Auburndale, FL – This year marked the Florida Youth Soccer Association’s (FYSA) 44th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Marriot World Center Hotel in Orlando, FL. The three-day event (August 10-12, 2018) included a packed vendor showcase, brand new educational workshops, and updated rules/bylaws voted on by the membership. The election for several key Board of Directors positions was also voted on during the weekend. Here is a highlight of several items during the AGM:
Workshops: After feedback from the previous year, we decided to try several new workshops that our membership had requested to see at the 2018 AGM. By incorporating more recreational presentations under Mark Godwin’s leadership, FYSA addressed many ways that recreational soccer can grow and expand for any club. We opened the floor this year to several new vendors that brought topics such as “Are Parents Soccer’s Biggest Problem?”, “Technology and the Future of Youth Soccer,” & “New Applications from Industry Coaching Guides.” The 2018 AGM proved to be one of the biggest years for new content and guest instructors.
General Session Transcripts
Elections: The election of the new Board of Directors was a topic of great discussion over the weekend. With several key positions up for election, these are the results from Sunday’s General Session:
- President – John Stacey
- Secretary – Ann Fuller
- Treasurer – Eric Heidel
- VP of Administration & Communication – Becky McLaren
- VP of Region B – Stephen Huff
- VP of Region D – Sandra Lehtio
Award Winners: These are the individuals recognized for their efforts to the great game of soccer during the 2018 Awards Luncheon.
- Admin of the Year: Annette Collins
- Volunteer of the Year: John Dina
- Recreational Club of the Year: Gulf Coast Texans
- Male Referee of the Year: William Labrit
- Female Referee of the Year: Malia Domingo
- Boys Competitive Coach of the Year: Jeremy Hurdle
- Girls Competitive Coach of the Year: Dennis Johnson
- Recreational Coach of the Year: Daniel Penny
- Friends in Soccer Award: Lee County
- TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year: Morgan Shupsky
- TOPSoccer Coach of the Year: Laura Hoock
- TOPSoccer Volunteer of the Year: Lori Lesser
- TOPSoccer Club of the Year: Palm Beach Gardens
- Photo of the Year: Scott Miller
- Save of the Year: Rogelio Barrera Jr.
- Goal of the Year: Ryan Krawczyk
- Hall of Fame Inductee: Tommy Thompson
Vendor Showcase: The vendor showcase was once again packed with companies from all around the United States. Xara Soccer & Score Sports offered a variety of products for our members view, while League Apps and MOTI Sports provided new technologies for coaches to use on the field and during practice. A special thanks to every one of our sponsors for the AGM and we hope to see you all in 2019!
Special Thanks: Finally, we want to thank both Marino Torrens and Rhonda Link-Cummings for their dedicated service to the FYSA Board of Directors! As President, Marino guided the association through many changes and always believed that every child should play the game of soccer. As Region B Vice President, Rhonda has always been available to support the efforts of Region B and volunteering countless hours to help the game. We at FYSA cannot thank you both enough for everything you have done to promote youth soccer across Florida.