Lars Richters – Male Competitive Coach of
the Year
Lars Richters is currently a coach with the Michigan Wolves-Hawks
Soccer Club – a club in which he was a player for five
years. His first instroudtion to soccer was as a kid tagging
along to his older brother’s soccer games. Not to be
kept on the sidelines for long, he enjoyed a long playing career
that included Yale University and the Detroit Rockers of the
National Professional Indoor Soccer League. During his seven
years with the Rockers, Lars became more involved with coaching
and joined the Hawks/Wolves in 1995. In 2003, he was the coach
of the U18 Wolves team that won the US Youth Soccer National
Championship, and this past July, his U15 Wolves team also
won the National Championships. Despite having an impressive
on-field win record, Lars remains a modest and laid back person.
He is known for having a calm demeanor, respectful attitude
towards opponents and referees, and extraodinary ability to
get the most out his players. Parents appreciate his efforts
in serving as a strong role model and teaching their kids important
life lessons, and the players appreciate his ability to continiously
challenge them on and off the field. Lars exemplifies the professionalism,
class, and sophistication that make him most worthy of this
honor!
Hamdi Rammal – Female Competitive Coach of
the Year
Hamdi Rammal is a coach with the Alliance FC, a soccer club
based out of Grand Rapids. Originallyfrom Lebanon, he has
been in the United States for over 20 years. Although not originally
a coach, Hamdi is a long-time soccer player and fan. He got
his start as a coach when his four young daughters began playing
soccer. Since that time, he has been very active in the coaching
community. Over the years, Hamdi has built a reputation based
on his coaching philosophy that every player is unique and
has something to contribute. He is dedicated to building a
playing atmosphere where the players are not afraid of failure,
but instead where they can learn from their mistakes. He is
respectful, patient, honest, and fair. Parents attest that
not only has Hamdi taught their daughters the necessary soccer
skills to succeed on the field, but also the maturity, confidence,
and self-awareness to help them succeed in life. Current players
describe him as a dedicated coach with a “quirky” sense
of humor. Both parents and players agree that Hamdi is a great
coach, excellent role model, and phenomenal person.
Marcie Holman – Female Recreational Coach
of the Year
Marcie Holman is a native of Grand Ledge, but has lived in
Bay City for the past 16 years. She coaches a recreational
team in the Bay Area Soccer Association comprised of 4 and
5 year old girls. Marcie began coaching because her husband,
already a coach, did not have time to coach her youngest daughter.
So, Marcie stepped up and hasn’t looked back since. She
enjoys coaching because she enjoys the game of soccer. She
believes the best thing about soccer is its physical requirement
to make children run. Also, it helps to develop individuals
into a team, which she feels is a very important to all aspects
of life. Marcie impresses with her ability to keep these young
girls focused on the task at hand. She’s enthusiastic,
patient, and a fantastic motivator. She goes out of her way
to congratulate the players after good plays and has innate
ability to make each girl feel special. Coaching this age group
is a tough task - whether it is teaching how to shoot the ball
or how to correctly perform the team cheer (1-2-3-GO-SHOOTING-STARS!)
- but Marcie Holman has more than met the challenge.
Everyone who knows her agrees that Marcie is the perfect recipient
for recreational coach of the year!
Gary Perelli – Male Recreational Coach of
the Year
Gary Perelli is a coach for a U14 boys recreational team within the Huron Valley Soccer Club. Currently, he resides in Commerce Township with his wife and four kids. He has a USSF “E” Coaching License and plans to pursue a referee certification. Over the past six years, Gary has dedicated enormous amounts of time and energy to helping the boys on his team improve their soccer skills. He enjoys coaching soccer because he likes teaching the kids about physical fitness, the concept of teamwork, and respect for other people. Parents attest that he goes out of his way to help the kids improve their skills, which, among things, includes at one point personally paying for a professional trainer to help the team. He encourages the boys to try different positions, and learn about the game and themselves from being outside their comfort zone. He is fair in allocating playing time, and always shows kindness and consideration. He is a friend and inspiration to both parents and players. When many kids are dropping out of club soccer to join other high school sports, the boys on this team continue to play because Coach Gary has taught them how to play and how to love the beautiful game of soccer!
Debbie Sobel – Parent of the Year
Debbie Sobel is a soccer mom within the North Macomb Soccer
Club. She is the “12th person” that any team would
want on their side. She is a fabulous role model for players
and parents alike. One parent confesses that after several
years of sitting on the bleachers near Debbie, she often asks
herself “How would Debbie phrase this?” before
opening her month. Then, upon contemplation, she shouts the
most encouraging and loving words she can muster. Recently,
Debbie has had some medical problems that have forced her to
physically miss soccer games. However, that has not stopped
her from calling the team via cell phone before a game (or
vice versa) to provide some inspiring words or to lead them
in their pre-game cheer. Debbie’s involvement and influence
on this team has been paramount, and for that, she is the perfect
candidate for Parent of the Year!
Lori Salliotte – Volunteer of the Year
Lori Salliotte is currently the Registrar for the Downriver
Youth Soccer League, and Secretary and Co-Registrar for the
Great Lakes Soccer League. When she’s not taking care
of soccer business, she spends her time taking care of her
family. She has four children, all of which play soccer and
other sports. Her involvement with soccer began 15 years ago
when her oldest daughter began playing soccer. She volunteered
to be the snack mom and also began taking referee courses.
Over the years, Lori became more involved with the administrative
side of running teams and leagues, and began to volunteer in
more capacities. She’s been a team manager and team treasurer,
in addition to current roles with DYSL and GLSL. Each year,
she devotes enormous amounts of time and energy volunteering,
but is happy to help out because she enjoys meeting new people
and learning new things. Furthermore, she loves the game and
thinks it is a great activity for kids. It is people like Lori
who are unselfish with their time that allow kids the opportunity
to play soccer in a safe and structured environment. For everything
she has done and for everything she will do for Michigan youth
soccer, MSYSA is proud to give her Volunteer of the Year honors!
was a player for five
years. His first instroudtion to soccer was as a kid tagging
along to his older brother’s soccer games. Not to be
kept on the sidelines for long, he enjoyed a long playing career
that included Yale University and the Detroit Rockers of the
National Professional Indoor Soccer League. During his seven
years with the Rockers, Lars became more involved with coaching
and joined the Hawks/Wolves in 1995. In 2003, he was the coach
of the U18 Wolves team that won the US Youth Soccer National
Championship, and this past July, his U15 Wolves team also
won the National Championships. Despite having an impressive
on-field win record, Lars remains a modest and laid back person.
He is known for having a calm demeanor, respectful attitude
towards opponents and referees, and extraodinary ability to
get the most out his players. Parents appreciate his efforts
in serving as a strong role model and teaching their kids important
life lessons, and the players appreciate his ability to continiously
challenge them on and off the field. Lars exemplifies the professionalism,
class, and sophistication that make him most worthy of this
honor!
Hamdi Rammal is a coach with the Alliance FC, a soccer club
based out of Grand Rapids. Originallyfrom Lebanon, he has
been in the United States for over 20 years. Although not originally
a coach, Hamdi is a long-time soccer player and fan. He got
his start as a coach when his four young daughters began playing
soccer. Since that time, he has been very active in the coaching
community. Over the years, Hamdi has built a reputation based
on his coaching philosophy that every player is unique and
has something to contribute. He is dedicated to building a
playing atmosphere where the players are not afraid of failure,
but instead where they can learn from their mistakes. He is
respectful, patient, honest, and fair. Parents attest that
not only has Hamdi taught their daughters the necessary soccer
skills to succeed on the field, but also the maturity, confidence,
and self-awareness to help them succeed in life. Current players
describe him as a dedicated coach with a “quirky” sense
of humor. Both parents and players agree that Hamdi is a great
coach, excellent role model, and phenomenal person.
coaches a recreational
team in the Bay Area Soccer Association comprised of 4 and
5 year old girls. Marcie began coaching because her husband,
already a coach, did not have time to coach her youngest daughter.
So, Marcie stepped up and hasn’t looked back since. She
enjoys coaching because she enjoys the game of soccer. She
believes the best thing about soccer is its physical requirement
to make children run. Also, it helps to develop individuals
into a team, which she feels is a very important to all aspects
of life. Marcie impresses with her ability to keep these young
girls focused on the task at hand. She’s enthusiastic,
patient, and a fantastic motivator. She goes out of her way
to congratulate the players after good plays and has innate
ability to make each girl feel special. Coaching this age group
is a tough task - whether it is teaching how to shoot the ball
or how to correctly perform the team cheer (1-2-3-GO-SHOOTING-STARS!)
- but Marcie Holman has more than met the challenge.
Everyone who knows her agrees that Marcie is the perfect recipient
for recreational coach of the year!
Currently, he resides in Commerce Township with his wife and four kids. He has a USSF “E” Coaching License and plans to pursue a referee certification. Over the past six years, Gary has dedicated enormous amounts of time and energy to helping the boys on his team improve their soccer skills. He enjoys coaching soccer because he likes teaching the kids about physical fitness, the concept of teamwork, and respect for other people. Parents attest that he goes out of his way to help the kids improve their skills, which, among things, includes at one point personally paying for a professional trainer to help the team. He encourages the boys to try different positions, and learn about the game and themselves from being outside their comfort zone. He is fair in allocating playing time, and always shows kindness and consideration. He is a friend and inspiration to both parents and players. When many kids are dropping out of club soccer to join other high school sports, the boys on this team continue to play because Coach Gary has taught them how to play and how to love the beautiful game of soccer!
she spends her time taking care of her
family. She has four children, all of which play soccer and
other sports. Her involvement with soccer began 15 years ago
when her oldest daughter began playing soccer. She volunteered
to be the snack mom and also began taking referee courses.
Over the years, Lori became more involved with the administrative
side of running teams and leagues, and began to volunteer in
more capacities. She’s been a team manager and team treasurer,
in addition to current roles with DYSL and GLSL. Each year,
she devotes enormous amounts of time and energy volunteering,
but is happy to help out because she enjoys meeting new people
and learning new things. Furthermore, she loves the game and
thinks it is a great activity for kids. It is people like Lori
who are unselfish with their time that allow kids the opportunity
to play soccer in a safe and structured environment. For everything
she has done and for everything she will do for Michigan youth
soccer, MSYSA is proud to give her Volunteer of the Year honors!