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Now Acceptig Nominations for the 2010 Annual Awards!

All nominations are due into the MSYSA State Office no later than October 1, 2010. Nomination forms may be mailed, e-mailed, or faxed. The MSYSA mailing address is 9401 General Dr. Suite 120, Plymouth, MI 48170. The MSYSA e-mail address is StateOffice@michiganyouthsoccer.org, and the MSYSA fax number is 734-459-6242.

Nominations will be accepted for the following positions:
Male Competitve Coach of the Year
Female Competitive Coach of the Year
Male Recreational Coach of the Year
Female Recreational Coach of the Year
Administrator of the Year
Volunteer of the Year
Young Referee of the Year
TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year
2011 MSYSA Hall of Fame

2009 Male Competitve Coach of the Year: Rob Suffredini     Rob Suffredini has soccer in his blood. Both of his parents are from Italy, and he grew up loving the game. Rob played collegiate soccer at Adrian College, and then followed his playing career with coaching. Currently, he is coaching with the Michigan Burn soccer club and Warren DeLaSalle high school, and he has obtained his USSF "D" coaching license. Rob likes soccer because he feels that it teaches its players life lessons, including how to win and lose with dignity and grace. He believes that the game of soccer is the best teacher, and it his job to identify key moments during training to communicate to his players what the game is trying to teach them. He feels that this philosophy is validated when players recognize similar key situations on the field and they make corrections in their decision making or execution of a play. Rob's advice to new coaches it to make sure that the players understand that you have their best interest in mind and not your own. He says players are more willing to work hard and play with passion if they feel their coach is genuine and if they feel they are respected as players.
2009 Female Competitive Coach of the Year: Mario Galindo Mario Galindo is originally from Bolivia. He grew up playing soccer from a very early age, and when his kids were old enough to play, he signed them up as well. Mario is currently a coach with the Michigan Rush Nike soccer club, and holds his USSF "D" coaching license. He's been coaching soccer for 27 years and continues to do so because he loves the game. He thinks soccer is the ultimate team sport and full of action. It keeps kids physically active and forces them to interact face-to-face. Mario aspires to teach kids how to play the game with sound fundamental principles, and to instill in them the desire to play the game with passion and creativity. Mario's teams have an impressive list of accomplishments including MSYSA State Cup Championship and Semifinalist appearances and championships titles at other prominent, high-level club tournaments. Additioanlly, many of this players have gone to play Division I, II, and III collegiate a soccer.
2009 Male Recreational Coach of the Year: Bob Basanese Bob Basanese is a coach with the Canton Soccer Club. Although born in Detroit, he was raised in California. He was first introduced to soccer while in California. Returning from spending a year in Europe, his oldest brother agreed to coach his youngest brother's soccer team and the rest of the family (including Bob) soon caught the soccer fever. Bob eventually followed in his brother's footsteps, when he began coaching his son's soccer team. Bob's coaching philosophy is all about making sure that the players have fun. He aims to give them the tools so that they can have fun playing soccer at the highest level of their abilities. He emphasizes dribbling, fast-combination plays, and taking chances. Bob enjoys coaching soccer because he sees the benefits of the game on the players. It teaches them about sportsmanship, decision making, physical fitness, and the importance of a strong work ethic. He enjoys the relationships he's made with players and parents over the years, and feels proud when his players decide to continue playing with his team year after year.
2009 Female Recreational Coach of the Year: Steve Bachelder Steve Bachelder was born and raised in Michigan. He has four kids (ages 13-24) and he has coached them all. Steve is a coach within the Mason Soccer Club of the CASL and holds a USSF "E" coaching license. Currently he coaches a U19 boys team and a U19 girls team. When he coaches, Steve preaches respect for the game, his players, his opponents, and the referees. He teaches his kids to have confidence in themselves and faith in others. His motto is "Individuals can be good, but teams can make you great". He likes soccer because it is fun, healthy, and inexpensive. It teaches life lessons - such as respect, teamwork, responsibility, and commitment - all in an environment that promotes creativity, growth, and achievement. He feels that his teams' win/loss records are not nearly as important as the friendships that are made. He enjoys going to players' graduations and weddings, and thinking he had some small part in that player's life.
2009 Parent of the Year: Curt Behnke Curt Behnke is the proud parent of his three daughters - Emily (16), Natalie (16), and Jessica (15). All three play within the Vardar East soccer club, and Curt notes that it keeps him very busy!  The Behnke family has been involved in soccer for about 8 years when the girls first played in the Warren Youth Soccer League. Curt has done some coaching at the recreational level, but prefers cheering to coaching at his daughters' more competitive level. At times, Curt's medical knowledge is called upon during games and he uncondintionally volunteers to assist any injured player - even if she plays for the other team. Curt is different from many parents because he has a low key demeanor and positive attitude that serves to calm the team during emotional times and inspire them when they are down. He serves as a good role model for not only the players, but also for his fellow parents. He also manages to administer the team website and provide action photos. Curt advises other parents to really enjoy the soccer experience with their kids before they grow up. Soccer can teach kids important life lessons, and it can bond families together.
2009 Administrator of the Year: Mary Jo Messenger Mary Jo Messenger is the club administrator for the West Michigan Fire Juniors soccer club. She is characterized by exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills, and is the epitome of someone who gives 110% to a job. She handles the everyday organization of the office from filing documents to answering the phones. She handles delicate matters in a professional manner, and she'll go out of her way to give every family the best soccer experience possible. She is always the first to volunteer for new projects and makes it a point to complete every task that she starts. She is always willing to lend a helping hand whether that be working on tournament sponsorships or distributing uniforms. The club considers her an irreplaceable member of their team and credits her for helping the club get to the point where it is today. When asked why she works as hard as she does, she simply replies "It's for the kids."
2009 Volunteer of the Year: Steve Wilson Steve Wilson has been the Chair of MSYSA Discipline & Appeals Committee for 4 years, and he has volunteered to work numerous MSYSA events over the past 6 years. Steve can be seen working at the early hours of the morning in freezing temperatures at the MSYSA State Cup, Kohl's American Cup, Telcom Credit Union Cup, and the Annual General Meeting. He is a hard worker who devotes enormous amounts of time, energy, and resources to youth soccer. Steve first got involved in youth soccer when his children began playing. He volunteered to be an assistant coach for his boys' team, team manager for his daughter's team, and league Registrar for the Dearborn Heights Soccer Club. He likes soccer for kids because it is a healthy outdoor family activity that promotes fair play and sportmanship. He says that volunteering at soccer events keeps him active and young, and he plans to continue volunteering for many years to come.