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FRISCO, Texas (Jan. 26, 2011) - US Youth Soccer announced that Jimmy Conway, of Portland, Ore., is the recipient of the Dr. Thomas Fleck, US Youth Soccer Excellence in Coaching Education Award. The Dr. Thomas Fleck Award is designed to honor a lifetime of dedication where one has, with integrity, honor, humor and humility, made extensive and far reaching contributions to the process by which youth soccer coaches are educated in America.

Along with the Hall of Fame inductees and yearly awards winners, Conway will be honored at the US Youth Soccer Awards Gala on Friday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m., as part of the US Youth Soccer Workshop in Louisville, Ky.

"I am pleased that a long-time colleague and friend, Jimmy Conway, is the winner of the Dr. Tom Fleck Award.  Jimmy is one of the coaches whom I have always gathered nuggets of knowledge about the game.  His contributions to American soccer and our coaches have been invaluable.  Coach Conway is truly one of the greats in the game.  He is more than deserving of this prestigious award," said Sam Snow, US Youth Soccer Director of Coaching.

Conway began his love for soccer as a club player in his native Ireland. He went on to play professionally with the Ireland National Team for 12 years earning 20 caps. He also played with the Bohemian FC of Dublin before he was scouted and moved to play with Fulham in England for 10 years. After Fulham, he moved to the Sky Blues of Manchester City in England and then to the Portland Timbers of the North American Soccer League.

In 1980, he transitioned from the team captain to a player and assistant coach of the Portland Timbers.

He then joined Oregon Youth Soccer Association, a proud member of US Youth Soccer, in 1981 as the director of coaching, a position he held through 2009. During his tenure in Oregon, Conway earned his USSF ""A"" License in 1991.

He served on the staff of US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) Region IV. He worked with more than 300 US Youth Soccer ODP players each season. While working with US Youth Soccer ODP, the number of Oregon players selected to the regional pool grew to record levels from eight players in 2003 to 53 players selected in 2009.

In 1994, Conway became a member of the U.S. Soccer Federation's national coaching staff. Conway trained more than 1,100 coaches for their "D" License and trained hundreds more in clinics up to the "A" License level. He averaged 40-50 clinics per year and has trained more than 24,000 coaches and players.

During his time with Oregon Youth Soccer, Conway continued to coach at the collegiate level. From 1983 to 1987, Conway coached at Pacific University in Forest Grove. In 1985, he was selected as coach of the year for both the Northwest Conference and the NAIA District II.

In 1988, Conway became the first varsity men's coach for Oregon State University. In 1990, he was named the Northwest Collegiate Soccer Conference Coach of the Year and in 1995, the Mountain West Soccer Conference's Mountain Division Coach of the Year.

Conway is active within the Alzheimer's Association Oregon Chapter. Yearly fundraisers are held in his name. In September 2010, Conway presented a donation of more than $20,000 to the Oregon Chapter.

Past winners:
2010 Virgil Stringfield II - Orlando, Fla.
2009 Dr. David Carr - Barboursville, W.V.
2008 James "Jay" Hoffman - Virginia
2007 Dr. Ron Quinn - Cincinnati, Ohio
2006 Dean Conway  - Jamaica Plain, Mass. 
2005 Dr. Thomas Fleck - Philadelphia, Pa., Inaugural Recipient

For more information about the US Youth Soccer's Dr. Thomas Fleck award and the US Youth Soccer Workshop, visit USYouthSoccer.org.

 

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About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) – US Youth Soccer - "The Game for ALL Kids!^®" is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member State Associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

 

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