The NSCAA recognized four members for their long-term contributions to the sport of soccer at their respective levels and to the furtherance of soccer coaching education. The awards were presented at the annual NSCAA Awards Banquet on Friday evening, Jan. 12, as part of the 2007 NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.

Bill Jeffrey Award
Anson Dorrance, University of North Carolina

The coach of the University of North Carolina women’s team, Dorrance has been major force in developing the women’s game at the college and international levels. His Tar Heel teams have won 18 NCAA Division I national titles, and he has coached 13 players who have won National Player of the Year honors a total of 20 times. A partial list of his former players includes the likes of Mia Hamm, April Heinrichs, Kristine Lilly and Cindy Parlow. A charter member of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Committee, he also has chaired the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer Rules Committee and was a women’s chairman of the Intercollegiate Soccer Association of America.

The Bill Jeffrey Award is named for the legendary Penn State coach who led the United States to its miraculous 1-0 victory over England in the 1950 World Cup and recognizes long-term service to intercollegiate soccer.

Robert W. Robinson Award

Bill Holleman, Peachtree Ridge High School, Gainesville, Ga.

While Holleman’s 38 years in coaching have been at the high school level, his impact has been felt on a global basis. Twice he brought his event management skills to bear on major international event. He served as the venue executive director in Detroit for the 1994 World Cup, then managed the highly-successful Birmingham venue for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. The NSCAA president from 1986 to 1988, he has received numerous awards, including the NSCAA Honor Award in 2001. As a coach at four different schools, he has built a career record of 524-152-43 and won six state championships. The NSCAA National Coach of the Year in 1989, he was the founder and four-time president of the North Carolina Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association.

The Robert W. Robinson Award is named for the former Lower Merion (Pa.) coach who is a past president of the NSCAA and has served the Association in a variety of capacities for more than 30 years. It recognizes long-term service to interscholastic soccer.

Youth Long-Term Service Award
John Ellinger, Salt Lake City, Utah

Currently the head coach of Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake, Ellinger played a major role in shaping the future of the U.S. Men’s National Team. As coach of the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team, he fashioned a record-setting 25-match unbeaten streak that spanned 15 months. As the USSF’s Director of Youth Development, he was responsible for the early development of such well-known names as Freddy Adu, Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley and Tim Howard. He has laid a solid foundation upon which future U.S. international success will be built.

Mike Berticelli Award for Excellence in Coaching Education
Jeff Vennell, Cranbrook School, Mich.

A member of the NSCAA Academy staff since 1987, Vennell has taught courses in more than 30 states as well as in England. Drawing from the experience of teaching more than 40 State and 25 Regional Diploma courses, he helped reorganize the curricula for both levels. He contributed four articles to the NSCAA book “Coaching Soccer” and a chapter of “The Soccer Coaching Bible.” A member of the Soccer Journal editorial board since 1985, he has contributed numerous articles to the magazine and to the NSCAA web site. Vennell served as NSCAA president in 1993.

The Mike Berticelli Award is named for the late University of Notre Dame men’s coach who was serving as an NSCAA vice president at the time of his untimely passing in 2000. It recognizes service and long-term contributions to the NSCAA’s coaching education programs.

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