Wisconsin Soccer Central

Three coaches – Oregon's Julie Grutzner, Mount Horeb's Mark Newman and Green Bay Notre Dame's Bob Rickards – were named the National Soccer Coaches Association of American Wisconsin Coaches of the Year for girls soccer.

Grutzner was recognized as the Large Schools honoree after leading the Panthers to an undefeated season (23-0-1) and the WIAA Division 2 state championship in their first state appearance.

Newman claimed the Small Schools award for his work with the Vikings (15-5-2), whose season ended at the hands of champion Waukesha Catholic Memorial at state for the fourth straight season.

Rickards was honored in the Private Schools category after the Tritons finished 20-6-3, dropping a 2-1 decision to Catholic Memorial in the Division 3 state final.

All three coaches were previously honored by the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association. (Read article) However, Grutzner shared the WSCA Large Schools award with Lucas Kollross, who guided Schofield D.C. Everest to the Division 1 state title, and Rickards split the WSCA Private Schools honor with Catholic Memorial's John Burke.

Grutzner, Newman and Rickards will receive their awards at a ceremony Aug. 1 in Orlando, Fla., in conjunction with the NSCAA Summer Soccer Symposium. As state honorees, they are eligible for regional awards in their respective divisions, and regional award winners are considered for the organization's national awards.

• The WSCA will hold its Summer Coaches' Convention next Friday in Whitewater, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Masonic All-Star Games. Dr. Calvin Deutsch of The Invcinibility Project will present Maximizing Training for Injury Prevention and Total Player Performance, while Kollross, Milwaukee Torrent coach Andreas Davi and U.S. Futsal national team goalkeeping coach Mark Litton (Racine St. Catherine's/UW-Parkside) also will make presentations. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. and is free to WSCA members. Soccer coaches of all levels in the state are encouraged to join the organization. WSCA membership information