News
Awards and Recognition March 04, 2012

Manitoba celebrates annual award winners

Ivan Garcia and Aisha Alfa named outstanding senior footballers.

The Manitoba Soccer Association has celebrated its Annual Awards Banquet at the Viscount Gort Hotel in Winnipeg, MB this Saturday 3 March 2012. Footballers Ivan Garcia and Aisha Alfa were the two big winners, with Garcia taking home the Frank Capasso Outstanding Senior Male Player award and Alfa taking home the Christine O’Connor Outstanding Senior Female Player award.

The Awards Banquet honoured players, referees and volunteers who have made an outstanding contribution to soccer in the province of Manitoba. The Banquet featured Mr. Mitch Peacock of CBC Winnipeg as well as Canadian U-20 coach Nick Dasovic as the keynote speaker.

“We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to recognize the participants in our game,” said MSA Executive Director Héctor Vergara. “These individuals have devoted much of their lives to the game of soccer and they are very worthy of their recognition. We are sure many will continue to be part of the soccer family and we wish them as much success as they have had to date.”

“Congratulations to the award recipients,” said MSA President Christine O’Connor. “Your contribution to our wonderful game is much appreciated.”

While Garcia and Alfa won the two senior prizes, young footballers MacKenzie Neufeld and Laura Carroll won the two youth player prizes. Neufeld was named the Harry Harwood Outstanding Youth Male Player while Carroll was named the Lorrie Thompson Outstanding Youth Female Player. The referee and coach award winners were Ricardo A. Rodríguez for the Mario Perrino Outstanding Referee Award, Peter A. Manastyrsky for the Frank Major Outstanding Official, and James Silva for the Dave Zacharias Outstanding Coach.

Other 2011 award winners were Frank Van Dongen for the President’s Award, Len Fabris for the Vic Batzel Outstanding Youth Volunteer award, Norman Anderson for the Ralph Cantafio Outstanding Senior Volunteer award, and Sean Drain for the Dr. Fred Stambrook Outstanding Volunteer award. Walter McKee, meanwhile, was awarded MSA Life Membership.