Cyndi Goodwin will received the Mike Berticelli Excellence in Coaching Education Award. (Photo courtesy of United Soccer Coaches Association)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – United Soccer Coaches has announced the recipients of two of the association’s major annual awards.
Cyndi Goodwin has been named the Mike Berticelli Excellence in Coaching Education Award winner and Carin Gabarra was selected for the Women’s Soccer Award of Excellence.
The awards will be presented at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia to recognize the recipients for their outstanding accomplishments on and off the field.
Goodwin will accept her accolade at the awards banquet Jan. 19. Gabarra will be honored at the Coaches of Women’s Soccer Breakfast Jan. 20.
Mike Berticelli Excellence in Coaching Education Award
Named after former United Soccer Coaches Director of Coaching and VP of Education Mike Berticelli
Cyndi Goodwin (member since 1992)
Goodwin has been honored by her colleagues for her 12 years of service on the association’s National Academy Staff. As a coaching educator, she has made a positive impact on hundreds of coaches who have learned from her in courses ranging from the 4v4 Diploma to the Advanced National Diploma.
In less visible but equally important roles, Goodwin has served as the United Soccer Coaches Southern California director, contributed to the reshaping of curricula for several coaching courses and mentored dozens of young female coaches.
A full time Special Education/Math teacher at Colony High School in California who holds the Premier Diploma and a B License, Goodwin is an assistant coach for the women’s soccer team at The University of Redlands and is a staff coach for the Murrieta Surf Soccer Club.
Prior to moving to California, Goodwin was a successful high school and club coach in Albuquerque, N.M., directinging her high school teams to four district championships and earning district coach of the year honors four times and state coach of the year accolades in 2000. She also coached three state champion club teams and served as an Olympic Development Program coach and scout for 10 years.
Women’s Soccer Award of Excellence
Sponsored by Women and Girls in Soccer (WAGS)
Carin Gabarra (member since 1994)
One of the most accomplished players and college coaches in women’s soccer history, Gabarra contributed 48 assists and 56 goals in 119 appearances for the U.S. women’s national team from 1987-1996, winning the Golden Ball as the best player at the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991 and concluding her international career with a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
A two-time U.S. Soccer female athlete of the year and member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Gabarra has served on U.S. Soccer’s Women’s Player Development Task Force, Athlete Advisory Council and Technical Committee. She also serves within the United Soccer Coaches ranking committees and is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee Athlete Advisory Council.
Gabarra, who recently concluded her 25th season as the United States Naval Academy women’s soccer coach, began her coaching career at Westmont College (1987) and Harvard University (1988).
In 1993, she led the Mids in their first varsity season and quickly established the Naval Academy as a conference contender with 21 consecutive winning seasons from 1995-2015. Gabarra earned her fourth Patriot League coach of the year award this year and cemented her position as the conference’s all-time wins leader with an 8-0-1 conference record in 2017.
