Dave grew up watching the NASL’s Washington Diplomats, hoping to one day become a sports broadcaster. In 1996 he became the television play-by-play voice of DC United. He has done play-by-play for outdoor and indoor soccer on the Fox Soccer Channel and ESPN, including five NCAA Championship games. He also broadcast World Cup 2006 in Germany on XM Satellite Radio. He served as host of a weekly television show for four years on Home Team Sports (now Comcast SportsNet). Dave is also the Sports Director and morning sports anchor on WTOP radio, where he has been recognized three times as Best Radio Sportscaster in Washington. He has also been the radio play-by-play announcer of the NBA’s Washington Wizards for the past 12 years.

 

 

 

Karen first became involved with youth soccer when her two sons began travel soccer in 1985. She spent many years as team manager, Beach FC Soccer Club board member, and Director of the Virginia Beach Columbus Day Tournament. In 1991 she became one of the initial Board members of the Hampton Roads Soccer Council and was named the Executive Director of the Council in 1994. She helped raise $1.5 million over two years, and the 19-field Soccer Complex was opened in 1997. Karen was a member of the VYSA Board of Directors from 1991-1994 and the co-chair of the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships in 2005 and 2006. She has been the tournament director for State Cup and Border Cup games, as well as State ODP tryouts, held in Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Karen has been a VYSA Workshop volunteer for 21 years and was the winner of the Adele Dolansky Exemplary Service Award in 2007

 

 

 

Ken’s accomplishments in soccer include four State Championships as coach of C. D. Hylton High School, two NSCAA Division I High School National Championships, and two US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. He has the most wins by a VHSL Boys Soccer Coach, with an overall record of 386-191-37. Ken served as head coach at Harford Community College from 1977-78, and as assistant coach at American University from 1984-87, where the team was a National Finalist in 1985, and at George Mason University from 1987-88. Ken has also worked with the DC United and Washington Freedom youth programs, where he led his teams to two Final Four appearances and to a National Championship.   He has served on the VYSA ODP and US Youth Soccer Region I staffs. Ken is currently the Technical Director of Player & Coach Development at Prince William Soccer, Inc.

 

 

 

Chip first kicked a soccer ball while at the University of Richmond. He went on to play senior amateur soccer for 20 years. He started soccer programs at three high schools and was the varsity boys’ head coach for 35 years. His teams won numerous District and Regional championships and went to State finals. He was named Virginia Small School Coach of the Year four times, Regional Coach of the Year twice, and was nominated for National Coach of the Year three times. Chip was co-founder of two of the first soccer camps in northern Virginia, and continues today as director of the Chip Rohr Soccer Camp. His proudest achievement is being the longest-serving member of the VYSA Coaching Education Staff, with 29 years of service. He has taught hundreds of coaches who have continued on to the youth, high school, college, and professional levels.

 

 

 

Mac’s service to the game of soccer took the form of founding Soccer Camps, refereeing, and coaching education. In 1976 he founded the Manassas Soccer Camp at the Northern Virginia Community College Manassas campus, in 1978 he co-founded the Linton Hall Soccer Camp, which continues today as Chip Rohr’s Soccer Camp, and in 1983 he founded the Fauquier Soccer camp. Mac served as administrator at all three camps. He became certified as a referee in 1970 and worked in the NASL and ASL, as well as senior amateur matches. He was an active referee and instructor, and helped to develop the referee assessment program. He also hosted VYSA Coaching Education courses at NVCC Manassas for many years.

 

 

  

Alkis was born in Greece and was an international soccer player with Aris F.C. Thessaloniki, Greece.  In 1958 he was named “Most Valuable Player”.  He became the head coach of the Hellenic Soccer Team of New York, and then head coach of the Greek American Soccer Team of New York, which was the USA Champion for three years. In 1983, after several years of coaching Greek teams, Alkis coached the NASL’s Team America, which was based in Washington, DC.  The following year, he coached the United States team in the Olympics and, in 1995, at the World Cup qualifiers.  He returned to Olympiakos, which won two more Greek Championships, and then to Aris, Thessaloniki.  In 1992 Alkis was named head coach of the National Team of Greece, which participated in the 1994 World Cup.  He currently is a FIFA Instructor on the Technical Committee.

 

 

Dave Williams (Meritorious Service (deceased)) - Inducted 2009

Dave had a successful soccer career as a player at West Virginia’s Bethany College. After moving to northern Virginia, he began his coaching career at Annandale High School, where he volunteered as coach for the boys and girls varsity and junior varsity teams.  He accepted no money for his services, as he felt it was his duty to give back to the community. At the same time, he coached with the Annandale Boys and Girls Club and Bethany Soccer Camps, and was also a Region I Girls ODP Goalkeeping Coach.  For the last five years of his life, he served as the VYSA TOPSoccer chair, setting up TOPSoccer programs and conducting clinics for children with special needs.  His passion for making soccer “a game for all kids” greatly increased the number of players and buddies who participated in and benefitted from TOPSoccer.  Accepting Dave’s award are his fiancée, Lynn McCoy, and his daughter, Casey Baker.

 

 

 

Gary Allen led his Randolph-Macon College team to the Virginia College Athletics Championship in 1972. While still in college he was named as an alternate to the US Olympic Team.   After college he began his coaching career, coaching both Men’s and Women’s Division I College programs, high school teams, state and regional Olympic Development teams, and a Women’s State Team that won three National Championships. Gary became the youngest coach in Virginia to attain the US Soccer “A” License, was Virginia’s first ODP coach and one of the first two Coaching Education instructors in the state. In 1980 he was appointed as Co-Director of the Eastern US Regional Camp for the Olympic Sports Festival. In 1994 he became a member of the US National Coaching Staff. Over the years, Gary has coached 31 players who made All-American in college and 17 players who made the US National Teams. He has received national attention for his many articles concerning youth soccer development in the United States.

 

 

Ferdinand Paciolla (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2008

Ferdinand Paciolla had a major impact on youth soccer in Northern Virginia. He was involved in the creation and administration of the National Capital Soccer League, and served as Chair of the Rules and Discipline Committee, League Commissioner, and President. He was instrumental in the development of the Springfield Youth Club, particularly the establishment of the travel soccer program. He helped to establish a standardized coaching program. He also started the WAGS Tournament and the Capital Cup. Ferdinand holds a USSF “C” License and coached the Springfield Boys Club ‘67 Raiders, the Annandale Boys Club ‘67 Sabres, and the Annandale Boys Club ‘70 Cavaliers, all NCSL Division I teams, for many years. He is also a USSF-FIFA Licensed referee.

 

 

Kevin Payne (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2008

Kevin Payne was the National Administrator for the US Soccer Federation in 1989, then became the Deputy Executive Director and Director of Marketing for the Federation. In 1991 he became Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Soccer, USA Partners, and, two years later, its president. Kevin helped to form a charter group of investors for the creation of Major League Soccer, and also put together the original investment group for DC United, serving as President and General Manager of the team until 2001. He then joined AEG as Senior Vice President and Managing Director, overseeing six MLS teams. He returned to DC United in 2004 as President and CEO. Kevin currently sits on the MLS Board of Governors, the US Soccer Federation’s Board of Directors, the US Soccer Foundation’s Board, and the DC United Board.

 

 

 

Lauren was an All-American at the University of North Carolina and was the captain of the 1982 NCAA championship squad. She won a national title as assistant coach at UNC, and then joined the Harvard staff as an assistant coach. She was the women’s head coach at the University of Virginia from 1988through the 1995 seasons, earning a trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1991 and a total of seven consecutive NCAA tournament bids. She was named the NSCAA Coach of the Year in 1990, the only woman to receive that honor. Lauren became the first woman to serve as an assistant coach for the US Women’s National Team in 1989. Her teams won the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Championship in China, the 1995 Women’s World Cup in Sweden, and the 1996 gold medal at the Olympics. Lauren then became head coach of the U21 US Women’s National Team which won the Nordic Cup in 1997 and 1999, and earned a silver medal in 1998. She is the author of The Champion Within, Training For Excellence and is currently the US State Department’s USSF Sports Envoy to Nigeria. 

 

 

 Jay Hoffman (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2007

Jay played his college soccer at Pennsylvania’s East Stroudsburg University.   Over the next several years, he was the head coach at three colleges and assistant coach for two NASL teams.   He then coached with the MISL’s New Jersey Rockets, Buffalo Stallions, and Cleveland Force. Jay assisted in the writing of Project Gold and Project 2010, the Women’s and Men’s Player Development Programs, along with US Soccer’s state and national coaching license materials. He coached the U17 (assistant) and U20 (assistant and head) Men’s National Teams. Jay was the head coach of both the 1999 Women’s Pan Am Gold Medal team and the 1999 Women’s World Cup Championship teams, and went on to become head coach for the Boston Breakers of the WUSA. Jay is currently the head coach of both the USL Division 1 Virginia Beach Mariners and the US Paralympics National Team. He is also the Director of Academy Coaching at the Virginia Rush Soccer Club, and has recently been named the Region I Boys ODP Program Head Coach as well as the VYSA Boys Coach of the Year.


 

Rael was born in Missouri, moved to northern Virginia in 1971, and quickly became involved with her children’s soccer activities as the Girls’ League Coordinator with the Annandale Boy’s Club. Rael realized the need for expansion that would allow the opportunity for girls to develop both their soccer skills and their friendships. She contacted seven area clubs that had girls’ soccer and began to organize the Washington Area Girls Soccer League. Rael was the first president of WAGSL. She stepped down after a successful first year to become the first vice president of the Metropolitan DC-Virginia Soccer Association. She served the following year as WAGSL president again. One of her dreams for the league was the hosting of an all-girls’ tournament, and the WAGS Tournament was begun in 1975. In addition to her achievements with WAGSL, Rael was an activist who worked to have girls’ soccer recognized as a high school varsity sport in Northern Virginia.

 

 

Jac is currently the boys’ varsity head soccer coach at Centreville High School as well as a U15 WAGS coach. Prior to taking those positions, he spent 13 years as the head women’s coach at George Mason University, where his teams made five NCAA tournament appearances and where he won College Division I Coach of the Year Honors in 1993. Jac was a Region I ODP girls’ head coach for 17 years and ODP boys’ staff coach for three years. The women’s U20 National Team was the winner of the first U20 European Championships while he was the assistant coach. His Olympic Sports Festival Women’s team won a silver medal in 1993. Jac was the boys’ varsity coach at Lake Braddock Secondary School for 10 years, where the team won four state championships and he earned National High School Coach of the Year Honors in 1983 and 1990. He was named the 1987 US Youth Soccer Boys Coach of the Year. Jac was also a VYSA charter Board member.

 

 

April Heinrichs (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2006

April was the head coach of the U.S. Women‘s National Team from 2000 – 2005, the first woman to hold that position. In 2003, she led the
US to a third-place finish in the Women’s World Cup, and the next year to a gold medal victory at the 2004 Olympics in Greece. April played four years at the University of North Carolina where she was named First-Team All-American three times. She then played professionally with the Italian Club team Prato. In 1991 she captained the US to the Women’s World Cup title. She served as head coach at Princeton, the University of Maryland, and the University of Virginia. April also was head coach of the U16 National Team for four years. Her honors include being named US Soccer’s Chevrolet Female Athlete of the Year in both 1986 and 1989 and Soccer America’s Female Player of the 1980s. April was the first female player inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame, and, in 2000, was named as the inaugural recipient of the NSCAA Women’s Committee Award of Excellence.

 

 

Peter Johnson (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2006

Peter was born in England and played local and semi-pro soccer in Leeds. He started coaching in 1960, then moved to the United States in 1968. Peter coached youth soccer teams in Maryland and northern Virginia from 1969 to 2002, and has coached high school soccer from 1970 to the present, for a total of 54 seasons. Peter’s club teams won more than 30 state championships, nine teams went to Regionals and, in 1984 and 1992, his teams won National Championships. His high school teams won four Metro Washington championships, five Virginia State Catholic Championships, and several tournament championships.   Peter won National Youth Coach of the Year honors in 1984 and was inducted into the De Matha High School Hall of Fame in 2001. Peter was also the first National referee from Virginia, is past president of the Northern Virginia High School Soccer Coaches Association, and began the Soccer Start program in Washington, DC.

 

 

 

Al was the head men’s soccer coach at the College of William and Mary for 33 years, after graduating from that college in 1969. Over the course of his coaching career, his teams have amassed 401 wins, made 12 NCAA appearances, and finished in the Final 8 in both 1980 and 1996. He is one of only eight Division 1 college coaches to have won 400 games.   Al has owned and operated the Tidewater Soccer Camps for over 30 years. He helped to establish the Williamsburg Soccer Club in 1974, and is still a director. He is an officer in many local and national soccer organizations; he is past president of the National Soccer Coaches Association. He received the Bill Jeffrey Award from the NCSAA to honor his longtime contribution to college soccer. Al is currently the Associate Director of Athletic Development at the College of William and Mary, as well as the executive director for Soccer Community Partnerships of America.

 

 Dave Amsler (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2005

Dave’s soccer career began at the age of six. He went on to become a three-time All South Selection and four-time Most Valuable Player at Campbell College, NC. In 1971 he organized a summer soccer league in Richmond, in 1976 he formed the Richmond Strikers, and in 1985 he founded the FC Richmond Magic. Dave was active for 20 years in both boys and girls ODP as a Region 1 staff coach and a Virginia State team coach. He also served as Director of the JCP State Coaching School for ten years. During his career, Dave has coached and participated in the development of 12 National Team players, several college, high school, and Parade All-Americans, 20 professional players, and 3 professional-level coaches. Among his proudest achievements is the Virginia Club Champions League, which he formed in 1997. The VCCL has grown to eight clubs from all over Virginia and continues to be one of the most progressive and competitive leagues in the country.

 

 

 

Bob was an NSCAA All-American at Broome Community College. After entering the Navy in 1963, he was stationed in Turkey where he played and coached on a base team and played and trained with a local village team. He moved and founded the Virginia Beach Soccer Club in 1977. For many years Bob worked with recreational, travel, junior high and high school teams, winning many league and tournament championships. He also coached U14 Girls at the State level for six years. In 1985, Bob’s ’72 Fury won State Cup, he was co-chair of the All-Navy team, and he was selected as the VYSA Boys Coach of the Year. Bob has served on the Boards and as President of Virginia Beach Soccer Club, Beach FC, Southeastern Virginia Soccer League, and the Southeastern Virginia Soccer Referees Association. Beach FC has honored him by issuing annual scholarships in his name to a graduating boy and girl.

 

 

John Kerr, Sr. (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2004

 

John Kerr began his career in the in 1968 with the NASL’s Detroit Cougars. That same year he also captained the Canadian National Team in the World Cup Elimination Tournament. For the next several years he played with the ASL Washington Darts and coached at Georgetown University and American University. John next played with the HOTA Club of the German American Soccer League, the New York Cosmos, Club of the Mexican First Division, and then back to the Cosmos. He was named #10 on Soccer America’s 20 Men of Influence in Soccer in 1981. His Montgomery United team won the U16 North American Championship in 1981. He also coached the Fairfax Spartans to the National Amateur Championships in 1986. In 1997, John organized the first Soccer Players Association and the first Players Association in the Major Indoor Soccer League, and negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreements, including freedom of contract for the players, in both of those agreements.  
 

 

 

 

Mike’s soccer career began at the University of Maine at Farmington, where he was a goalkeeper and team captain. His collegiate coaching career began at Maine’s Thomas College. He then led UNC-Greensboro to NCAA Division II national titles in 1982 and 1983. Next, at Old Dominion, his team won the 1987 Sun Belt Conference Championship. In 1996, Mike guided Notre Dame through its most successful season, when they won the Big East Tournament Championship. He was the National Director of Coaching for the NSCAA, the NCAA National Coach of the Year, Division III, in 1982, and the Midwest Conference Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994. Mike was honored by the Maine Sports Hall of Fame with the 1997 Outstanding Achievement Award and the 1995 Presidential Award, and was inducted into the Maine-Farmington Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, shortly before he passed away. 

 

 

Don Hood (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2003

 

 Don’s soccer career began in the UK, where he played in school, while serving in the British Army, and on an amateur team. When he moved to Massachusetts, he began 20 years of officiating; after a move to Virginia he continued refereeing while starting administrative duties. Don was the State Referee Administrator for the Metro-D.C./Virginia Soccer Association for seven years, was the first State Referee Instructor, and was the first NASL Assessor.   He was the President of the DC/NOVA Soccer Referees Unit for three years and was selected as the DC/NOVA “Man of the Year” in 1983. Don was a member and Chairman of the Region I Appeals Committee and was the Amateur delegate to the Metro D.C./Virginia State Referee Committee for many years.  

 

 

 

 

Hank is the Head Coach of the Northern Virginia Majestics and is a member of the VYSA Coaching Education Staff. He was the Head Women’s Soccer Coach at George Mason University for ten years, the U.S. National Women’s Team Assistant Coach for five years, and the U.S. Youth National Women’s Team Head Coach for four years. Hank has also been the VYSA Director of Coaching, a U.S. Soccer staff coach, and the EPYSA Director of Coaching. He was a member of the U.S. Youth Soccer Region I Staff for many years. Hank was named National Coach of the Year by the U.S. Youth Soccer Association in 1982, by the NCAA in 1985, and by the W-League in 2000. 

 

 

Arena has been coaching soccer since his college graduation. At the University of Virginia he won five NCAA Division I Championships and received seven ACC Coach of the Year honors, along with the National Coach of the Year Award in 1993. He led D. C. United to victory in the MLS Cup during its inaugural season, and the following year earned MLS Coach of the Year honors. In 1998 he took over as head coach of the U. S. Men’s National Team with the goal of qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan. His team finished in third place at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Mexico in 1999 and in first place at the 2000 Nike U. S. Cup. As he approaches his 50^th game at the helm of the U. S. Men, Arena has compiled a 22-12-12 record.

 

 

John Koskinen (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2002 

After graduation from Law School and during a career in both public service and the private sector, Koskinen coached youth soccer for ten years, and was named the 1989 Women’s Coach of the Year in Maryland. He was a founder of the American Soccer League, and the owner of the Washington Stars and later the Maryland Bays. Koskinen was elected as one of the nine original directors of the US Soccer Foundation in 1994. He was the chair of Soccer “94 DC Region and was responsible for bringing the ‘94 World Cup Games and the “96 Olympic Soccer Games to Washington. He is currently a member of the Advisory Committee to the President, US Soccer Federation, and was reappointed last year as Director, US Soccer Foundation.

 

 

Watson began his soccer activities in the late 1960’s with the Annandale Boys Club where he helped to organize the club’s first Girls League. In 1970 he was elected Junior Commissioner for the National Soccer League of Washington. Two years later he became active in the newly-formed Metropolitan D. C. – Virginia Soccer Association State Youth Cups, and has served as president since 1975. Watson has served for over ten years as chairperson of the Select Team Committee of the United States Amateur Soccer Association. He was the Secretary and Deputy Director of USASA Region I and became Director in 1990. He has represented the USASA Region I on the USSF National Board of Directors for over 11 years.

                  

 

 

Derflinger began her soccer career when she coached a girl’s team in Lee-Mt. Vernon (1969). She teamed with Rael Vodicka in the early 1970’s to form the Washington Area Girls Soccer League (WAGS), where she served as treasurer. Derflinger was elected the President of the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) and was named the Region I Director for United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) by the mid-1970’s. She became the first female Board member of the US Soccer Federation (USSF) in the early 1980’s and in 1986 was elected Chairman of US Youth Soccer, which put her on the USSF Executive Committee. Derflinger fought tirelessly for funding for the US Women’s program and sees the US Women’s development as one of her proudest achievements. USSF voted her a “Life Member” in 1990. She received the Sporting Goods Manufacturers of America “National Heroes Award” in 1995 for her dedication to soccer in the local community.

 

 

 Adele Dolansky (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2001

Dolansky started her soccer work in 1974 as a coach for Fairfax Police Youth Club (FPYC), moving on to coach in the Washington Area Girls Soccer League (WAGS) in 1976. She served as FPYC’s Vice President during this period. Dolansky was elected WAGS President in 1977 and served in that role until 1997. Her tenure with the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) included serving as Vice President from 1982-1985 and as President from 1985-1994. Dolansky became a Sub-Regional Director for US Youth Soccer (USYSA) in 1994 and served on the founding Board of US Soccer Foundation and as Secretary from 1994-1997. She continues as Region I Cup Committee Chairman and is the USYSA Region I Administrator. Dolansky has received USYSA’s Region I Female Volunteer Recipient Award in 1991, was selected VYSA’s first “Adele Dolansky Exemplary Service Award” in 1996, and was selected for NSCAA’s “Youth Long-Term Achievement Award” in 1998.

 

 Ed Fath (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2001

 

Eddie Fath served soccer in Washington DC for 30 years until he passed away in 1985. He founded the Washington Internationals Soccer Club and Myron Corwell, organized Washington All-Star teams, and staged numerous “soccer events” for the Washington DC area. Fath used his position at the Washington Star and contact with the Baltimore papers to continually promote the game. Fath could rightfully be called “Mr. Soccer” in Washington DC during the period from the mid-1950’s through the mid-1970’s. Also a player, Fath’s strengths were in continually organizing and promoting the game in our area when it was still considered a “foreign sport”.

 

 Everett Germain (Meritorious Service) - Inducted 2001

 

Germain is one of the true pioneers in Virginia Soccer, called the “father of youth soccer in Northern Virginia”. Active in the sport for 38 years, he founded one of the first premier soccer clubs in the area, the Annandale Boys and Girls Club, and was instrumental in launching Montgomery Soccer (MSI), Sterling Youth Soccer, Lee-Mt. Vernon Soccer Association, National Capital Soccer League (NCSL) and Washington Area Girls Soccer League (WAGS). He also started Women’s College soccer in Virginia. Germain remains active as the Annandale club’s President. He worked with the Washington Darts in the early 1960’s to develop the club’s youth team, the “Junior Darts”, and founded soccer’s first apprenticeship program connecting youth soccer and Northern Virginia Community College. Germain developed numerous NCAA Division I and National Team players and was instrumental in enlisting top European coaches, such as Will Coerver, to develop our soccer programs.

 

 

 

Larry became actively involved with soccer in 1970 when he assisted in establishing Soccer on the Hill, the first Washington DC youth soccer league. Monaco subsequently became a US Soccer Federation (USSF) referee and received the USSF “D” Coaching license. From 1984-1997, Monaco served on VYSA’s Board of Directors, including stints as Vice President and Secretary. Nationally, Monaco has served on US Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) and USSF Appeals and Rules Committees, chairing the latter. From 1994-1998, Monaco served as USSF Executive Vice President and on the USSF Foundation’s Board of Directors. In 1999, he was elected USYSA’s Vice President.
 

 

 

 

One of the true pioneers of Virginia soccer, Towner founded the Potomac Kiwanis Soccer Club in 1969, and has served since then as its Treasurer. He has also been a coach and club manager. In 1970, he helped to found the Arlington Soccer Association, serving as an officer and continuing Board member. Towner was elected President of the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) in 1982, serving until 1985. VYSA membership grew from 6,000 to 31,000 during this period. Towner also established the VYSA Newsletter. Towner has served as US Youth Soccer (USYSA) Sub Regional Director, USYSA Regional Director, and on the US Soccer Federation (USSF) Board of Directors. He has held numerous committee chairmanships with both USYSA and USSF, and wrote a weekly soccer column for the Northern Virginia Sun. Towner’s honors include Arlington Interservice Club Council’s “Man of the Year” for youth soccer development (1970), the Virginia Parks and Recreation Society’s award for “Outstanding Support and Achievement for Volunteer Services” (1973) and selection by Better Sports Club as the Arlington “Sportsman of the Year” (1989).