EYO Soccer Recognized by HCRP

Three separate awards were given to EYO Soccer at the 12th Annual Celebration of Sports awards dinner banquet held at Turf Valley resort. At this celebration, Howard County Recreation and Parks (HCRP) honored recipients who emphasize positive sportsmanship in youth sports. The Elkridge Youth Organization (EYO) was recognized for Coach of the Year, Youth Player of the Year, and Official of the Year. This was an outstanding acknowledgment of the hard work of EYO Sports to receive awards in all three categories. Congratulations to John Druffel, Ali Morsy, and John Sanders for their awards for outstanding efforts in coaching, participation, and officiating in sports leagues.

EYO Soccer, one of the sports offered by the Elkridge Youth Organization, Inc, has been providing soccer experiences to local youth players for over 57 years and has over 1,200 players participating in soccer each year from ages 4 through 19. With registration opening in November for the spring season, it is expected to reach even higher numbers after the level of recognition received by the Howard County Recreation and Parks program.
Sportsmanship focuses on respect, positive leadership, team ethics and dedication. It’s about keeping perspective and having fun regardless of the score.

Sportsmanship focuses on respect, positive leadership, team ethics and dedication. It’s about keeping perspective and having fun regardless of the score.

Coach of the Year - Congratulations to John Druffel for his award as a GoodSports Coach of the Year.This award “recognizes the coach’s commitment, dedication, preparation, respect for officials, teaching skills, emphasis on teamwork, team ethics, leadership, motivation, sportsmanship and patience in their work with youth and adult sports.” John has dedicated many years to both coaching EYO Soccer and running several of the soccer leagues.

Youth Player of the Year - Congratulations to Ali Morsy for his award as GoodSports Youth Player of the Year which “recognizes the player’s dedication, respect for teammates, leadership, academic effort, community service, attitude, commitment to practice, respect for coaches and respect for officials.” Ali is recognized by his coaches, teammates and competitors as an excellent soccer player and demonstrated leader of good sportsmanship both on and off the field.

Official of the Year - Congratulations to John Sanders for his award as Good Sports Official of the Year award which “recognizes the official’s commitment, dedication, preparation, and respect for coaches, players and the game. Their emphasis on teamwork, ethics, leadership, motivation, sportsmanship and patience in their work with youth and adult sports truly encompasses the philosophy of GoodSports.” John has refereed over 300 soccer games for EYO Soccer over many years of refereeing. He is often recognized by the coaches and league officials for his excellent skills as a USSF Certified Referee.

Elkridge Youth Organization, Inc - Youth Sports

The Elkridge Youth Organization, Inc. (“EYO Sports”) is a local Elkridge 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1957 that provides youth sports to our local communities. EYO provides our youth a nurturing environment to enrich their lives by playing organized sports.
They have soccer, baseball, softball, tennis and basketball programs.

EYO Mission

Good sportsmanship is viewed by the Elkridge Youth Organization as a commitment to fair play, ethical behavior, and integrity. In perception and practice, sportsmanship is defined as those qualities, which are characterized by generosity and genuine concern for others. The ideals of sportsmanship apply equally to all sports. Individuals, regardless of their role in activities, are expected to be aware of their influence on the behavior of others and model good sportsmanship.

EYO believes that the pursuit of excellence in the areas of academics and sports helps develop maturity and self-confidence. We believe that the experiences a player has with EYO Sports will be beneficial throughout his/her lifetime.

HCRP Honored by National Association of County Parkland Recreation Officials

In recent years, The Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks was recently honored by the National Association of County Parkland Recreation Officials (NACPRO) with a “2011 Class I – Park and Recreation Program Award” for its “Celebration of Sports” event, according to bizmonthly.com.