June 6, 2008
Five individuals to be honored at the Organization’s Mid Year Meeting
The United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), the governing body of adult soccer in the U.S., is pleased to announce the individuals selected to the USASA Hall of Fame, Class of 2008. The honorees will be inducted during the USASA Mid-Year Meeting to be held in San Antonio, Texas at an evening dinner ceremony on Friday, October 10, 2008.
Inductees were chosen on the basis of having made a significant contribution toward the development and advancement of adult amateur soccer at the national or regional level. The honorees were selected by the USASA Hall of Fame Committee, and the Hall of Fame Class of 2008 includes the following distinguished group of individuals: Brian Alexander; Chanka K. Baldeosingh; Anthony Falcone; Debra Trapikas; and John Zangrilli.
“We are pleased to welcome the Class of 2008 into the USASA Hall of Fame, although neither our words nor the awards to be presented can adequately recognize their devotion to the game we all love,” said Hall of Fame Committee Chairman Bruno Trapikas, of this year’s selections, adding: “In many ways, the Committee had some very difficult decisions to make, as there were many, many other highly qualified nominees.”
In accordance with USASA Bylaw changes enacted this past February, the Hall of Fame Committee was reorganized earlier this year. Bruno Trapikas was reappointed as Chair, and the Hall of Fame Membership elected the following individuals to serve on the Committee: Marypat Bell, Bob Black, Gianfranco Borroni, Mike Edwards, Stephen Flamhaft, Werner Fricker, Jr., Marge Madriago and Richard Williams. In addition to kicking off its activities with the making of this year’s selections, the Committee has begun to examine the nomination process for future years, is seeking additional revenue sources, and is looking at ways to quickly move toward a reflection of the USASA Hall of Fame within the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, NY.
With more than thirty years of soccer experience, Brian Alexander has served the game at the recreational, youth and adult levels. Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Mr. Alexander was involved with the Northwestern NY Youth Soccer Association as its first ever Treasurer and Registrar. Subsequently, Brian co-founded a Recreational Soccer Program for the Town of Penfield, NY; as well as presiding and co-founding the Penfield Rangers Travel Soccer Club. He has been a member of various USASA Committees: Executive Committee – Deputy Director; Budget Committee Chairman;; Hall of Fame Selection Panel; and USASA Site Selection. In 1989, Brian was appointed as Registrar of the Rochester District Soccer League until 2005, the year he became League President, a position he still currently holds.
Nominated as an Administrator with a minor in Officiating, Chanka (Ken) Baldeosingh has been a devoted advocate of Adult Soccer in the vicinities of Southern Ohio for the past thirty-four years. On the field, he has served as a referee in adult games since 1974. Off the field, he has worked tirelessly for adult soccer in his capacity as Assessor, Assignor, Instructor, and Administrator. Mr. Baldeosingh has been involved with the Board of the Southern Ohio Adult Soccer Association for thirteen years, accomplishing a noticeable increase in the numbers of leagues and players for the Association. He represented USASA Region II as the Referee Administrator for ten years beginning in 1995. During that time he encouraged and mentored an unprecedented number of Region II referees to attain National and FIFA levels. The level of all adult soccer officials increased as a result. He currently serves on the USASA Referee Committee.
2008 Hall of Fame Inductee, Tony Falcone, began his administrative career early while still in high school. During his senior year, he organized and won approval for an intramural indoor soccer league, followed by the arrangement of a summer team made up of his high school mates. Tony has served the Maryland State Soccer Association (MSSA) for more than twenty years as League Commissioner, Delegate-at-Large and President from 1988 to 1995. During that time, Mr. Falcone became part of the USASA as a member of the Rules Committee. In 1992, Tony took an officer’s commission with the U.S. Army and was relocated to Brooklyn, NY. Despite being several States away, he was asked to continue as President. Unfortunately, he had to resign in 1995, as the Army sent him overseas. Tony took over the MSSA as President again in 1998 and has performed in that capacity since. Along with his presidential duties, he has worked as the Cup Commissioner, organized the Champions Cup, and established the MSSA website and online registration. Mr. Falcone is also currently USASA Region I Treasurer, position he has held since 2003.
Debra Trapikas began her soccer career in 1980 as a coach of her daughter’s team. The following year she began playing herself, became the Commissioner of Girls Soccer for the area group, and was elected President of the Northwest Austin Women’s Soccer League. A year later, she was asked to be the President of the largest league in South Texas, the Austin Women’s Soccer League, remaining President for eight years. Trapikas has also been a referee for almost 17 years, an administrator, a player, and a team manager. She was a player coach for her women’s team for 18 years, leading the team to victory at more than 50 tournaments and state championships. She began, and was the administrator, for one of the largest coed leagues in the United States, and, in 2000, she led her coed team to the USASA national coed championship. In 1987, Trapikas became the Women’s Commissioner for the Texas State Soccer Association – South for ten years and was elected its Vice-President for four years, being inducted into the TSSAS Hall of Fame in 2000. Trapikas became involved in the National Cups program in 1984 and was the State Cups Commissioner in Texas South prior to becoming the Region III National Cups Commissioner. She remained in that position until moving to southwest Michigan in 2001. She was then appointed as the Region II National Cups Commissioner and remains in that position today. She has also served as Secretary of the Michigan Soccer Association.
A native of Italy, John Zangrilli played youth soccer in his hometown of Ripi until 1967, the year he left the Old World for the United States. He continued his playing career in New Jersey. Becoming a Referee in 1975, Zangrilli reached National grade three years later and remained as such until 1984, officiating hundreds of National Open and Amateur Cups games at the State and Regional level, North American Soccer League’s ASL and USL, and international games including the NY Cosmos (NASL) vs. S.S. Lazio (Italy). John is one the founders of the Garden State Soccer League of New Jersey, and has been the Senior Vice President since 1980. At the State level, Zangrilli has served as State Referee Administrator and Referee Committee Chairman for the New Jersey State Soccer Association (NJSA). He is currently the Referee Assignor and Vice President of Administrative Operations for the NJ Association and Region I State Referee Administrator for the USASA.
With the addition of the 2008 class, the US Adult Soccer Hall of Fame will now boast 86 members. The 2006 and 2007 inductees include: Milton Aimi, Mario Alarcon, Adolph Bachmeier, Alastair Bell, Marypat Bell, John Best, Graham Biles, Bob Black, John Bocwinski, Gianfranco Borroni, Bill Bosgraaf, Timothy W. Busch, James Carson, Clive Charles, Ken Conselyea, Wilfred Cummings, Brian K. Darling, Livio D’Arpino, Ian William Davey, Mario De Paola, George Donnelly, Antonio Doria, Tony Dubrowski, Paul Dueker, Gene Edwards, Mike Edwards, John Ellinger, George Fishwick, Tom Fitzgerald, Jack Flamhaft, Stephen Flamhaft, Werner Fricker, Werner Fricker Jr., Bob Gansler, Rudy Getzinger, Richard Giebner, Sunil Gulati, Dr. John P. Gyekenyesi, Julie Ilacqua, Mike Kabanica, Alfred Kleinatis, Frank Kracher, Kurt Lamm, Marge Madriago, Mike Maloney, Fritz Marth, Brian McBride, Robert L. McGee, Gerhard Mengel, Sviatoslav “Stan” Mirza, John Motta, Edward N. Nunez, Kevin Payne, Peter J. Peel, Foster Perry, Peter Pinori, Everett Polley, Peggy Polley, Salvatore Rapaglia, Gordon Redshaw, J. Eugene Ringsdorf, Charles Robinson, Carlos Rodriguez, Joseph L. Rodriguez, Julius Roth, Howard Rubenstein, Harry Saunders, Roger Schott, Patrick Smith, Anna Steffen, Charlie Stillitano Sr., June Stroup, Jack Sullivan, Bruno Trapikas, Joseph Triner, Wallace Watson, Richard Williams, Michael Wuertz, Gus Xikis, Nikola Zlatar and Joseph Zyzda.
Congratulations from USASA!
