Wisconsin Soccer Central

The Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association announced its annual award winners, recognizing coaches, referees and others who make outstanding contributions to youth soccer.

The eight honorees will receive their awards at the WYSA annual general meeting on Feb. 9 at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.

State winners are eligible for U.S. Youth Soccer Region II awards, and regional winners are considered for national honors.

Boys Recreational Coach of the Year: Gary Rebholz, Mount Horeb SC
Girls Recreational Coach of the Year: Don Blunck, Milwaukee Kickers Nicolet Dolphins
Boys Competitive Coach of the Year: Tyler Thomas, Allouez Ice
Girls Competitive Coach of the Year: Patrick Buckley, Appleton SC
Volunteer of the Year: Rick Theilig, Appleton SC
TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year: Markus Roeders, Marquette University women's coach
Male Young Referee of the Year: Killian Mielotz, Grafton
Female Young Referee of the Year: Paige Schommer, Grafton

For more on each of the winners, visit the WYSA website

• FC Milwaukee's Academy teams are headed to Bradenton, Fla., next weekend for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase. The Nationals will face their counterparts from New York's BW Gottschee, Virginia's McLean Youth Soccer and California's Santa Cruz Breakers. The Under-17/18 team (1-8-1) plays Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while the Under-15/16 side (4-5-1) is in action Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.
• Three state players will play with the 1996 Region II team at the U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Boys NCAA Interregional from Dec. 7 to 9 in Birmingham, Ala.: United FC'sAndrija Novakovich (Muskego), SC Waukesha's Luke Falk (Waukesha West) and Bavarian SC's Paul Ciszewski (Germantown). 
• The North Shore United Blue Under-18 girls team opens play in the U.S. Youth Soccer National League next weekend in Wilson, S.C. They'll face Team Chicago Academy Botafogo on Thursday, Virginia's VSA Heat Blue on Friday, Ohio's Blast FC on Saturday and Texas' SCFC 95 Premier on Sunday in the first of three National League events – the others are Dec. 31 to Jan. 2 and March 15 to 17, with sites to be announced.