Sports

Local youth soccer coach wins Southern Region honor

By Bill Moss, Published: December 18, 2013

A veteran youth soccer coach has been named a regional coach of the year by the US Youth Soccer Association.

The association on Tuesday awarded the southern region Recreation Coach of the Year Award to Michael Ericksen. A resident of Hendersonville, Michael Ericksen has volunteered to coach 15 different teams within the Henderson County Soccer Association since 2005. As a teacher during the day, he devotes much of his time to teaching youth, both in the classroom and on the field. He is one of the most reliable recreation coaches year after year and is always willing to step in and coach the game he loves.

The Recreation Coach of the Year is awarded to a recreation coach for both a boys team and a girls team for his or her coaching activities, sportsmanship, player development, personal coaching development, and citizenship. There are four regions within the US Youth Soccer Association. North Carolina falls into Region III and is made up of 11 southern states from North Carolina to Texas.