About Us

The Vermont Soccer Coaches Association was formed in or around the 72-73

academic year. Dwight Fiske, from HARWOOD, was our 1st President. He served

from 1973-1976. Dwight and Les Johnson took a group of high school soccer

players to England in 1972. The players were from different high schools in

Vermont. During our relationship we discussed the need for a Soccer Coaches

Association. This initiated the focus on improving player relationships and

improving the quality of soccer in Vermont. Les suggested that an interstate match

be considered. A match between New Hampshire and Vermont for Seniors.

Initial steps to institute a game were taken late in the 1973 season. Plans

were set to hold the first game in 1974 with Middlebury College to be the host.

Both the Vermont and New Hampshire Soccer Coaches Associations, were very

much in favor of such a contest. The National Collegiate Athletic Association was

contacted to request permission for such a match. While the NCAA had no rules

governing this type of contest, none had ever been played in the United States,

they said that the idea did have merit and allowed the coaches association to go

ahead and work out the details. After many coaches meetings, the details were

arranged. Since the idea had originated in Vermont, it was decided that Vermont

would host the first match. Plans were finalized with rosters of 22 players and

three coaches selected from each state. It appeared that everything was a go for

1974. 

It was a shock when the NCAA notified Middlebury College that the school

would be in violation of the NCAA recruitment rule if they hosted a match. The

1974 match was never played. Discouraged but not defeated, the two Coaches

Associations continued to work on their project. They met throughout the summer

of 1974 and decided to take two steps to insure a bi-state match. The first was to

secure a group outside the coaching ranks to provide continuing financial support

for the game. The communities in both states would need to help support this

effort. The second decision was to petition the NCAA for the only action that

would insure the games success. There needed to be a change in the NCAA

Constitution. 

The Lions International fulfilled the first need, with its then more than 100

clubs in three districts encompassing both states. This gave the match instant

recognition. The second item was handled by having the Vermont and New

Hampshire Coaches Associations Presidents go to the NCAA convention in

Washington DC in January 1975 to lobby personally for the needed amendments to

the Constitution. The Presidents were successful and as a result it is now possible

to request permission for games of this type in any sport through the special

NCAA High School All Star Committee. 

The first match was played in Middlebury with nearly 2,000 spectators. A

sizeable crowd for soccer at that time. Russ Simpson from North Country Union

coached Vermont to a 2-1 Victory over New Hampshire coached by Carl Hill of

Kearsarge. 

Changes were made in Vermont for Player selection. The inaugural

North/South match was arranged so that players could be evaluated and selected

through that match. 

Les had heard about an All-State Banquet that was held in Connecticut and

thought it would be a great idea for Vermont. He presented the idea to the

Vermont Coaches Association at their annual meeting. The All-State Team from

1980 held their first Banquet in February 1981. 

The past Presidents: 

1973-76 DWIGHT FISKE - HARWOOD UNION HS 

1976-77 RUSS SIMPSON - NORTH COUNTRY HS 

1977-78 BRUCE GEE 

1978-79 DENNIS MILES 

1979-80 MARK FITZPATRICK 

1980-81 LES JOHNSON - CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE 

1981-83 JOHN WERNER - ARLINGTON HS 

1983-84 CURT BELTON - SOUTH BURLINGTON HS 

1984-86 PETER COFFEY - CHAMPLAIN VALLEY UNION HS 

1987-88 DAN SHEPHERSON - NORTHFIELD HS

1989-90 MIKE GONNEVILLE - NORTHFIELD HS 

1990-91 RON GETZ - TWINFIELD HS

1994-95 JACK PENNYPACKER - MOUNT MANSFIELD HS

1995-96 DAN MARLOW BFA St ALBANS HS

1996-97 DENNIS McCANNELL COLCHESTER HS 

1997-98 GEORGE COOK MONTPELIER HS

1998-99 HOMER MORGAN MONTPELIER HS

1999-2000 LUIGI VALENTE POULTNEY HS

2000-2002 PETER SAKASH SPAULDING HS

2002-2004 JOHN HAMMOND HARWOOD HS 

2004-2006 JIM EISENHARDT PEOPLES ACADEMY

20010-2014 PAUL KENDALL SPRINGFIELD HS 

2014-20 CHRIS BARTON – LELAND & GRAY UNION HS

2020-23 MIKE MALLOY – MOUNT ANTHONY UNION HS