2018 Winners
Jennifer Macedonia
Michael Vagnucci
Sanjay Desai
John Derrick
Manny Woldamanuel
The Coach of the Year Award
We thank all the people who make MSI work, with special thanks to our coaches, whose influence on players is tremendous ... they organize teams and pass on skills, tactics, and other important lessons to the players. Survey after survey has shown that bad coaching (yelling too much, over-competiive atmosphere, playing favorites, not developing skills) is one of the main reasons kids abandon a sport, and good coaching is one of the main reasons they stay. Year after year, MSI has been fortunate to have an outstanding cadre of coaches. From MSI’s original formation in 1971, recruitment and training of coaches has been one of MSI’s most important activities.
Starting in 1993, MSI began the practice of honoring the “Coach of the Year” in its Recreational, Classic, and Premier programs. With almost 1000 coaches, this is a tough challenge. The criteria for selection as coach of the year are:
Coach’s Sportsmanship: How does the coach provide a personal example of the highest sportsmanship? Does the coach specifically teach sportsmanship to players and team supporters, and demand the highest sportsmanship on the field and along the sideline? Are players encouraged to understand the link between soccer sportsmanship and other aspects of life?
Player Development: Are all players motivated to learn and play to the fullest extent of their capability? Does the coach inculcate independence, confidence, and enthusiasm? Does the coach learn as well as practice soccer? Does the coach motivate exceptional players to seek a high level of competition or better training – does the coach “promote” players?
Coach’s Personal Soccer Development: The assumption is that no coach has yet attained perfect knowledge or total personal skill. How has the coach improved his/her knowledge of soccer? Has the coach taken a license course, practical workshop, or referees’ course? Has the coach found other ways to learn about soccer? Does the coach play soccer or referee?
Citizenship In Soccer: Is the coach active in the MSI community and part of the larger world of soccer? Is the coach a positive and constructive influence for soccer beyond the team level?
Selecting the Coach of the Year:
Normally, coaches of the year are selected at the end of the fall season each year, and awards are normally made at the MSI Annual Meeting, held in January. Players or parents who wish to nominate their coach for consideration should write to the MSI office:
Montgomery Soccer, Inc.
7650 Standish Place, #108
Rockville, Maryland 20855
Attn: Coach of the Year Committee
Past Winners
2017: Jose (Toti) Bottiglieri, Jennifer Thorpe Hemann, Cortez McBerry
2016: Matt Curran, Steve Rose, Jerry Sorkin (in memoriam)
2015: Renzo Bejarano, Andy Montemarano, Simon Nadler, Sue Potts, Neil Stormer
2014: Dave Burgoon, Kelly Gent, Chris Giles, Scott Kelberg
2013: Kendol Decker, Mike Lenkin, Jay Pearson, Jeff Stanish
2012: Fred Anderson, Paco Jacome, Lauren Jones, Brian Lewis, David Taylor
2011: Bill Haris, Pete Korolkoff (Rec); Moondi Klein (Classic); AJ Delaurentis (Premier)
2010: Michael Cassidy, Louise Hansen (Rec); Jeff Anderson (Classic); Nelson Abreu (Premier)
2009: Kevin McGowan (Rec); Scott Coflin (Classic); Alex Gould (Premier)
2008: Alvaro Calabia, Jon Grossman (Rec); Pat Lane, Joe Pastel (Classic); Kevin Layton (Premier)
2007: Adam Prill, Ben Willey, Wes Wise (Rec); Graham Pitts and Matt Gandal (Classic); Ben Morey (Premier)
2006: Elmer Slack (Rec); Joe Mischler and Joao Carlos Martins (Classic); Jim Bruno (Premier)
2005: Brian Dingwall, Alex Politis, and Bob Jones (Rec); Steve Ertel and Gregory Buzard (Classic); Friday Johnson (Premier)
2004: Peter Berkholtz, Rhea Cohn (Rec); AJ DeLaurentis, Roger Pomeroy (Classic); Chip Gerfen, Alex Gould (Premier)
2003: Dennis McCurdy (Rec); Jeff Kauffman, Michael Foecking (Classic); Carolyn Fox, Julio Arjona (Premier)
2002: Barbara Roman, Willem Polak (Rec); Yetta Rushford, Ron Gusack (Classic); Julio Zarate, Jim Bruno (Premier)
2001: Trey Sunderland (Rec)
2000: David Duncan (Rec), John King (Classic)
1999: Tom Clark, Tiny Cholvibul
1998: Buzz Karpay
1997: Bill Simmons, Leon Reed, Phil Smith, Richard Blumstein
1996: Jose Rodriguez, Michael Feldman, Elton Campbell, John King, Trey Sunderland
1995: Chris Sten, Walt Young, Harry Martens
1994: Jim Gordon, Theo Botchway, Malcolm Lawrence
1993: Joe Mulhern, Chris Zourdos, Pam Yerg
State and National Award Winners
MSI is very proud that some of our coaches have also won State and National awards. Congratulations to the following award winners:
- Malcolm Lawrence: MSYSA Coach of the Year, 1994
- Buzz Karpay: MSYSA Coach of the Year, 1998
- Jim Bruno, NSCAA High School Coach of the Year, 1999
- John King, MSYSA Coach of the Year, 2001
- Jeff Kauffman, NSCAA Coach of the Year- Youth Girls East Region, 2003, 2004