Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Association (RVYSA) member Bob Sokolinsky was recently awarded the Tom and Linda Mosier Award at the 2017 NCYSA (North Carolina Youth Soccer Association) Annual General Meeting.
In January of each year, North Carolina Youth Soccer Association awards individuals for their service. At the 2017 NCYSA Annual General Meeting Bob Sokolinsky of the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Association was awarded the Tom and Linda Mosier Award.
Established on June 11, 1988, the award is named in honor of Tom and Linda Mosier for their notable work for NC Youth Soccer Association as state statisticians (for the classic program) and as the first editors of the association newsletter. Tom continued his volunteer contribution to NC Youth Soccer by providing a registration program for the state and member associations. He contributed hundreds of hours working with the staff and member associations meeting their needs. The award is given for notably significant contributions to the growth and development of youth soccer in North Carolina and is awarded periodically, not necessarily annually. No specific criteria other than the description of the award have been set.
Bob Sokolinsky was an NSCAA All-American at Broome Community College. After entering the Navy in 1963, he was stationed in Turkey where he played and coached on a base team and played and trained with a local village team. He moved and founded the Virginia Beach Soccer Club in 1977. For many years Bob worked with recreational, travel, junior high and high school teams, winning many league and tournament championships. He also coached U14 Girls at the State level for six years and 1985, Sokolinsky’s ’72 Fury won State Cup.
Sokolinsky was co-chair of the All-Navy team, and was selected as the VYSA Boys Coach of the Year. And has served on the Boards and as President of Virginia Beach Soccer Club, Beach FC, Southeastern Virginia Soccer League, and the Southeastern Virginia Soccer Referees Association. Beach FC has honored him by issuing annual scholarships in his name to a graduating boy and girl.
In 2005, Bob was inducted into the VA-DC Soccer Hall of Fame. Sokolinsky retired and moved to Lake Gaston and started volunteering with RVYSA in 2013 and has served numerous positions within RVYSA, including but not limited to: Vice President, Director of Coaching, Head Registrar, Coach. Sokolinsky has been very instrumental in growing the RVYSA and spends a lot of his time traveling back and forth between Lake Gaston and Roanoke Rapids coaching, securing sponsors, marking fields, training coaches, among many other things.