Claire Seiler and Andrew Thomasson awarded the eighth annual US Youth Soccer William J. “Billy” Goaziou Scholarships
Scholarship recipients are leaders on and off the field
FRISCO, Texas (August 9, 2016) — US Youth Soccer players Claire Seiler, of Bowling Green, Ohio, and Andrew Thomasson, of Columbus, Ind., are the recipients of the eighth annual US Youth Soccer William J. "Billy" Goaziou Scholarships. Both teens play key roles on their soccer teams as well as in their communities.
The scholarships are awarded for post-secondary education. The two $1,000 scholarships are awarded based on community service, giving back to the game of soccer and to honor the memory of William J. "Billy" Goaziou for his outstanding services for soccer and US Youth Soccer. The scholarships are awarded annually through the US Youth Soccer Foundation to one male and one female recipient.
Claire Seiler played club soccer at GTFC Travel Soccer for eight years. Seiler created a sports equipment collection drive for the Boys & Girls Club in 2012, 2014 and 2015. Seiler founded the Northwest Ohio Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Support Group in 2013 and has volunteered with other organizations such as Sylvania Care & Rehab Nursing home, Labre Program and NDA Appalachia. Seiler is a National Merit Commended Scholar and AP Scholar while making Notre Dame Academy High School's Honor Roll each semester. Seiler's athletic prowess is not limited to soccer, as she is a three-year varsity lacrosse player and was twice named to the All-Ohio Lacrosse Academic member in 2014 and 2015.This fall, Seiler will begin college at the University of Florida.
Thomasson played club soccer for ten years with Columbus Express Soccer Club and most recently with Indiana Fire Juniors, which competed in the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional League. Thomasson traveled to Costa Rica to play on the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Region II team, and was named an ODP Interregional All-Star in 2014. Thomasson was also named the 2015 Indiana TopSoccer Buddy of the Year and played varsity soccer for Columbus East High School, where he was named to the All-State team in 2015. Thomasson spent all four years on the Columbus East High School Honor Roll, is a member of the National Honor Society and was named Academic All-State in his junior and senior year. This fall, Thomasson will continue his soccer career at Drake University.
"US Youth Soccer strives to develop players' skills, as well as their characters. Both Claire and Andrew have taken the important life lessons that soccer offers its participants and given back to the game and their communities. US Youth Soccer is proud to remember Billy Goaziou by contributing to the lives of these young adults as they continue to succeed and move forward to college this fall," said John Sutter, US Youth Soccer chair.
Goaziou was involved in soccer for more than 25 years as a coach and administrator. He served as treasurer of US Youth Soccer and the Florida Youth Soccer Association, as well as chairman of the US Youth Soccer budget and US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program committees. In 1994, he took office as the U.S. Soccer Federation's treasurer and was re-elected four times (1996, 1998, 2000 and 2004). Beyond the soccer world, Goaziou served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps.