Overview

Virginia Youth Soccer Association is now accepting award nominations for the 2022-2023 Season. Submit all nominations to VYSA by November 30th, 2023.

Each year, the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) strives to recognize individuals who positively impact the game of soccer in Virginia and the District of Columbia. Award winners are honored each February at the VYSA Annual Awards Gala. Nominated individuals are also eligible for recognition by US Youth Soccer at the USYS Annual Awards Gala.

Deadline to submit award nominations for all VYSA awards is November 30, 2023.

The following award categories are open for nominations:

• Coach of the Year [pdf]
   – Recreational (boys)
   – Recreational (girls)
   – Competitive (boys)
   – Competitive (girls)
• Administrator of the Year [pdf]
• Volunteer of the Year [pdf]
• TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year [pdf]
• TOPSoccer Coach of the Year [pdf]
• Young Referee of the Year [pdf]
• VA/DC Teammate of the Year [pdf]
• Team Manager of the Year [pdf]
• Website of the Year [pdf]
• Best Use of Social Media (Digital Media Award) [pdf]
• Outstanding Facility Recognition [pdf]

Please submit all nominations using the available nomination form(s) to Kristen@vysa.com with the subject of ‘2023 Awards Nomination for [category]’

Ex: 2023 Award Nomination for Volunteer of the Year

Award Categories

In an effort to further promote the game of soccer and recognize more members, the Virginia Youth Soccer Association has added several new awards to the 2023 VYSA Annual Awards lineup. The newly added awards are listed below. 

• Team Manager of the Year
• Website of the Year
• Best Use of Social Media (Digital Media Award)
• Outstanding Facility Recognition

Recent Awardees

2022 USYS Regional Winners

The following individuals have been recognized by US Youth Soccer for the contributions to the game on the regional level. Congratulations!

Regional Administrator of the Year
Nan Beck, Chesapeake United Soccer Club

Regional and National Girls Competitive Coach of the Year
Roger Friedman, Burke Athletic Club

2023 Hall of Fame Inductees

Each year, at the Virginia Youth Soccer Association Awards Gala, the Virginia-DC Soccer Hall of Fame honors soccer heroes with ties to Virginia and Washington D.C. Congratulations to the following inductees to be recognized at the 2023 VYSA Awards Gala.

Class of 2023
Janet Caswell, Player
David Stokes, Player
Brian Ahearn, Meritorious Service
Doug Engstrom, Meritorious Service
Peter Mehlert, Meritorious Service
Chris Norris, Meritorious Service
Colin Calvert (Posthumously), Veteran

More Information

View the ‘Archived Awardees’ Tab for more information on past year award recipients.

Adele Dolansky Award

This award is the highest award bestowed on a VYSA member.  It is presented by the Virginia Youth Soccer Association in recognition of exemplary service to the soccer-playing youth of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. This award is selected by the VYSA President in consultation with Adele Dolansky.  No Nominations for this award are accepted.

Previous Award Recipients

1996  Adele Dolansky
1997  Larry Monaco
1998  Mavis Derflinger and George Towner
1999 Len Oliver and August Wooter
2000  Dean Jones
2001  Jim Down
2002  Simon Cargill
2003  Brenda Down
2004  Anne Thompson
2005  Martin Hooker
2006  Tom Halstead
2007  Karen Knott
2008  Gary Allen
2009  John “Mac” McLaughlin
2010  Bob Maynes
2011  J. Marcelo Gangotena
2012  Paul Mungra
2013  Debi Honaker
2014  Robert Perry
2015  Julie Caramanica
2016  Ed Bonilla
2017  Barry Finkelstein
2018  Pat Delaney
2019  Karen Klumpp and George Vergara
2020  Cathy Mann
2021  Gordon Miller
2022  Ann Germain

Dave Williams Memorial TOPSoccer Service Award

Dave Williams’ hard work, enthusiasm, and big heart helped grow the VYSA TOPSoccer program from just a few clubs to the many that now participate. His commitment and dedication to VYSA players with disabilities were exemplary.

In honor of Dave Williams’ efforts and results of his hard work, the state association established the Dave Williams Memorial TOPSoccer Exemplary Service Award. Dave Williams is the first recipient of this award.

The award criteria are as follows:
a. exemplary service to TOPSoccer programs to include program development
b. exemplary service to TOPSoccer athletes and parents
c. minimum of 10 years service prior to nomination

*The absence of a qualified nominee as determined by the VYSA Board of Directors will result in no award winner being named for that year. Any nominees not selected for this award will be eligible for the Volunteer of the Year award.

A memorial plaque listing the names of those selected for this award is kept at the VYSA State Office.

2006   Dave Williams
2007   Ariel Schwartz
2011   Bob Sokolinsky
2012   Sharon Wells
2013   Wes Brownlee
2014   Toby Brown
2016   John Schlenker
2018   Sid Wesseldine
2021  Theodore Renaud
2022  Steve O’Neil
2022  Bob Zadeh

Event Photos

Visit the link below to view event photos from the 2022 VYSA Awards Gala. The annual awards gala honors and celebrates awardees from the previous season.

Awards Archives

Explore the previous year’s award winners in all categories.

2023 Annual Award Winners

Administrator of the Year, Nan Beck (CUSC)
Volunteer of the Year, Eric Highsmith
Team Manager of the Year, Tracy Krehbiel (Valley United)
Boys Competitive Coach of the Year, Daynor Garcia (Team America FC)
Girls Competitive Coach of the Year, Roger Friedman (Burke Athletic Club)
Boys Recreational Coach of the Year, Jacob Sahms (Richmond Kickers)
Girls Recreational Coach of the Year, Michael Viala (New River United)
TOPSoccer Coach of the Year, Sean Harrigan (Stafford Soccer)
TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year, Lily Fry (Culpeper Soccer Club)
Young Female Referee of the Year, Morgan Neal (SRP)
Young Male Referee of the Year, Cole Rozwadowski (SRP)

2020 Annual Award Winners

Boys Competitive Coach of the Year, Chris Panayiotou
Girls Competitive Coach of the Year, Gary Malebranche
Boys Recreational Coach of the Year, Eric Tellefsen
Girls Recreational Coach of the Year, John Allison
Administrator of the Year, Susan Simpson
Volunteer of the Year, Tammy Renshaw
Young Female Referee of the Year, Taylor Nicole Lamb
Young Male Referee of the Year, Mathew Ryder
VA/DC Teammate of the Year, Lacey Rousseau
TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year, Evan Bauer

2021 Annual Award Winners

Boys Competitive Coach of the Year, Oscar Feliu
Girls Competitive Coach of the Year, Tom Brown
Boys Recreational Coach of the Year, Meagan Kalchbrenner
Girls Recreational Coach of the Year, Erin East
Administrator of the Year, Melissa Riemer
Volunteer of the Year, Jeff Dramstad
Young Female Referee of the Year, Kayla Emond
Young Male Referee of the Year, Zackery Moss
TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year, Aeshan Kapil