Carol Rhodes-Devine
Hall of Fame Inductee 2004

Former President and Past President
New Mexico Youth Soccer Association
Region IV Girls ODP Administrator

Carol Rhodes-Devine has been a strong force in the growth and quality of youth soccer in the New Mexico Youth Soccer Association as well as US Youth Soccer Region IV.

She began her service as a league registrar and coach for the Otero Youth Soccer League for more than seven years.  During this period Carol was also elected as the Director of Cups and Games for the New Mexico Youth Soccer Association. She held that position for over three years until her election as Vice-President and Youth Commissioner of New Mexico Youth Soccer. After one and a half years as the Vice-President, she was elected as the State President.

It was during Carol’s four years of leadership as State President that the state opened its first office and hired its first Director of Coaching. She remained active in a leadership role as Immediate Past President for an additional four years. The increased professionalism in the administration of the state association also began to show in the quality of the players and the volunteers of the State.  During her tenure, Carol helped push the number of registered players in New Mexico to over 18,000.

Carol continued her advocacy for the best soccer for Region IV players by chairing the Host Organizing Committee for the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships three different times in New Mexico—1993, 1998, and 2001. Her role in bringing this prestigious tournament to Albuquerque was instrumental in the development of the new soccer complex in Bernalillo.  This complex has provided a wonderful venue to support the growth of soccer throughout New Mexico.

As past President, Carol further encouraged and developed a high level of play for the New Mexico players through her role as state ODP administrator. In this role she served as the liaison to the Region IV staff until she was tapped by the region to take the role as head Region IV Girls ODP Administrator.  She served in this capacity for three years and had a major impact on the quality of the players, their development, and the improvement in the annual summer camp. While she has stepped down from the leadership role of the Girls program, she has remained on the summer camp staff to this day and is a valued and important member of the team that puts on one of the best summer camp programs in the country.

Current and former players of New Mexico soccer and the New Mexico Youth Soccer Association as well as all of US Youth Soccer Region IV wish to thank Carol Rhodes-Devine for her unselfish contribution to the tremendous growth and development of soccer in New Mexico and Region IV.  It was through her leadership and guidance that the program flourished.  “We can never repay her years of service, but we hope this honor will symbolize our gratitude.”

Darl D. Rose, Director of Region IV, stated “we are very pleased to honor Carol Rhodes-Devine as a member of the US Youth Soccer Region IV Hall of Fame.  Carol has been exemplary as a volunteer to the soccer youth of Region IV.” She will be inducted at the 2005 US Youth Soccer Workshop on February 17 in Salt Lake City.