Kelowna Teen Receives Top Honors!

Matt Wynne a 17 year old, Class 3 referee from COYSA, was presented with BC Soccer's Junior Official of the Year Award by Sportsnet Soccer Central commentators Craig Forrest and Gerry Dobson in Vancouver recently.

The award was handed out at BC Soccer's annual awards banquet held in conjunction with the BCSA AGM held January 10th. This Award is presented to an individual in recognition of outstanding achievement in Officiating at the provincial, national and/or international level.  Nominated by active members (from senior leagues and youth districts) and/or by the Board of Directors, the Recipient is selected by the Board of Directors who choose a winner from nominated Officials from throughout the province that best represents the spirit and professionalism that BC Soccer wants to see an official aspire to have.  

Our young Matt Wynne has been involved with soccer in Kelowna since he was nine years old and began refereeing at the age of 12 when he took his first class 5 clinic. At the age of sixteen, Matt discovered that he enjoyed officiating soccer games more than he enjoyed actually playing the game. His dedication to the craft allowed him to be chosen as one of the assistants at the CCAA College National tournament in Kamloops last November where he got a chance to work with 5  National List Officials. Matt suggested prior to his receiving the award that working with these high level officials was definitely his most rewarding experience to date. Matt is excited by the future opportunities available to him on the field as a referee and looks forward to being promoted to Regional Referee in the near future. We at COYSA, all applaud Matt for his dedication to soccer and for receiving this Award. 

We trust there is a bright future for Matt as a referee at the national and international level and we all hope that he stays and mentors other successful COYSA referees for years to come.