Virginia Soccer

The Virginia Youth Soccer Association award winners for 2012 have been announced and will be presented at the VYSA Convention on Feb. 1, 2013, in Richmond. The four coach of the year awards went to Larry Best (Girls Competitive), Kevin McKenna (Boys Competitive), Eric Huweart (Girls Recreation) and Camile Louis (Boys Recreation). Ed Bonilla is the VYSA Volunteer of the Year and Peggy Borgard was Administrator of the Year. TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year went to Will Olson. Lewis (Fairfax), Best (Vienna) and Olson (McLean) also were selected Region I winners, and are canidates for national honors….The USL presented the Richmond Kickers the award for best franchise marketing in the USL PRO league at the USL HOF & Awards Dinner recently in Clearwater. The Charlotte Eagles received the league’s Fair Play award and the Wilmington Hammerheads got the Progress Award……Five of Virginia’s top high school players have been named to the 2012 NSCAA High School All-America teams. Sophomore Madi Conyers (Midlothian/Cosby HS) and senior Brittany Krause (Virginia Beach/Cox HS), both forwards, were named to the Girls A-A team, long with defender Mikayla Plansker (Virginia Beach/Kellam HS), a senior defender. Senior midfielders Michael Mecham (Blacksburg/Blacksburg HS) and Brian Davidson (Virginia Beach/First Colonial HS) were named to the NSCAA Boys All-America team. All five will be honored at the All-America Luncheon at the NSCAA convention in mid-January in Indianapolis…..VCU junior forward Jason Johnson is passing up his senior year to turn professional. He has signed a Generation adidas contract, whch guarantees two years in MLS with a salary above the league minimum ($44,000). It also affords a stipend for players to complete their degree within 10 years of leaving school…..Joe Lyles, who coached and taught for 50 years at Washington & Lee has died at age 83. He was the men’s soccer coach 1959-76 (100-85-17).