2008 NLSA Award Winners

NLSA President, Doug Redmond

The eight 2008 provincial soccer award winners have been announced by Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association president Doug Redmond of St.John’s. The eight will receive their awards Friday night at Conception Bay South Soccer in conjunction with the Association’s annual general meeting.

Players recognized include senior female Nichole Adams of St. John’s and junior female Michelle Ward of Portugal Cove-St. Phillips and senior male Mike Howlett and junior male Sean Edwards, both of St. Lawrence. Coach of the year is Scott Betts of Mount Pearl and executive of the year is Shane Dunphy of Marystown. The female EPR Kirby/The Dock Club is team of the year and Dan Maher of Mount Pearl was selected winner of the Ross Arlett Memorial Award that goes to the individual judged to have contributed most to soccer officiating during the past year.

In announcing the winners, Redmond cited them as “very deserving of these honors. They all played major roles in the very rewarding success that soccer enjoyed during the past year within Newfoundland and Labrador. Our soccer has been fortunate again in the high caliber of these winners.” He said, “the winners will be nominated for provincial sport recognition.

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2008 Team of the Year - "EPR Kirby/The Dock "

EPR Kirby/The Dock owns the best showing ever by a Newfoundland and Labrador female senior soccer club in Canadian championships. The well-coached, well-trained, well-balanced club earned a fourth place result at the 2008 BMO national women’s championships, competing against the very best female teams within Canada.

In fact, the national championships highlighted a tremendously successful season for the talented and dedicated team. In national and provincial competition, the club lost only two games, one to British Columbia and one to Manitoba. It recorded a truly remarkable 2008 performance,
In the 2008 provincial Breen’s Jubilee Cup, EPR Kirby/The Dock went undefeated for the complete schedule. In round-robin play, the team won 15 games and tied three for a 48-point first place finish. The club scored a remarkable 77 goals while allowing only 13 in 20 provincial games.

The formation of the club was the result of dedicated soccer people seeing the need to put together a team that would be very competitive at the national level as a method to encourage more female players to devote the time and effort to improve the overall local women’s soccer calibre and it appears to be successful.

Under coach Scott Betts, the team was formed and top-level talent put together into a strong and cohesive unit. For eight months the players worked out at least four days per week getting to excellent condition, working on individual skills and learning a playing system that would bring encouraging results.

Overall, determination and a willingness to make sacrifices provided the necessary support for the desired success.

Members of the EPR Kirby/The Dock team include Janine Bursey , Simone Quinlan, Jenn Murphy, Ashley Dawe, Nicole Moores, Leighanne Tobin, Layra Tilley, Jullia Whitten, Meghan Felt, Jess Wade, Sam Hansford, Malorie Harris, Leslie Pope, Kayla Franey, Renee Jerrett, Laura Breen, Jess Stanford, Gillian Baker, Nichole Adams, Dana Brewer. Hannah Rivkin, Michelle Ward, coach Scott Betts, assistant-coach: Gerry Kirby and managers Geralyn Hansford and Sue Wade.

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2008 "Coach of the Year" Scot Betts

The coaching leadership of Scott Betts was an important and valuable factor in the outstanding showing that the EPR Kirby/The Dock female team achieved within Newfoundland and Labrador soccer and within Canadian senior championship soccer during the 2008 season.

The veteran and extremely knowledgeable coach prepared a highly successful lengthy training and conditioning schedule that he coordinated and integrated into a playing system that took the team to the best showing ever in Canadian championships by a female team from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Utilizing fully his expertise and acknowledged ability to motivate players, he was able to get the very best from the EPR Kirby/The Dock players, resulting in an undefeated championship record in provincial Breen’s Jubilee Cup competition and a fourth place finish in the Canadian senior championships.

Scott Betts played a major role in putting the team together and worked its members four days every week for nearly ten months to produce the impressive season that the team enjoyed. In many important ways he was the liaison around which the team performed.

Overall, EPR Kirby/The Dock lost only to Manitoba and British Columbia all season.

The fine success that Memorial University’s female varsity team achieved was assisted greatly by his work with the EPR Kirby/The Dock club as 14 MUN players benefited greatly in conditioning and individual skills that were improved by their summer with Scott Betts.

Coaching a very young MUN male team in Atlantic Intercollegiate competition, he worked well with the club that had only five returning players. The club earned two wins and two ties while losing six games, of which four were by one goal.

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2008 "Executive of the Year" Shane Dunphy

In 2008 Shane was President of the Marystown Minor Soccer Association and worked diligently to revive soccer in Marystown. He has been successful in securing other adults in the community to coach Marystown’s youth teams and join the executive of that Association. He obtained sponsors to supply uniforms to all Marystown teams and he started an indoor league in the spring besides running the summer program. Shane also coached in this system both in the spring league and the summer program.

He has also been instrumental in forming a Masters’ team in Marystown. This team played regularly in Marystown and also participated in the Provincial Masters’ Tournament on a recreational basis.

In November 2007, Shane became President of the Burin Peninsula Soccer Association. This election meant Shane was taking on the daunting task to revive soccer on the Burin Peninsula. His first project was to set up weekly mini-tournaments for the U-12, U-14 and U-16 Boys and the U-12 and U-14 Girls which led to the Burin Peninsula Championships. These tournaments were a success this year with most teams playing more than 1 game a week for the first time in years. The U-6, U-8 and U-10 players on the peninsula took part in Invitational tournaments on a weekly basis.

Another of Shane’s aims was to get the Burin Peninsula back in the Provincial “A” Tournaments. While the Burin Peninsula has a great soccer history, participation in the top Provincial Youth Tournaments has been declining. Shane was successful in getting coaches for all level but in the end only the U-12 Boys, U-14 Boys, U-16 Boys and the U-16 Girls went to the “A” Provincials. The U-12 Girls had intended to go into the U-12 11x11 tournament but in the end it was decided they would be better suited to the 8x8 Mega. In this goal, Shane led by example and coached teams at both the U-10 and U-12 age levels.

Part of the reestablishment of the “A” teams on the Peninsula included participation in the Boys’ U-14 Provincial League. While this league was in the very beginning stages in 2008, Shane supported the idea of the league and made sure the Burin Peninsula was represented in it. The team travelled to both Corner Brook and Gander for games and they hosted both teams on the Peninsula also. This was the first time a team had played organized competitive games at their age level before participating in the Provincial tournament.

Shane was also involved in organizing the Intermediate League on the Burin Peninsula and encouraged the Boys U-16 BPSA team to participate in it. This gave this team games before going to Provincials. The success of this was evident at the tournament as the BPSA time won the silver medal.

On top of this, Shane invited teams from Portugal Cove/St. Phillips and St. Pierre to visit the Peninsula to play games. He also arranged for the U-8, U-10 and U-12 teams to participate in Invitational tournaments in the Metro area.

Shane was also Technical Director for the Burin Peninsula in 2008 and coached Regional teams at the U-10 and U-12 age levels. In this role, he invited Dragan to visit the Peninsula to hold coaching courses. He also met with young coaches on the peninsula to develop a training/skill development plan for all age groups.

On the Provincial level, Shane was the Regional Director for the Burin Peninsula. In this role, Shane represented the BPSA well and gained the respect of all NLSA Board Members.

He was also named the Burin Peninsula Representative on the NLSA Technical Committee. Here Shane strived to make sure all youth players on the Burin Peninsula are aware of the Provincial Team Program. He strongly encouraged and supported BPSA youth players to be involved with this elite program. As a result of his efforts fifteen BPSA players played on Provincial teams.

One of Shane’s biggest accomplishments this season was the hosting of the first Boys' U-12 8x8 Mega tournament. Plans for this began several years ago when Shane booked all the hotel space in the Marystown area to make sure teams had accommodations for the tournament. All sixteen teams that participated in this tournament were pleased with the organization of it along with the caliber of play and the level of officiating.

This year Shane also began coaching in the Provincial Team Program when he was named Assistant Coach of the U-13 Boys team. This meant monthly training sessions in St. John’s and an Atlantic tournament in Moncton – another major commitment on his part.

2008 has been a trying year for Shane. The demands on his time often exceeded the actual time he had to give. He continues to have great ambitions for the revival of soccer on the Burin Peninsula even though there have been and will continue to be many stumbling blocks to accomplish this goal. Shane is to be commended for his accomplishments this season

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2008 "Senior Male Player of the Year" Mike Howlett

Mike Howlett put a banner soccer season together during 2008, much in the same excellent manner that he has for 17 provincial and national Challenge Cup competitions. Utilizing exceptional determination and desire to well support the natural skill and talent that he has developed, he provided impressive leadership on and off the field for the St. Lawrence Laurentians, both provincially and nationally.

Drawing often and well on the valuable experience that he earned in Alberta as well as Newfoundland and Labrador, Mike Howlett played a major role in the great record that St. Lawrence posted in provincial Challenge Cup competition. The Laurentians lost only one game in their provincial schedule and he contributed greatly to this exceptional showing,

The manner in which he played in each and every game was recognized when he was named winner of the Dick Power Memorial Award after being selected the Most Valuable Player for the regular season. Voted to the provincial all-star team as striker, he added the Gerard Quirke MVP Award for the playoffs.

Bothered by injuries all season, he scored five goals in provincial regular season play and continuously fed his teammates timely and well placed passes that allowed them to score goals. His knowledge of the game and determination to contribute to his team was very evident and a great example of his contributions to the St. Lawrence club.

Mike Howlett continued his exceptional play into the Canadian championships where he scored two goals and earned several assists playing against the finest amateur soccer players within the nation.

Overall, Mike Howlett again demonstrated his soccer prowess during 2008, setting an example of top level play that may certainly be used as a model for younger players. He ranked highly with the very best within Canada.

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2008 "Junior Male Player of the Year" Sean Edwards

Sean Edwards repeated as the province’s top junior male soccer player during 2008 after earning the same selection for 2007. Following in the footsteps of his Hall of Fame father Clem, he enjoyed exceptional personal and team successes at every level of soccer from high school to senior Challenge Cup.

Continuously demonstrating why he is regarded as one of the most promising young players within Atlantic Canada, he continuously demonstrated exceptional talent and skill as both a striker and mid-fielder . Conspicuous as a leader, both on and off the pitch, he displayed a soccer knowledge well beyond his age.

Despite his youth, he was able to earn a berth on the St. Lawrence Laurentians club that won the provincial Challenge Cup championship. He took full advantage of his playing time to earn selection as the Laurentians’ most improved player and contributed much to the team’s successes.

His valuable contributions were a major factor in St. Lawrence Academy winning the provincial school title and he led St. Lawrence to the Under-16 provincial “B” championship while being voted the top male player in St. Lawrence youth soccer. Named to the Canada Games player pool, he was a member of the Under-16 provincial all-stars.

His great talent and skill earned him a spot at the National Training Centre in Halifax and he was one of eight players from this province selected to play with Team Atlantic at the Quebec National training center.

Devoted to soccer, he worked hard and tirelessly during 2008 to further improve his skills, making exceptional personal sacrifices for training and conditioning sessions. He is simply a very talented and dedicated young soccer player who is striving to get even better

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2008 "Senior Female Player of the Year" Nicole Adams

Nichole Adams was the dominating senior female soccer player within Newfoundland and Labrador during 2008 as she excelled at every level of competition from provincial to Atlantic Intercollegiate to national. An extremely dangerous striker on every team for which she played, she demonstrated her great skill and talent in every game in which she played and was of great benefit to her teams.

At the national senior women’s Jubilee Cup championships, she emerged as the top goal scorer with an impressive eight goals in four games. Playing against the finest female players in Canada, she more than held her own as she used her overall soccer talent, especially her extremely strong and extremely accurate shot, to pace her team to a great fourth place, the highest ever for any Newfoundland and Labrador team. She was simply a standout for her club in every game.

In the provincial season-long Breen’s Jubilee Cup competition, she was truly outstanding as she scored 21 goals in 18 regular games and earned the Most Valuable Player Award. She continued her scoring magic in the provincial playoffs with two goals in a 4-0 semi-final decision over Holy Cross and the winning goal in an overtime 2-0 win over Holy Cross in the title game. Naturally she was voted to the League all-star team.

A fourth-year student at Memorial University studying Kinesiology and working towards a medical degree, she was awarded CIS academic all-Canadian for 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 as a member of the University varsity soccer SeaHawks. In her fourth season with the SeaHawks, she was third in Conference scoring with seven goals and earned selection as a Conference second all-star as she helped her club to the Conference semi-finals.

She won St. John’s female Athlete of the Month for June and August, 2008 and was selected Athlete of the Week four times.

In her spare time she volunteered with Eastern Health at the Leonard A. Miller Centre and the Health Science Complex but changed to Planned Parenthood in early 2008. She recently signed up with Big Brothers/Big Sisters as a volunteer.

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2008 "Junior Female Player of the Year" Michelle Ward

Michelle Ward enjoyed an impressive and defining season during 2008. As a member of the St. John’s Under-16 “A” All-Star Team, she began to take a leadership role while her work ethic and determination along with her improved technical play was the standard for the club. Her inspired effort provided evident motivation for the rest of the team.

The Provincial Championships provided an opportunity for her to demonstrate the characteristics of an elite player. Her play at these championships helped solidify in the minds of provincial coaches that her improved play and leadership was not by chance. It confirmed that her increased commitment and positive attitude was paying dividends.

This year’s Under-16 Provincial Team was one of the strongest and competitive entries in the National Championships. The exceptional play and leadership ability of Michelle Ward really stood out. Her exceptional play caught the eye of national coaches who were in attendance. Her outstanding play was rewarded with an invitation to the National Training Centre in Halifax.

Her increased commitment and desire to improve technically, has produced the desired result. The change in attitude and maturity impressed her teammates. They looked to her for leadership and recommended her for captain.

At the provincial try-outs for the 2009 Canada Games Team, she demonstrated all the characteristics that a coach seeks in a player and that she is in a good position to make a strong challenge to make the final selection.

For the National Jubilee Cup Championships held in St. John’s in October, Michelle was one of the players picked up by the provincial representative, Kirby Team to replace an injured player. Playing against seasoned senior players, she more than held her own thus proving that her addition to the team was justified.

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2008 "Official of the Year" - Dan Maher

"Ross Arlett Memorial"

Dan Maher’s soccer career goes back 45 years to 1964 when he played at Kelly’s Brook in the St. John’s Minor system and his officiating contributions date from 1991 when he graduated from playing to refereeing. In all aspects of his career he has maintained a record of positive contributions that have made him a model for exceptional behavior.

After he joined the ranks of the provincial level, he moved through the officiating levels until he attained his Level One status and continued to officiate in the St. John’s Metro League and at provincial and national tournaments for 15 years. He regularly officiated provincial level championships and has officiated in games at designated national levels up to and including refereeing national Challenge Cup games.

As a referee assessor and instructor. he has made valuable contributions to the overall improvement and increase within the provincial soccer officiating situation. In this area of soccer he has continued to enhance his reputation
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n 2006, Dan was invited to join the Provincial Referee Committee and coordinate the delivery of the provincial referee instructional program. During the last three years the program developed more than 600 new youth and senior level officials. The coordination of this activity ranks as a highlight in his career. He plans to continue to instruct and assess in the future.

He played senior soccer for Holy Cross until the mid-1970’s and he played recreational soccer in Mount Pearl until the late 1980’s. He was involved in the Mount Pearl Soccer Association as a coach for nine years, served on the executive for a year, was a division coordinator for three years, a youth referee for ten years and an overall volunteer for 30 years..

He is a worthy recipient of the Ross Arlett Memorial Trophy.