National winner to be named at US Youth Soccer Awards Gala
Twitter: @USYouthSoccer, live announcement of national winner
FRISCO, Texas (Dec. 20, 2016) — US Youth Soccer is pleased to announce the regional winners of the 2016 US Youth Soccer Volunteer of the Year award. The Volunteer of the Year Award honors the extraordinary accomplishments in volunteering and giving back to the game of soccer over a lifetime.
The national Volunteer of the Year will be announced at the US Youth Soccer Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m., as part of the US Youth Soccer Workshop in Los Angeles, held in conjunction with the NSCAA Convention.
Brief bios of the regional winners are below based on the submitted nomination forms:
Region I – Doug Hartley – Charleston, W.Va.
For the past 27 years, Doug Hartley has been a volunteer with the West Side Soccer Association. Hartley initially became involved in 1990 when his sons were just starting to play soccer. Years after his sons were done playing, Hartley continued to volunteer. Nourishing the love of soccer in others is the sole reason why he has continued to be a volunteer for all of these years. Hartley also serves on the board for Friends of Coral Trace Fork Soccer Complex.
Region II – David Furness – Owatonna, Minn.
David Furness became involved with soccer in 1988 while coaching his children, and in 1997 he founded the Owatonna Soccer Association. It all started with 16 players, which has now grown into 43 teams and over 570 players. Furness is committed to giving each and every player a fair chance, while never giving up on them. Inspiring the love of soccer into young children is something that Furness has done since he first founded Owatonna Soccer Association.
Region III – Melissa Jaramillo – Hermitage, Tenn.
Treasurer, Registrar and Volunteer Coordinator are just a few of the titles that Melissa Jaramillo has had over the years. Jaramillo has been a vital part to Heartland Soccer Club for more than a decade, and she is highly respected among her peers — instilling respect in others and leading by example. Jaramillo is seen as the “face” of the organization, and she is always willing and ready to offer words of support and encouragement.
Region IV – Johnny Montoya – Albuquerque, N.M.
Since 2003, Johnny Montoya has been involved with the New Mexico Rush. Montoya gets his players involved in community service to show them how fortunate they are to be able to play soccer. He is known to give generously, without asking for anything in return. Montoya frequently picks up his players from different parts of the city so that they are able to attend each training session. Overall, Montoya is focused on providing an opportunity to players to do what they love.
The US Youth Soccer Workshop will take place in Los Angeles from Jan. 11-15, 2017. The annual Workshop will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in conjunction with the NSCAA Convention. The week is designed to further the education of coaches, administrators, referees and enthusiasts involved in the game. For more information please visit USYouthSoccer.org/Workshop/NSCAA.