2006 National Youth Sports Awards

Barbara Bleiweis (c.), widow of the late Mark Bleiweis, accepts his Double-Goal Coach Award, along with daughter Robin and son Brett.

Held at Stanford University on March 24, 2006, the ceremony featured winners from a diversity of sports and geographic regions, reinforcing the universality of PCA ideals and the national scope of PCA's mission.

"Whether affecting team sports or individual, urban or rural, boys or girls, these coaches and organizations are producing an outstanding youth sports culture," says Jim Thompson, PCA's founder and executive director. "Although we gather to honor them, they honor all of us with their efforts every day."

The coaches honored were:
Mark Bleiweis, Basketball, Soccer and Baseball, McLean Youth Athletics, McLean, VA
Rita Boule, Soccer and Softball, John F. Kennedy High School, Silver Spring, MD
Donald Dickmann, Cross Country and Track & Field, Petoskey High School, Petoskey, MI
Robert Fukuda, Judo, Western Idaho Judo Institute, Fruitland, ID
Chris Wiegand, Whitewater Canoeing and Kayaking, Front Range Paddle Association, Lafayette, CO

The youth sports organizations honored were:
Central Missouri Eagles Youth Hockey Assn., Jefferson City, MO
Hyde Leadership Charter School, Washington, DC
Junior Giants, San Francisco, CA

PCA also bestowed its Leadership Award upon David Roux, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Silver Lake Partners, who has been the driving force behind PCA's Silicon Valley Shootout 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

In addition, Ted Leland, former athletic director of Stanford University, received the inaugural Ronald L. Jensen Award for Lifetime Achievement for his continuous support of PCA since providing the organization an early home within the Stanford Athletic Department.

The following distinguished coaches, athletes and business leaders presented awards and/or spoke at the event.

Presenters; 

• Jennifer Azzi, Olympic Gold Medalist
  
• Ruthie Bolton, Olympic Gold Medalist
  
• Anne Cribbs, Olympic Gold Medalist
  
• Tom Farrey, Master of Ceremonies, Senior Writer, ESPN the Magazine
  
• Joy Fawcett, Olympic Gold Medalist
  
• Dick Gould, Director of Tennis, Stanford University
  
• John Naber, Olympic Gold Medalist
  
• Jerry Porras, Professor, Stanford University
  
  

ESPN's Tom Farrey as master of ceremonies relates the award winners to the most pressing issues in youth sports.

Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist John Naber ends the evening with a rousing keynote speech.

To view and purchase National Youth Sports Awards photos please visit www.nysa.shutterfly.com

For more information on the National Youth Sports Awards and how to nominate, click here.

For a list of 2006 National Youth Sports Award winners and finalists, click here.