KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 11, 2021) – United Soccer Coaches, along with the association’s High School Coaches Advocacy Group, is proud to announce the recipients of the fifth annual High School Coach of Significance Award.
The High School Coach of Significance Award recognizes members who are coaching for character and using the soccer field to teach life lessons at the high school level. It is an opportunity for each state, in conjunction with United Soccer Coaches, to recognize coaches who are making an impact within their schools and communities well beyond their records of wins and losses.
Recipients of the 2021 High School Coach of Significance Award are listed alphabetically by state:
State | Honoree | High School | City |
Alabama | Jeremy Hampton | Tuscaloosa Academy | Tuscaloosa |
Arizona | Andrew Barber | Highland | Gilbert |
Arkansas | Michael Klucher | North Little Rock | North Little Rock |
Colorado | Kevin Ray | Fountain Valley School | Colorado Springs |
Connecticut | Paul Winstanley | Joel Barlow | Redding |
Florida | Kevin Schoensee | Canterbury | Ft. Myers |
Georgia | Daniel Klinect | Parkview | Lilburn |
Idaho | Richard Whitelaw | Sun Valley Community | Sun Valley |
Illinois | Michael Robey | Arthur Christian | Arthur |
Indiana | Jerry Little | North Central | Indianapolis |
Kansas | Kyle Conley | Louisburg | louisburg |
Kentucky | Lisa Correa | Bowling Green | Bowling Green |
Louisiana | John Carriere | Lafayette | Lafayette |
Maine | Kurt Swanbeck | Hebron Academy | Hebron |
Maryland | Jeff Colsh | Middletown | Middletown |
Massachusetts | Evren Gunduz | Dover-Sherborn Regional | Dover |
Michigan | Evan Baker | Waterford Mott | Westland |
Minnesota | Reuben Ndely | Minneapolis Washburn | Minneapolis |
Mississippi | Luke Smith | Clarkdale | Meridan |
Missouri | Wade Vandelicht | Southern Boone | Ashland |
Nebraska | Mike Ziola | Waverly | Waverly |
New Hampshire | Peter Lally | Manchester Central | Manchester |
New Jersey | Bill Mulvihill | Moorestown | Moorestown |
New Mexico | Greg Rusk | Sue Cleveland | Rio Rancho |
New York | Jesseca Kulesa | Hauppauge | Hauppauge |
North Carolina | Jeffrey Dresser | Carmel Christian | Matthews |
Ohio | Mahamoud Samantar | Northland | columbus |
Pennsylvania | Michael Missmer | Northampton Area | Northampton |
Tennessee | Gordon Heins | Knoxville Catholic | Knoxville |
Texas | Kent Ackmann | Princeton | Princeton |
Virginia | Robert O’Brien | Jamestown | Williamsburg |
Wisconsin | JohnBurke | Foran | New Berlin |
Wyoming | Rebecca Valdez | Cheyenne East | Cheyenne |
The fifth annual class represents a total of 33 states. The goal is to annually recognize a recipient from all 50 states.
Each of the High School Coach of Significance Award nominees are reviewed by the selection committee comprised of national, regional, and state representation.