Canada Soccer celebrates excellence through the 2024 award winners

Charlie Cuzzetto has been recognised with the Canada Soccer President’s Award at the annual awards banquet following the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Members in Montréal, Québec. Cuzzetto was honoured after 15 years as a Canada Soccer Board Member from 2009-10 through 2023-24.

The Canada Soccer Awards Banquet celebrates excellent individuals on an annual basis for their service and dedication to the game. This year’s list of award recipients included former two-sport international star Shona Schleppe for the Brian Budd Award, referee Marie-Soleil Beaudoin for the Ray Morgan Memorial Award, and Ray Clark for the Tony Waiters Coaching Excellence Award.

Claudine Douville and Jean-Yves Phaneuf were honoured with the Award of Merit while Christine O’Connor and Leeta Sokalski were celebrated for their recent induction to the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame. Three clubs were also recognised as Canada Soccer Organisations of Distinction and will be further celebrated locally in their respective provinces: Vancouver Whitecaps FC from British Columbia, Windsor Teutonia FC from Ontario and the Verts de Sherbrooke from Québec.

Canada Soccer’s 2024 Annual Meeting of the Members was the organisation’s 104th since the Association was formed on 24 May 1912, with the first-ever meeting of the Dominion of Canada Football Association held in Winnipeg from 9-13 July 1912.

CANADA SOCCER PRESIDENT’S AWARD – CHARLIE CUZZETTO

The Canada Soccer President’s Award provides recognition and appreciation to a person’s outstanding and unique efforts for an extended period of time, resulting in the positive and constructive development at the national level across Canada.

Outgoing President Charmaine Crooks honoured outgoing Director Charlie Cuzzetto who has served on the Canada Soccer Board of Directors since 2009-10.

TONY WAITERS COACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD – RAY CLARK

The Tony Waiters Coaching Excellence Award recognises a person’s overall contribution to coaching in Canada for a minimum of 20 years.

In 2024, Canada Soccer honoured Ray Clark for his contributions to the game, especially in Coach Education and his role as Canada Soccer’s Director of Coaching.

RAY MORGAN MEMORIAL AWARD – MARIE-SOLEIL BEAUDOIN

The Ray Morgan Memorial Award is presented to the referee who has shown the greatest progress at the national and international levels.

From this past year, Marie-Soleil Beaudoin is recognised for her excellence as a FIFA Referee, including her appointment to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ and the Final of the 2023 Canadian Premier League Championship.

BRIAN BUDD AWARD – SHONA SCHLEPPE

The Brian Budd Award recognizes outstanding individuals who have excelled both in soccer and in another endeavor, be it in sport or public life. The individual must exemplify good character, accomplishments, dedication and provide inspiration to present and future generations.

Olympian Shona Schleppe represented Canada in Field Hockey at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games before she represented Canada Soccer at the inaugural Concacaf Championship in 1991. She was a two-time Canada Soccer National Championships winner with Edmonton Angels SC.

AWARD of MERIT – CLAUDINE DOUVILLE and JEAN-YVES PHANEUF

The Canada Soccer Award of Merit recognises the efforts of those persons who have made a significant contribution to the sport of soccer in Canada in the area of promotion, growth and development.

ORGANISATIONS OF DISTINCTION

Three Canadian soccer clubs have been recognised as Organisations of Distinction. These three clubs all made a positive impact on the game at the national, provincial, and/or community level and were established more than 50 years ago. The three Organisations of Distinction are: Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Windsor Teutonia FC and the Verts de Sherbrooke.