Georgia Soccer Coach Yon Struble Named US Youth Soccer National Coach of the Year !

US Youth Soccer adidas Girls and Boys Competitive Coaches of the Year Named

February 8, 2008


Massachusetts' Michael Elster and Georgia's Yon Struble honored at Awards Gala

The recipients of the 2007 US Youth Soccer adidas Competitive Coach of the Year were announced tonight at the US Youth Soccer Awards Gala, held in conjunction with the 2008 US Youth Soccer adidas Workshop at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, in Pittsburgh. The national adidas Competitive Coaches of the Year award winners were Yon Struble of Alpharetta, Georgia (Girls) and Michael Elster of Sutton, Massachusetts (Boys).

Hilary Kennedy, host of The US Youth Soccer Show on Fox Soccer Channel, set the stage for the night as the master of ceremonies for the more than 1,200 in attendance.

Yon Struble, from Alpharetta, GA, coaches for the Norcross Soccer Academy. He has also coached GYSA Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) for nine years. In 2005, Struble's 1989 Georgia US Youth Soccer ODP Girls team placed third at the US Youth Soccer ODP National Championships. Struble lives by a strong value system and he expects his players to display strong character too. He inspires his players to improve themselves and their game. In his first two years with the team, the team advanced a level knowing the benefits of the challenge would help the players. He knew that move would continue to challenge his players, and with training they improved.

Michael Elster, from Sutton, MA, coaches for the Sutton Youth Soccer Club. Elster puts a lot of time and effort into his practices. Elster challenges and motivates his players to learn and play the game. Also, Elster organized a very successful tournament to raise money for a young girl to receive important medical care.

Recipients of the Competitive Coach of the Year awards are selected by the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors on the basis of sportsmanship, player development, personal coaching development and community involvement (citizenship).

The regional winners of the 2007 US Youth Soccer adidas Girls' Competitive Coaches of the Year are:

Region I
John P. Dawyot
Landenberg, PA
Delaware Youth Soccer Association

Region II
Huw Williams
Shawnee Mission
Kansas State Youth Soccer Association

Region III
Yon Struble*
Alpharetta
Georgia Youth Soccer Association

Region IV
Pat Hanley
Anchorage
Alaska State Youth Soccer Association


The regional winners of the 2007 US Youth Soccer adidas Boys' Competitive Coaches of the Year are:

Region I
Michael Elster*
Sutton
Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association

Region II
Lars Richters
Farmington
Michigan State Youth Soccer Association

Region III
Brian Harvey
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma Soccer Association

Region IV
David Newman
Bountiful
Utah Youth Soccer Association