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US Youth Soccer’s National Award Winners Chosen

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FRISCO, Texas (November 27, 2023) – One week after announcing the recipients of its regional awards, US Youth Soccer is thrilled to share this year’s national award winners.

Each of US Youth Soccer’s four regions (East, Midwest, South and Far West) had a State Association with a national winner, acting as a testament to the many strong nominations submitted this year. The following individuals stood out throughout a weeks-long voting process that started at the state-wide level.

national award winners

Administrator of the YearRob Martella (North Texas)
Boys Competitive Coach of the YearTrent Heil (Michigan)
Boys Recreation Coach of the YearNate Testman (West Virginia)
Girls Competitive Coach of the YearSimon Davis (Ohio)
Girls Recreation Coach of the YearLloyd McIntyre (West Virginia)
TOPSoccer Buddy of the YearEmma Coughenour (Wyoming)
TOPSoccer Coach of the YearBrooklyn Turner (Wisconsin)
Volunteer of the YearDana Santilli (Massachusetts)
Young Female Referee of the YearKayla Romine (Virginia)
Young Male Referee of the YearJohn Allen (West Virginia)

Each recipient has been invited to attend US Youth Soccer’s 2024 awards event, “The Ball.” Held in Anaheim, California, The Ball will take place on January 12, 2024, in conjunction with the USYS Workshop at the United Soccer Coaches Convention.

About US Youth Soccer

US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organization in the country, is on a mission to provide world-class support, resources, and leadership, helping every member fulfill their goals on and off the field of play. US Youth Soccer registers nearly 2.5 million players annually. Through its programming, resources and leadership, US Youth Soccer is advancing the game for its 54 Member State Associations, 10,000 clubs and leagues and nearly 1 million administrators, coaches, and volunteers. US Youth Soccer connects families and communities to the power of sports and its shared love of soccer. US Youth Soccer provides a path for every player, offering programs that provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game.

-USYS-

US Youth Soccer’s Regional Award Winners Honored

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FRISCO, Texas (November 20, 2023) – US Youth Soccer (USYS) announced today the regional recipients of its annual awards. Nineteen different State Associations from across the country were represented with a regional award winner, showcasing the true scope of USYS.

Following a voting process that started at the state-wide level, the following candidates will now be considered for the national honor in each respective category.

East region

Administrator of the YearTerry Reed (Delaware)
Boys Competitive Coach of the YearKevin Skarupa (New Hampshire)
Boys Recreation Coach of the YearNate Testman (West Virginia)
Girls Competitive Coach of the YearKyle Courteau (Massachusetts)
Girls Recreation Coach of the YearLloyd McIntyre (West Virginia)
TOPSoccer Buddy of the YearMatt Rosenthal (New Jersey)
TOPSoccer Coach of the YearTimothy Schwabenbaurer (Eastern New York)
Volunteer of the YearDana Santilli (Massachusetts)
Young Female Referee of the YearKayla Romine (Virginia)
Young Male Referee of the YearJohn Allen (West Virginia)

MIDWEST region

Administrator of the YearBrittany Monroe (Kentucky)
Boys Competitive Coach of the YearTrent Heil (Michigan)
Boys Recreation Coach of the YearJoseph Schmidt (Ohio)
Girls Competitive Coach of the YearSimon Davis (Ohio)
Girls Recreation Coach of the YearChristina Fidkowski (Michigan)
TOPSoccer Buddy of the YearRayna Young (Wisconsin)
TOPSoccer Coach of the YearBrooklyn Turner (Wisconsin)
Volunteer of the YearTracy Black (Kentucky)
Young Female Referee of the YearAlexis Pickerel (Michigan)
Young Male Referee of the YearJack Ryan (Wisconsin)

SOUTH region

Administrator of the YearRob Martella (North Texas)
Boys Competitive Coach of the YearCesar Salinas (Tennessee)
Boys Recreation Coach of the YearJeremy Lansing (Tennessee)
Girls Competitive Coach of the YearGentry Johnson (Mississippi)
Girls Recreation Coach of the YearEdith Verastegui (North Texas)
TOPSoccer Buddy of the YearAshlyn Oglesby (North Texas)
TOPSoccer Coach of the YearElizabeth Warlick (Tennessee)
Volunteer of the YearRufus Woodard (Tennessee)
Young Female Referee of the YearJanna McNulty (Lousiana)
Young Male Referee of the YearEdson Lopez (North Texas)

WEST region

Administrator of the YearTrent Hultman (Wyoming)
Boys Competitive Coach of the YearDavid Ferguson (Wyoming)
Boys Recreation Coach of the YearThomas Adu (Wyoming)
Girls Competitive Coach of the YearBrian Hokanson (Wyoming)
Girls Recreation Coach of the YearVic Bonilla (New Mexico)
TOPSoccer Buddy of the YearEmma Coughenour (Wyoming)
TOPSoccer Coach of the YearStacey Umbach (Wyoming)
Volunteer of the YearJim Handy (Washington)
Young Female Referee of the YearIngrid Yan (Washington)
Young Male Referee of the YearJacob Dirks (Arizona)

National winners will be announced later this month, and each recipient will be honored at the 2024 US Youth Soccer awards event, “The Ball.” Set to be held on January 12, 2024, The Ball will be held in Anaheim, California, in conjunction with the USYS Workshop at the United Soccer Coaches Convention.

About US Youth Soccer

US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organization in the country, is on a mission to provide world-class support, resources, and leadership, helping every member fulfill their goals on and off the field of play. US Youth Soccer registers nearly 2.5 million players annually. Through its programming, resources and leadership, US Youth Soccer is advancing the game for its 54 Member State Associations, 10,000 clubs and leagues and nearly 1 million administrators, coaches, and volunteers. US Youth Soccer connects families and communities to the power of sports and its shared love of soccer. US Youth Soccer provides a path for every player, offering programs that provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game.

US Youth Soccer Reveals 2023-24 Event Locations Ahead of 50th Anniversary

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FRISCO, Texas (October 12, 2023) – US Youth Soccer (USYS) is thrilled to kick off its year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary by revealing the full slate of major events for the 2023-24 season.

The event schedule, which features competition in five U.S. time zones, includes National Championship Series, Presidents Cup and National League events, plus USYS Olympic Development Program (ODP) teams playing in established tournaments against club and international teams for the second-straight year.

Headlining the list is a return to the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kan., for National Presidents Cup and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., for Nationals to close down our championship season.

  • National League Elite 64 Playoffs: Legacy Park in Mesa, Ariz., from November 3-6, 2023, and November 10-13, 2023.
  • National League Conference Playoffs: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., from December 1-4, 2023, and December 8-11, 2023.
  • Olympic Development Program (ODP) Interregionals: ChampionsGate Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., from January 18-22, 2024 (Girls), and January 24-28, 2024 (Boys).
  • National League Elite 64 Playoffs: Austin Tindall Sports Complex and ChampionsGate Sports Complex in Greater Orlando, Fla., from January 19-23, 2024, and January 26-30, 2024.
  • National League P.R.O.: Tournament Sportsplex of Tampa Bay in Tampa, Fla., from February 23-27, 2024.
  • Dallas Cup (ODP): Multiple facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, from March 23-31, 2024.
  • Easter International Cup (ODP): Multiple facilities in Greater Orlando, Fla., from March 27-30, 2024.
  • National League P.R.O.: SoCal Sports Complex in Oceanside, Calif., from May 3-7, 2024.
  • Eastern Presidents Cup: Shawnee Sports Complex in Charleston, W.Va., and the Barboursville Soccer Complex in Barboursville, W.VA., from June 14-18, 2024.
  • Midwest Presidents Cup: Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls, S.D., from June 14-18, 2024.
  • Southern Presidents Cup: Russell Creek Park in Plano, Texas, from June 14-18, 2024.
  • Far West Presidents Cup: Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah, from June 14-18, 2024.
  • Midwest Regional Championships: Garmin Olathe Soccer Complex in Olathe, Kan., and Schools Overland Park Soccer Complex in Overland Park, Kan., from June 21-26, 2024.
  • Southern Regional Championships: Tournament Sportsplex of Tampa Bay in Tampa, Fla., and the Lake Myrtle Soccer Complex in Auburndale, Fla., from June 21-27, 2024.
  • Far West Regional Championships: Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex in Honolulu, Hawaii, from June 21-27, 2024.
  • Eastern Regional Championships: Shawnee Sports Complex in Charleston, W.Va., and the Barboursville Soccer Complex in Barboursville, W.Va., from June 27 – July 3, 2024.
  • National Presidents Cup: Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kan., from July 12-16, 2024.
  • National Championships: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., from July 23-28, 2024.

There will be much to recognize in 2024, whether it be the newly-crowned champions of Presidents Cup and our National Championships or USYS’ anniversary. As the calendar gets ready to flip, US Youth Soccer is excited to embark on a year-round celebration commemorating its 50 years of growing the game by revealing new, branded marks for the landmark.

The 50th anniversary marks include primarily blue and primarily red versions of the shield logo, as well as one where the “50” is gold in a nod to the golden anniversary.

US Youth Soccer was founded in 1974 and features 2.5 million players participating annually. Its mission is “To provide world-class support, resources, and leadership, helping every member fulfill their goals on and off the field of play.”

USYS also unveiled a campaign slogan “It Starts with US | Youth Soccer,” where the “US” serves as a double entendre, representing both the word “us” and the United States portion of the organizational name.

Video reveal of new campaign slogan and 50th-anniversary mark can be found here.

“We are proud to celebrate our 50th anniversary and thank the millions of players who have donned the USYS shield over the last five decades,” said US Youth Soccer CEO Skip Gilbert.

“We recognize those who founded our wonderful organization and the executives at our national office and the State Associations who made — and continue to make — US Youth Soccer what it is today. Most, we want to acknowledge past and present players, coaches, volunteers, parents and family members who are the lifeblood of our organization.”

About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer)

US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organization in the country, is on a mission to provide world-class support, resources, and leadership, helping every member fulfill their goals on and off the field of play. US Youth Soccer registers nearly 2.5 million players annually. Through its programming, resources and leadership, US Youth Soccer is advancing the game for its 54 Member State Associations, 10,000 clubs and leagues and one million administrators, coaches, and volunteers. US Youth Soccer connects families and communities to the power of sports and its shared love of soccer. US Youth Soccer provides a path for every player, coach and referee offering programs that provide a fun, safe and healthy environment at every level of the game.

-USYS-

ASA X MOJO

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Alabama Soccer Association is excited to officially announce our strategic partnership with MOJO–a new mobile app that makes youth sports fun again. As an official USYS Grassroots Education Partner, MOJO takes the stress and chaos out of coaching with curated practice plans, video demos, and other resources.

Just starting out or simply need a helping hand? MOJO has your back for the upcoming season regardless of your experience. Head to the Apple app store today and download it for free!

BIRMINGHAM, Al. (Feb. 9, 2021) — Alabama Soccer Association (a member of US Youth Soccer) and MOJO are proud to announce a dynamic partnership to put the magic back into youth sports by providing coaches, clubs and teams across Alabama with a one-stop coach-in-a-box mobile app that takes the aggravation and chaos out of coaching.

The partnership comes at a crucial time in youth sports as COVID-19 has compounded existing challenges for teams and coaches across the country. As the spring 2021 soccer season approaches, ASA and MOJO hope to enrich and improve the grassroots soccer experience with easy-to-use technology and world-class educational content developed by top coaches, experts and elite athletes.

Alabama Soccer Association coaches and parents will be able to access the free MOJO app which features exclusive short-form videos customized to age and skill level with one-touch tools to plan fun and engaging practices. Alabama coaches can download the free MOJO app through the App Store and create a profile affiliated with Alabama Soccer Association. Once they create a profile, they will have access to MOJO’s library of content and practice plans personalized to their preferences and their team’s needs.

“What MOJO offers to our grassroots coaches is unparalleled,” said Jennifer Pfeiffer, the Executive Director of Alabama Soccer Association. “We’re excited for our 900 youth coaches to see the caliber of content and curriculum that MOJO provides. It’s an incredible resource for us to provide to support more than 15,000 players across the state.”

“We’re delighted to partner with Alabama Soccer Association, helping support the return to play and bringing the magic back to youth sports,” said Reed Shaffner, Co-Founder and COO of MOJO. “MOJO is all about helping coaches create the best possible experience for their players with minimal work, so that instead they can focus on the moments that matter – having fun out on the field.”

The new partnership with Alabama Soccer Association represents MOJO’s commitment to building strategic relationships with leading youth sports organizations, clubs and teams in the U.S. and around the world. The partnership also establishes MOJO as an Official Grassroots Coaching Partner of Alabama Soccer Association. The free MOJO app provides everything a coach needs for a season of soccer with one team and one practice per week. Coaches can also upgrade to MOJO+ for $19.99, with additional content and features, including unlimited practices per week and the Ask-A-Coach feature for 24-hour access to experienced MOJO coaches. A portion of all MOJO+ proceeds from Alabama will go back to supporting teams, players and clubs in need across the state.

About MOJO: MOJO is on a mission to make youth sports more fun for everyone – one kid, one coach, one family, one team at a time. Launched in early February 2021, MOJO is a robust digital platform that empowers parents who coach youth sports to bring world-class training to the largest pool of players in the world – kids aged 13 and under. MOJO believes that youth sports have the power to transform lives, not just for the kids on the field but the coaches and parents on the sidelines. MOJO is committed to equity, inclusion and helping to level the playing field for kids everywhere. For more information, visit www.mojo.sport.

About Alabama Soccer Association: As the Alabama affiliate of US Soccer and US Youth Soccer, the Alabama Soccer Association (ASA) is a non-profit and educational organization whose mission is to foster the physical, mental, and emotional growth of players of all ages, by creating and increasing opportunities for wholesome participation. ASA has a current membership of over 15,000 registered youth players and approximately 2,000 active