US Youth Soccer & NH Soccer couldn’t be prouder to congratulate our 2023 award winner Kevin Skarupa from Merrimack Youth Soccer for all he has achieved this past year! Kevin was selected as 2023 Competitive Boys Coach of the Year in the East region.

Kevin’s dedication, hard work, and passion for youth sports have truly paid off. Join us in celebrating their remarkable accomplishments and let’s show Kevin some love.

US Youth Soccer’s Regional Award Winners Honored

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 Year – Terry Reed (Delaware)
• Boys Competitive Coach of the Year – Kevin Skarupa (New Hampshire)
• Boys Recreation Coach of the Year – Nate Testman (West Virginia)
• Girls Competitive Coach of the Year – Kyle Courteau (Massachusetts)
• Girls Recreation Coach of the Year – Lloyd McIntyre (West Virginia)
• TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year – Matt Rosenthal (New Jersey)
• TOPSoccer Coach of the Year – Timothy Schwabenbaurer (Eastern New York)
• Volunteer of the Year – Dana Santilli (Massachusetts)
• Young Female Referee of the Year – Kayla Romine (Virginia)
• Young Male Referee of the Year – John Allen (West Virginia)

MIDWEST REGION
• Administrator of the Year – Brittany Monroe (Kentucky)
• Boys Competitive Coach of the Year – Trent Heil (Michigan)
• Boys Recreation Coach of the Year – Joseph Schmidt (Ohio)
• Girls Competitive Coach of the Year – Simon Davis (Ohio)
• Girls Recreation Coach of the Year – Christina Fidkowski (Michigan)
• TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year – Rayna Young (Wisconsin)
• TOPSoccer Coach of the Year – Brooklyn Turner (Wisconsin)
• Volunteer of the Year – Tracy Black (Kentucky)
• Young Female Referee of the Year – Alexis Pickerel (Michigan)
• Young Male Referee of the Year – Jack Ryan (Wisconsin)

SOUTH REGION
• Administrator of the Year – Rob Martella (North Texas)
• Boys Competitive Coach of the Year – Cesar Salinas (Tennessee)
• Boys Recreation Coach of the Year – Jeremy Lansing (Tennessee)
• Girls Competitive Coach of the Year – Gentry Johnson (Mississippi)
• Girls Recreation Coach of the Year – Edith Verastegui (North Texas)
• TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year – Ashlyn Oglesby (North Texas)
• TOPSoccer Coach of the Year – Elizabeth Warlick (Tennessee)
• Volunteer of the Year – Rufus Woodard (Tennessee)
• Young Female Referee of the Year – Janna McNulty (Louisiana)
• Young Male Referee of the Year – Edson Lopez (North Texas)

WEST REGION
• Administrator of the Year – Trent Hultman (Wyoming)
• Boys Competitive Coach of the Year – David Ferguson (Wyoming)
• Boys Recreation Coach of the Year – Thomas Adu (Wyoming)
• Girls Competitive Coach of the Year – Brian Hokanson (Wyoming)
• Girls Recreation Coach of the Year – Vic Bonilla (New Mexico)
• TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year – Emma Coughenour (Wyoming)
• TOPSoccer Coach of the Year – Stacey Umbach (Wyoming)
• Volunteer of the Year – Jim Handy (Washington)
• Young Female Referee of the Year – Ingrid Yan (Washington)
• Young Male Referee of the Year – Jacob 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, Calif., 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.