Glenn Crooks was inducted into NJYS Hall of Fame in 2018 (Photo courtesy of NJYS)

EAST WINDSOR, N.J. ― New Jersey Youth Soccer will host its 32nd Annual NJYS Awards Dinner on Friday, Jan. 31 as it will honor players, coaches and members of the soccer community. On hand to serve as emcee for the event will be 2018 NJYS Hall of Fame inductee Glenn Crooks.

“I look forward to helping NJ Youth Soccer host its annual awards dinner again this year,” Crooks said. “Serving as emcee last year was a great experience for me. I am excited to have the opportunity to help honor another group of teams and individuals who have contributed so much to growing the sport in New Jersey.”

Crooks was chosen for induction into the Hall due to his outstanding achievements in the coaching community, especially with the NJYS Olympic Development Program and at the collegiate level. A longtime New Jersey native, Crooks has generated a prolific influence on the soccer landscape at virtually every stage of the game.

Crooks began his time with New Jersey ODP in 1989, where he directed six teams to ODP regional championships and three teams to ODP National Championships. He is also responsible for the foundation of the collegiate soccer programs at St. Peter’s University and Long Island University Brooklyn, as well as the interscholastic soccer program at Ridge High School. He was inducted into the Ridge High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.

While coaching college soccer, Crooks directed teams to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including two runs to the Sweet 16. He took over the Rutgers University women’s soccer program in 2000, enjoying a 13-year tenure. Among the players he coached at Rutgers were two-time Women’s World Cup champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA women’s player of the year Carli Lloyd, who is also an ambassador for NJ Youth Soccer.

Crooks serves as the host of The Coaching Academy on SiriusXM FC, as a color analyst for the Big Ten Network and as the play-by-play radio voice for New York City FC in Major League Soccer.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.