The national Volunteer of the Year will be announced at the Awards Gala on Friday, February 8 as part of the US Youth Soccer adidas Workshop in Pittsburgh.

  

Brief bios of the regional winners are below based on the submitted application forms:

 

Region I – Roberta L. Rickert, Manchester, CT

Roberta L. Rickert, from Manchester, CT, has served as the president of the Manchester Soccer Club since 1999. She also serves as the risk management chairperson, is the tournament director of the Nutmeg Tournament, is a team manager for an Under-10 team, coaches an Under-17 recreational team and became a certified referee to better learn the rules of the game. Rickert helps to promote soccer for all children, both recreational and competitive. She is an excellent role model and continues to be a good ambassador for the sport.

 

Region II - John Duvall, Paris, KY

John Duvall, of Paris, KY, has served many roles for the Paris Youth Soccer Association over the past eight years. John has coached recreational and competitive teams, worked as a registrar and scheduler, and he currently coaches an Under-14 competitive team. John is also frequently available to referee making sure all games are adequately covered. On top of these responsibilities, he also supervises and maintains the fields and also prepares the materials for off-season storage. Duvall donates his time and effort to ensure that young soccer players in his community have an organization and a facility to pursue their soccer dreams.

 

Region III - Patti Wilson, Saucier, MS

Patti Wilson, from Saucier, MS, volunteers for the D’Iberville Youth Soccer Organization. She started the first year of the club’s US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer). Because her own seven-year-old triplets are part of the program, the level playing field is very important to her family. She has traveled hundreds of miles to talk to schools and organizations about TOPSoccer. She also volunteered to contact businesses for sponsorships and she is the TOPSoccer photographer. She is dedicated to the program and its players.

 

Region IV – Sandy Castillo, Placentia, CA
Sandy Castillo, from Placentia, CA, started the first US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer program in the California Youth Soccer Association - South at the Junior United Soccer Association about 16 years ago. The program has since grown from 5 to over 90 players. Castillo is the Director of TOPSoccer for her club and the TOPSoccer Chairperson for California Youth Soccer-South. Since she took on that responsibility, at least two new TOPSoccer programs have started every year. Castillo also establishes sponsorships to assist in player uniforms and special equipment for their unique needs.