Referee Award

2008 Young Referee Of The Year Honorees
The annual awards were presented at the 2008 Awards Luncheon on March 16, 2008 at Slippery Rock University. 

Young Male Referee of the Year – Neil Sain
Young Female Referee of the Year – Samantha Polito

East District
Young Referee of the Year - Teddy Anderson
Lake District
Young Female Referee of the Year- Shannon Bishop
Young Male Referee of the Year - Chris Murone
North District
Young Referee of the Year - Michael Gezo
West District
Young Female Referee of the Year - Erin Sager
Young Male Referee of the Year - Andrew Lippert

I. Purpose
It is the purpose of this policy to provide standard requirements and procedures for selecting the PA West Soccer Female and Male Young Referees of the Year.
II. Eligibility
To be eligible for nomination and selection as the PA West Soccer Young Female and Male Referee of the Year…nominee must: 
1. Be 18 years of age or younger on July 31 of the current calendar year; 
2. Be currently registered as a referee with the USSF; 
3. Have been currently registered within PA West Soccer for at least one year; 
4. Reside in the PA West Soccer geographic boundaries; and 
5. Possess personal qualities reflecting accomplishments as a referee, a student, and a member of the community. 
 
III. Application
1. Anyone may nominate an individual to be the PA West Soccer Young Female or Male Referee of the Year. 
2. A nomination must be submitted on a copy of the standard PA West Soccer Young Referee of the Year application form.  Copies of the form are available from the PA West Soccer State Office, the State Referee Administrator (SRA), State Youth Referee Administrator (SYRA), and the PA West Soccer web site Forms Page. 
3. There should be attached to each Nomination Form sufficient documentation and solicitations attesting to the accomplishments as a referee, student, and contributing member of the community of the nominated individual.  These materials should be as specific as possible in citing accomplishments and personal resume of the referee’s accomplishments and activities as a referee should be included. 
4. The SYRA is responsible for ensuring that an appropriate announcement soliciting nominations and the application form are included in the PA West Soccer Touchline and the PA West Soccer Executive Board minutes by September 1 for selection of the following calendar year’s Young Referees of the Year.  The SYRA shall also coordinate with the SDA and SDI so that information about the PA West Soccer Young Referee of the Year Program is included as part of any referee development program and local referee training programs administered by referee instructors. 
5. All completed application forms along with supporting documentation should be mailed to the PA West Soccer State Office in an envelope marked “Young Referee of the Year Nomination” on the lower left corner.  All applications submitted must be postmarked no later than January 15.  NO EXCEPTIONS!
IV. Recommendation and Selection Procedures
1. The PA West Soccer SYRA shall provide the SRC with a list of the names of the individuals applying for the year as Young Referees and copies of all application forms and supporting materials for that year. 
2. The PA West Soccer State Referee Committee will select the Young Female Referee of the Year and Young Male Referee of the Year at a Committee meeting prior to March 1.
3. The SRC will first select a male and female Young Referee of the Year that will be the State Association Young Referees of the Year.  Then from the remaining applicants, the SRC will select for each district, District Young Referee of the Year for both male and female when a sufficient number of applicants make this possible.
 
V. Notification, Presentations, and Awards
1. The PA West Soccer SYRA will notify the successful applicants.  The SYRA is also responsible for arranging the attendance of successful nominees and their parents or guardians, at the annual PA West Soccer Awards Luncheon. 
2. The SYRA will send a letter to all unsuccessful applicants thanking them for their participation and encouraging them to continue in their refereeing endeavors. 
3. PA West Soccer will be responsible for obtaining plaques and gifts to present to each Young Referee of the Year. 
4. The names of the PA West Young Referees of the Year will be submitted to Region I of US Youth Soccer for the selection as Region I Young Referees of the Year.
 
VI. Participation in the ODP and Regional Tournaments
1. All winners will automatically be considered in the selection process to attend the ODP and Regional Championship Tournaments.  The number of referees selected will be based on the number of slots allocated by the Region 1 Committee.  Winning Young Referee of the Year, does not guarantee the referee’s attendance at these tournaments.