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National award recipients to be announced at Jan. 16 US Youth Soccer Awards Gala

FRISCO, Texas (Nov. 12, 2014) — US Youth Soccer is proud to announce the 2014 regional award winners from US Youth Soccer Region IV. Nine individuals from the region were recognized for giving their time and effort over the past year to help advance the game of soccer at their organizations and within their communities.

The Region IV award winners in each category are now eligible for their respective national award, along with nominees from the three other US Youth Soccer regions. The national award recipients will be announced at the US Youth Soccer Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m., as part of the 2015 US Youth Soccer Workshop in Philadelphia, held in conjunction with the NSCAA Convention.

At the 2015 Awards Gala, the newest class of inductees to the US Youth Soccer Hall of Fame will be honored, along with the recipient of the Dr. Thomas Fleck Award for excellence in youth coaching education. The awards feature Boys and Girls Competitive and Recreation Coach of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Male and Female Young Referees of the Year, Goal and Save of the Year and the TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year.

Region IV is comprised of Alaska, Arizona, California North, California South, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Brief bios of the Region IV nominees, based on submitted nomination forms, can be found below.

Administrator of the Year | William Fry – Seattle, Wash.
Bill Fry has been instrumental in the development and growth of the local soccer community. During his tenure as president, the West Seattle Soccer Club nearly doubled its amount of registered players. Bill is very active in promoting soccer through various events in the community and has brought in local professional players to motivate youth during club-sponsored clinics and camps. Also a licensed referee, Bill provides constant positive attitude for the many soccer participants in his community.

Boys Competitive Coach of the Year | David Robertson – Phoenix, Ariz.
Since arriving at Sereno SC in 2007, David Robertson has been a great role model who works tirelessly with his players to help them develop and reach their dreams. He does not give up on any player and works with each member of his team to make them better and build their confidence. David holds the UEFA ‘A’ License and National Youth License, and he has previously guided his team to the US Youth Soccer National Championship final.  

Girls Competitive Coach of the Year | Ryan Dortch – Bellevue, Wash.
In nearly 25 years of coaching, Ryan Dortch has guided several premier clubs and semi-professional teams. A former Washington Youth Soccer player, Ryan maintains his USSF ‘A’ License while continuing to act as a mentor and role model within the soccer community. In his eight years at Eastside FC, he has led teams to on-field success while setting clear expectations for players, parents and coaches to follow in regards to showing respect and demonstrating good character to all participants.   

Boys Recreation Coach of the Year | John McKenzie – Bremerton, Wash.
In 13 years as a recreational coach, John McKenzie has used soccer to instill the qualities of sportsmanship and teamwork in his players. Players say he taught them how to be young men first and soccer players second. John helps pass on to his player a desire to play the game and the team always has fun while competing. In addition to recreational coaching, John is involved in TOPSoccer, where he coaches and works as a buddy.

Girls Recreation Coach of the Year | Edward Davies – Pleasanton, Calif.
Players and parents on Edward Davies’ teams learn that sportsmanship and playing the game properly are more important than winning. His four rules are to try as hard as you can, keep getting better, respect the team and honor the game. Edward encourages players to learn to make good decisions for themselves and their teammates. He helped organize a friendly tournament to allow players a chance to continue to grow and improve while playing in a fun environment.

TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year | Ryan Olsen – Gresham, Ore.
Ryan Olsen has been a TOPSoccer Buddy for the Eastside Timbers for three years. He is present at all sessions and someone who can always be relied on to help. Ryan demonstrates a natural ability to work with individuals with disabilities, and he makes sure players are included in all activities. He is a positive individual who regularly helps the Eastside Timbers program and supports TOPSoccer by recruiting new buddies to help improve the experience for each player.

Volunteer of the Year | Steve Kinsey – Farmington, N.M.
Steve Kinsey has been involved in youth soccer for more than 20 years and has become the cornerstone of Four Corners United and the Four Corners Youth Soccer League. In his few years with the program, he has generated improvement, worked with coaches and created several features that ultimately help improve player development. Steve volunteers on the board for the club and league, and he never misses a meeting while providing selfless and insightful input.

Young Male Referee of the Year | Victor Torres – Aurora, Colo.
After getting into soccer as a player, Victor Torres learned how challenging refereeing can be following his first experience officiating a game. Since that point, he has displayed determination to improve as a referee. Victor has continued to learn and has seen his knowledge and confidence grow. He has refereed several Colorado State Cup matches, as well as the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships. Victor continues to referee while attending Metropolitan State University in Denver.

Young Female Referee of the Year | Ryan Riley – Issaquah, Wash.
When she first started refereeing in her early teens, Ryan Riley showed a maturity and passion for officiating well beyond her years. Now 17, Ryan enjoys refereeing because it gives her a chance to work on communication, people management and leadership skills — characteristics she regularly displays on and off the soccer field. She is also on the Washington Youth Soccer advisory board, which is comprised of 12 responsible students from across the state who are active in the game.

The US Youth Soccer Workshop will be held in Philadelphia from Jan. 14-18, 2015. The annual Workshop will take place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in conjunction with the NSCAA Convention. The week is designed to further the education of coaches, administrators, referees and enthusiasts involved in the game. For more information, please visit USYouthSoccer.org/Workshop/NSCAA.