. Erin played soccer in college, so she knows the game.

She also has a fairly extensive history of volunteer coaching youth. Erin was also great with the boys. I think she came across to the boys as a no-nonsense kind of coach by establishing early-on rules such as when she is talking, everyone needs to listen, and would be quick to enforce if the boys forgot.

I could clearly see though that the boys enjoyed the structure and order in this approach and it made the practices very productive. During practices, Erin introduced to the players a variety of fun and challenging drills and exercises that developed the boys soccer skills usually. These were usually followed by scrimmages where they would continue to develop their skills with Erin's assistance and keen coaching observations and tips. It amazed me to see ALL the kids greatly develop in such a short time both their love of the game and ability to play it under her guidance. If the boys ever asked who won, she would always say the same thing: it doesn't matter who won. What matters is that you had fun playing. During half time, she would huddle with the team and talk to them about areas where they were performing well and areas they should try to improve. It always impressed me that she seemed to be able to get-through to their easily-distracted six-year-old minds. At the end of each game, she would huddle again with with words of encouragement both in regards to where they did well and areas to focus on next time. Again, her words and encouragements weren't just general, but specific and carried weight with the boys. The boys loved Erin, did what she said, and greatly developed in their soccer abilities, love of the game and ability to work as a team and follow instructions. As a dad, these are all the things I could ever hope my children might gain from participating in group sports.

The sentiment among all the parents was unanimous: we all felt very fortunate to have had Erin as our coach.

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

ROB GARRISON Club/Org: not listed Submitted by: Tiana Dixon ———————— He is an extremely patient coach. Not once did I see him lose his temper or get frustrated.

He was always on time to the practices and games despite the fact his wife and him had a baby during the season. Not once did he say he can't make it. When the weather was questionable, he wouldn't guess, but he went down to the fields and checked it personally to make sure the field was decent to play on.

I feel he went above and beyond as a coach and I am very pleased my son had him as his first soccer coach. He was supportive in the sense that he only said encouraging statements to the boys and never put anybody down nor did he make anyone feel bad after a game only positivity from this man. I couldn't be more satisfied with him as a coach.

I hope he has him again next year if we remain here in Oregon.

My son liked him and never had anything unpleasant to say about Rob Garrison only nice things and he wants him again as a coach.

That's how you can affirm he is doing something right that why I nominate Rob Garrison for coach this year!

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

TIM BROWN Club/Org: West Hills Submitted by: Julie McMorine ———————— My son played with the same West Hills rec team for many years, but the team folded when the coach decided not to coach again in fall 2016.

Tim opened his roster to include everyone from our team who wanted to join his, even though this resulted in a large team. Tim welcomed the new players and integrated them into his team. He also managed games well, ensuring that everyone rotated into each match and had plenty of playing despite the large roster. Tim's kind yet firm approach with his players demonstrates his excellent leadership skills and the team's success demonstrate his knowledge of soccer and outstanding coaching abilities.

Tim has high expectations for his players and lets them know it. He expects them to show respect to their coaches and team mates. He encourages them to look toward high school and try out for high school teams even though these kids haven't come from club teams.

He is greatly respected by the players' parents for his excellent temperament and treatment of his players. He is tough when he needs to be but is always respectful of his players. When the team needs or individuals need to improve something they're doing, he instructs in a strict yet encouraging manner that gets results.

Tim is awesome!

BOYS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

DOUG BAUS Club/Org: Willamette United Submitted by: Susan Cannizzaro ———————— Doug was an amazing coach. He is extremely patient and very fair with all the kids. He really teaches them valuable keys so that they can play the game to their best ability. He never gets mad or frustrated and that age is a tough one to work with sometimes. If he did get frustrated you would never know it and the kids would have no idea that he was upset.

He is also very level headed and easy to work with.

We have been very impressed with Doug and my son had the best soccer season ever with Doug and my son has played since he was 5 years old. It takes a very special person to really work with kids and especially with soccer.

Doug always went above and beyond to recognize the kid's accomplishments and rewarded each kid with a small gift card from Baskin Robbins after each game. (He would recognize 2-3 kids) per game to space it out.

I would love to see him receive this award because he does work so hard and the kids just adore and respect him. I believe he coaches his younger son's team as well.

He is a great day and an amazing coach and I hope we get him again in the Spring!

VOTING CATEGORY:

GIRLS REC COACH OF THE YEAR

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

GLEN BAGLEY Club/Org: NCSC Submitted by: Tom Rust ———————— Glen Bagley, once a softball coach, followed his daughter into soccer a few years back, became a coach, and whole-heartedly embraced it. You don't see it at first glance, but he is an athlete at his core. He has a knack for strategy and tactics, knows how to motivate his players, commands respect and is well-liked by players and parents.

Glen has a competitive nature, which is the backbone of his drive. But that is only his yin; his yang is his warm heart, compassionate nature and ability to joke around. Over the years I have seen the girls grow into better and better players. If a player asks for a specific position, he will grant the wish and give the player a chance. We have made great discoveries, unlocking hidden talent this way. He has leads one successful season after another.

But he is humble; he just wants his team to have fun and win if while doing so. I have been volunteering as his assistant coach for three years now and attribute the pull I feel to his gravity. I am sure the players and parents would say the same thing. This last season two of his best girls were pulled away from his team due to a complaint about their He rallied his remaining players (and one new one) and finished the season, conceding only three losses, two of which were to the same team: the arguably unbeatable Whiskey Hill.

age.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

CAMERON YATES Club/Org: Lake Oswego Submitted by: Amanda Gratchner ———————— Coach Cam was an incredible Coach.

His commitment to the girls, through wins and losses, never wavered. He was firm, taught the value of respect, teamwork and fun and praised each and every girl for her commitment, friendship and contribution to the entire team. If I could nominate all 3 coaches, I would (they were stellar).

They coached 18 girls this year--no small feat--and managed to give each girl time on the field to play at her best and work as hard as she could. Coach Cam communicated clearly with parents and the girls providing a supportive and thoughtful environment for growth and opportunity. At our end of year party, Coach Cam and his co-coaches spoke about each girl's ability, her skills and growth.

During the season my daughter said "I wish we could have soccer practice every day-Coach Cam is so great." This from a kid I had to drag to soccer last year. Lastly, we lost a lot of games and despite that, Coach Cam made sure the girls shared what they learned from the loss--he focused more on the losses and learning than the winning. That was what made the year so great.

We were blessed to have him as our Coach.

GIRLS RECREATONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

LUIS BUENO Club/Org: Bueno Futbol Club Submitted by: Rebecca Basl ———————— Luis has dedicated ALL of his free time the past 2.5 years to creating a local affordable soccer club in Albany, Oregon.

Many of these kids would never be able to afford competitive club. He coached 4 teams this fall season voluntarily. He worked hard to make sure he had reputable volunteer coaches for the other teams in his club. We are lucky him in our life. As a single mom, my son has had to use coaches to have father figures. Luis, even though he is not my son's coach, took extra effort to make my son feel comfortable & successful. Personal chats to lift his confidence which is fragile as a young teen.

I can't thank him or his wife for letting him spend all his time on this local club. Luis took extra time planning fund raisers & getting local businesses to sponsor the teams. For fall season we spent out of pocket a total $120. That included uniforms.

For winter the past 3 years he has set up Futsal clinics that are total $25. He spends his nights in the gym helping these kids learn new skills. He went so far as to buy heat press to make the uniforms to save the parents money. He spent his evenings putting numbers & logos on all the jerseys.

I can't praise him enough for giving up his free time to help these kids.

a

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

DENISE CHUN Club/Org: Silver Falls Submitted by: Terrance Hawley ———————— Coach Denise has always loved Soccer. Now she, and her husband, take time to share her knowledge and skills with the local girls on the rec team. She has focused on each player to give them individualized attention. She works with them to expand there playing zones and improve their soccer IQ. Her team has a wide range of ages and skills but they all play strong and seem to have a great time doing it.

Practices were a mix of individual skills and team concepts. It was fun to watch my daughter benefit from excitement and insightful advice that Coach Denise offered. It goes without saying, but having a savy female coach can really inspire our younger generation fo female soccer players and US presidents. Team development was well rounded and no players were left behind. I think that the improvements were notable.

They were undefeated in the 2016 Fall season. Although there were challenges the players rose to occasion. The Fall season was plagued with challenging weather conditions such as soggy fields, blowing rain, and ankle deep mud.

My daughter never complained and enjoyed practicing with the team. In fact, for the first time ever she has decided to try indoor soccer this winter, which was also inspired by Coach Denise.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

STEVE ERVING Club/Org: Milwaukie Soccer Club Submitted by: Christina Burnett ———————— All season long Steve went above and beyond for his team by making time for extra practices, scheduling a weekend tournament, and arranging for the players to be ball girls at a Milwaukie High School girls soccer game. He also arranged a practice/lesson with the Portland Pilots women's soccer team which resulted in free tickets for a couple of their home games. This was definitely a highlight and memorable experience for the team.

He treats all the players equally regardless of skill, encouraging and challenging his players, never yelling or getting upset. He inspired love for the game of soccer in his players, built their confidence in their own skills and created a cohesive team that strongly supported each other.

He remained professional and a solid role model when another coach lashed out at a tournament game that nearly dampened the win of his our team. He continues to put together opportunities for the girls to play together and be challenged. He communicates with the parents regularly with updates and requests parent input.

He is an excellent coach and deserves to be acknowledged and honored for his commitment to his players and his continued efforts to inspire the love of the game.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

DEAN WEST Club/Org: Ashland Soccer Club Submitted by: Meredith Page ———————— Dean West has been volunteering his time to coach soccer for Ashland Soccer Club for almost 10 years.

He coached his daughter's teams until she began playing for the high school. 2016, due to health issues, Dean chose to not coach so that he may take better care of himself. We all commended him to take this time for him self.

I liken him with the word “PASSION”, and that’s the way he approaches the sport. So when the U12/13 recreational team had no coach, even though he has no kid on the team, Dean stepped up to the goal post to help. Dean West has taken this U12/13 Crossfire team on a remarkable journey and inspired them as well.

The odds have been stacked against this team as they are smaller then most of the other girls they played against. He puts his heart and soul into it and the result was better players that succeeded at meeting their goals with his support.

He cares deeply about the sport and the players. He was creative, innovative, inquiring at practices. He taught the girls discipline while instilling the love of the game. His sincere concern for each of the players is obvious, and I can only hope that he will be back again next year.

and

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

LUIS PATLAN Club/Org: North Clackamas SC Submitted by: Kerry Patlan ———————— This man is an amazing coach. He has been coaching for four years and started with a little team of 2nd graders. This year we have a team of amazing 5th grade girls. I know he is a good coach because the kids and their families keep coming back, and they find other kids to join the team.

This year our club was looking high and low for a coach for a boys team. No one would step up. everyone was worried that the boys wouldn't be able to play this season. When we found out, we discussed it with our daughter and each other and decided to take on the challenge of another team. It was a challenge!! A lot of time on a field with a lot of kids.

Between two teams we had 28 children! Trying to remember names was/is crazy! We managed. Two teams, sometimes 4 games a day. One weekend both teams were in a tournament, and we played eight games! We were excited, both teams took 2nd place in their divisions! And coach Luis lost his voice. At the end of the season the boys asked if we would coach again. When we asked them if they would like us to, they all yelled yes! It makes your heart smile. At the end of the girl's season, we had all of the players and their families gathered around and one of the dads said "look at the family you have created, all these girls and all these parents". Wow, Luis did do that.

We have this soccer family, an amazing soccer family. This is why I nominated our head coach and my husband Luis Patlan

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

AMANDA WALDRON Club/Org: FC West Submitted by: Lisa Harings ———————— Amanda Waldron coached U8 Soccer next to my practice for the fall 2016 season.

Observing her practices on countless occasions she continues to develop her player's confidence and soccer skills. She remains positive and leads by example. She promotes sportsmanship during practices and games with teaching the players the appropriate behaviors surrounding soccer.

Players are encouraged to be respectful of their opponents. Players are motivated to learn with her soccer activities and the fun she brings with these activities. She continues to look for additional levels of competition to encourage players to continue their development.

She encourages players to train on their own and gives them ball handling activities to work on outside of practice. Amanda has been actively coaching in the small Forest Grove Soccer Community for the past 2 years. Her U8 Soccer Team has become extremely strong in the development league this year, winning a majority of their 4v4 games.

She believes in her players and pushes her players to be the best they can be on and off the field. Overall, she is constantly encouraging the girls to have fun and enjoy the game. Her energy for the kids is a model for all of us to follow.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

DEVIN LAYMEN Club/Org: Southside SC Submitted by: Stephanie Swayne ———————— If it weren't for Devin, my daughter Sydney wouldn't have played soccer. Because of him, she has played NONSTOP for a year.

He not only coaches, but mentors and makes it fun. She absolutely LOVES playing, and he is perhaps the biggest reason. He makes it fun, while coaching at the same time. On top of that, as a parent, I truly appreciate all the time he puts into the team, on top of a full time job. Devin is truly remarkable!!!

He also communicates weekly with parents, keeping us informed and on top of all the games and practices. He informs us of coaching changes, game changes, etc. Devin makes it fun to actually be a parent of a soccer player. He also emphasizes the importance of the FUN aspect of soccer, which is so important.

He is amazing, and receives my full endorsement as coach of the year. He is so motivating, positive, and effective as a coach.

My daughter has learned SO MUCH from him - as have I. He really is remarkable, and Southside is SO LUCKY to have him apart of their team!!!!! I absolutely love him!!! Give him the award!!!!!! For Real!!! He's the best!!!!!!

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

JON BENJIMAN Club/Org: Oregon City Submitted by: Shawn Hunt ———————— A few years back Jon stepped up to coach a young girls team with out even having a child on the team.

He committed to them to keep coaching them thru the years till they had to go into high school.

I thought that was pretty cool of him.

Along with coaching he is also a board member of the league and takes care of a sizeable sports park with multiples fields.

Also at the soccer jamboree he was coaching games all the while directing others around with a walkie talkie in hand. I was impressed.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

ADAM LEE Club/Org: Milltown Submitted by: Tara Pfeifer ———————— Adam Lee and his assistant coach were so warm and welcoming when I came into the team the first time . It was my second season in the recreational soccer team after our move from Germany a year before .

They recognized my strengths and and the skills I needed to work on and made me feel capable and confident to do so. The team atmosphere was fantastic , open, enthusiastic, ambitious and challenging but anxiety to fail or feelings of stress never occurred .

The other team members were very appreciative and wanted me to be part of their team because of the beautiful energy in the team . I loved to come to practice and to the soccer games always eager to support my team knowing they would support me and help me to bring out the very best in me . Those coaches have fantastic soccer and coaching skills and they are the ones I wanna be on the team with .

I am not a very outgoing person and tend to be shy in the beginning . In this team I immediately felt accepted and could focus on learning soccer skills. He explained specific situations to me , called me when there was something he had observed and was able to do that in an encouraging way . I feel more confident and love to play soccer - I was sad when practice was over.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

SCOTT CARVER Club/Org: Eastside Timbers Submitted by: Carly Copplestone ———————— Scott has been coaching for Eastside for 18 years! He is the longest serving volunteer coach ever at this club. The time and effort he has put in over the years has been second to none. For the past couple of years he has coached 3 teams.

This is because the players and the families have enjoy him as a coach so much and this has passed on. There younger siblings and friends becasue of his good reputation have requested him as a coach and he couldn't say no.

At the beginning of the season we asked him if he could possible miss a game or two as we could not schedule around all of his games and he was devastated because he wanted to be at every single game. He would rush between games to make sure he was at every game. Coaches are required to have one practice a week but of course Scott would do 2 practices.

He has shown that he is a great coach with not only having fun but the kids actually developing their skills, knowledge and the love for the game.

To give up this much time, all of his hard work and dedication to coaching kids I feel Scott needs to be recognized for his outstanding work.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

RACHEL SAATHOFF Club/Org: Oak Hills Submitted by: Bharathi Sabapathy ———————— Exceptionally good soccer coaching skills and understand the play very well and teach the techniques very well with rewards or time-outs to keep team together, Makes player understands individual and team skills. Also, She is very patient and at the same time not too lenient on the players. Apart from the technical coaching skills, She also co-ordinates the team activities and matches along with the Soccer Club we are playing and she takes personal efforts on team challenges for the week and appreciates the player's teaching skills.

The team challenges not only focused on the playing skills. Instead it focused on player personal social skills which also helped in the school emotional and social development.

There were also extra practices on the summer which helped players on developing the skills. These were purely out of regular coaching schedules. She goes out of the way in developing players skills and targets and make them understand the new techniques well.

She also communicate in very positive way. She also make environment safe for the player and teach players with good player fit techniques.

She also help players help develop character and develop caring and cooperative characters. last but not the least, her energy, enthusiasm and postive attitude makes a lot of differences in the whole soccer game

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

RYAN CARTER Club/Org: Westside Soccer Club Submitted by: Jean Mansell ———————— Ryan is a fabulous coach of our 9-10 girls rec team. We have been with him 3 seasons and come to play with him because he is so excellent with the kids. He is positive, caring and involved. He let's kids try new positions even if they aren't great at it. My child wants to play goalie and he gives he the opportunity and doesn't focus on if that will poorly effect the game.

It has, and may have been a direct reason the team has lost. He points out positive skills and attributes of each child. I have frequently thanked him for his patience with my child and he always responds with something she is good at. Knowing he is just a volunteer I am impressed with the heart he puts into each practice and game.

He is excellent at soccer and teaches skills that improve the girls game. He has 4 children of his own and yet devotes so much time to this team.

He is kind to parents and doesn't make me feel like we don't belong in soccer or that my suggestions aren't valid.

Ryan is an excellent coach and person and I know of my daughter is still playing because it is such a pleasant coach.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

DAVE ALDERTON Club/Org: Thelo United Submitted by: Amy McQueen ———————— Dave Alderton has been a volunteer soccer coach for the David Douglas Soccer Club for multiple teams over the past 7 years. He continually strives to provide a strong soccer foundation for recreational players while fostering an atmosphere of teamwork and fun. Dave's current team, the Mini Thorns, had a successful 9U season during the fall of 2015. They played in a PYSA end of season tournament, and placed 2nd in their age group. Many of the girls expressed a desire to win this tournament in 2016.

Dave expressed a willingness to support his athletes in this endeavor. He did this by providing opportunities for the girls to play winter indoor, spring outdoor, and summer competitive tournaments.

Due to the OYSA age change, the Mini Thorns moved from girls 9U to 11U. While many of the athletes were 2007 athletes, they chose to move up to stay together as a team. Dave continued to focus on foundational skills--touch work, solid passing, overlaps, passing backward to move forward, movement off the ball, etc. The first game in September was a wakeup call for the players as to how hard they would need to work in order to compete with older and physically larger players. They tied that game.

The players decided that result was not good enough. They focused in practice, and increased their efforts. They won every other game this season. Often they scored 5 goals in the first half, and spent the 2nd half of the game working on possession. What I believe is important to note is that Dave taught the players multiple positions. Girls rotated between lines, and were expected to understand the roles of the different positions. Goals were not scored by just one of two players who always played striker. Instead all girls had opportunities to both score goals and defend their own goal. This year the Mini Thorns met their goal of winning the PYSA end of season tournament. This would not have happened for these young athletes without Dave as their coach. His support, enthusiasm, and commitment to these girls is above and beyond what is typical for a volunteer, recreational coach.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

MATT MAYER Club/Org: Aloha Soccer Submitted by: Steve Aragom ———————— Coach Matt has been instrumental in working with all his players. I have seen the attention Matt has shown while working with his team.

He has built confidence in the shy players like my daughter. My daughter Andi well as other players wanted to play but were reluctant to try anything. Matt encouraged them the play positions they were comfortable so they can become part of the team and then slowly moved them into more competitive positions. This built up their confidence and are now key players within the team. Over the years that I have known Matt, he has always been there for the girls rain or shine. He knows that the girls depended on him and he has never let them down.

He has also worked with the parents to encourage them to challenge their children. Even though his daughter plays on the team, Matt has never played favorite's. He treats everyone equal and pushes them to be better. One of the things that makes Matt great is that although he like to win, school and grades are first.

He makes it clear to all that if any player is struggling with homework or grades, he support school rather than the game.

Matt is one of the best coached they I have dealt with. He defiantly deserves this award.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

VICTOR PRUDHOMME Club/Org: North Clackamas SC Submitted by: Sue Boyes ———————— My daughter has been on Vic's team off an on for the past 4 years. When she was not on his team, she was with different coaches. It quickly became clear when she was on his team she learned more and loved soccer more. He has had tons of years experience so he understands the game of soccer, but that is not what makes him the best coach ever. What makes him such a great coach is he really gets to know each child and he looks for their natural strength . Once he finds it, he places them in a position to shine! This helps boosts self esteem and allows each child to feel successful. Many coaches see "the team" Vic sees's the players individually, them puts them together to be an effective team. As a result of his efforts every team we have been on with Coach Vic is closer to each other, they bond more and therefore they work better together on and off the field.

He also listens to the players, and asks them what they like to do. For example, my daughter the main goalie declared randomly one day mid season, she did not want to be goalie. Vic listened to her and did not try to change her mind. She was happy to get to try out other positions. They lost the game miserably (their first loss), not once did he ever express any frustration that my daughter's decision cost the team a win. He allowed her to learn for herself, that her team needs her to do her part-be goalie!

Another difference that we see with Vic as a coach is the amount of teaching he does. While the games are happening he often has the assistant coach monitoring the game. He pulls players one at a time and talks to them about what is happening in the game, thus giving them one on one instruction time that is invaluable!

As you can tell Vic loves soccer and loves kids! His ability to help kids love soccer makes him the best coach ever!

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

DANNY AGEE Club/Org: Dallas United Submitted by: Stephanie G ———————— Danny is a fantastic coach! He has a passion for the game and teaching the kids proper techniques, while having fun.

His vision is to work with the same group of girls as they grow and progress. We have seen improvement each season as they work together and they have become good friends. One thing that Danny has emphasized with the girls is passing to each other. He also talked with the parents and communicated that to us and encouraged us to cheer during games consistent with that goal.

We cheer for good passes and attempting to pass. We cheer the assist pass as much as the goal scored. This past season I had twins and was not going to be able to take my daughter to practice twice a week. I was not going to sign my daughter up to play the Fall season. Danny wanted to help her to continue developing her skills and playing with her teammates.

He called and said if she wanted to play Fall season, he would help make it possible. Danny helped get her to practice every week even tough it was extra work for him and made sure she had a ride home with another teammate.

My daughter loves soccer and was so happy to play!

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

JASON MARCHINGTON Club/Org: Grants Pass Submitted by: Tiffany Mori ———————— Jason has coached my daughter since Kinder soccer and also coached my older son previously for a number of years.

Over the years we have experienced many coaching styles and his is one that deserves to be recognized.

Not only does he do an exemplary job of teaching the kids the "fundamentals" of the game of soccer, he also teaches them good sportsmanship and how to be a good person first.

In this game there are always the teams / coaches out there that encourage the "win at all costs" attitude. Jason approaches the kids with a do your best attitude, practice and remember to use your skill and techniques, you will win. He also encourages that “if your personal best isn’t good enough for you, then practice until it is” attitude. He focuses on the character of each player as much as he does building skill and using technique to win the game. They learn to be competitive but maintain their character and sportsmanship.

He is patient but well-disciplined with the kids. He lets them know that if they aren’t working together as a team, there are consequences. He encourages personal growth in each child as he pays the same attention to them all. Every one of those kids on the field plays their hearts out and has a great time doing it.

At the end of the day, not only do the kids on his team know how to play a good game of soccer, (and win!) they know how to be good people while doing it. Jason is providing these kids with skills that will last a lifetime.

GIRLS RECREATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR:

LAURA FLOSI Club/Org: Sherwood Youth SC Submitted by: Sean Beauchamp ———————— From the moment I watched Laura conducting tryouts for my daughters 3rd grade team I saw that she was a special coach. Always encouraging players with positive feedback and direction, and intent on ensuring every girl has the best chance to enjoy the sport Over the past two Fall Recreation seasons my daughter has been privileged to have been coached by Coach Flosi. So - a little bit on why I nominate Coach Flosi. Laura has an excellent football pedigret, having grown up playing soccer and later playing at the collegiate level at Stanford. This alone would make her an honorable mention in any accolade category. This however is not why I nominate Coach Flosi. There are other qualities which I believe set her above and beyond; her innate ability to relate to each and every player and her genuine commitment to foster confidence, love and respect for the game. These qualities guide the way she conducts practice, and influences her coaching philosophy. A philosophy which is based on positive reinforcement, never negative and never about winning.

In this parents opinion these qualities should be valued at the recreation level and I am happy to see OYSA and Sherwood Youth Soccer seek out and retain such coaching talent. But that is not all. Laura brings something to the recreational level which is not always found. It is something I believe transcends all of the qualities mentioned above. Coach Flosi truly cares about the individual development of each and every girl she has coached, both current and past.

I have seen her go out of her way to connect

with former players and their parents before or after weekday practices or on game day. I am impressed with her doggedness to select players each year who have displayed the willingness to try, and are open to being coached. She never gives up on a player, and always stresses the importance of team work while building individual skills. She sees the potential in her players and more than that has an innate ability to tailor her coaching style to each individual player getting the best effort out of each and consequently the best as a team.

I could go on and on but I am sure you have many other parents nominating Coach Flosi with

similar stories. The last thing I would like to share as evidence of Laura's passion and genuine positive nature is how she wraps up the year.

After the final game the team gathers together for snacks and awards. Every girl receives something, it could be a signed

soccer ball or a trophy. That's not what is important what is important is the way she presents these awards. When presenting the player awards Laura takes time to say something special about each and every player. She takes time to know these girls and makes it a point to tell a special story about each and everyone of them.

I just don't

know what to say about that except to say that it leaves a mark on each of them, a very positive mark. I have attached some videos to show you what I mean.

My intent is not to embarrass Coach Flosi. She is the type of person that would never seek out praise... but she deserves it!

Re-register as a referee for 2017!