The Northshore Youth Soccer Association (NYSA) recognized retiring coaches recently at their monthly meeting. Honored for their achievements in youth soccer and service to the game, this group excelled on and off the field. Several in the group served their teams for more than a decade and were cited for their longstanding commitment to their teams. Pictured: NYSA retiring coaches (from left) Craig Lebakken, Sarah McElrath, Brian O’Neal, Stephen Schwecke, Channing Verbeck and James Bowman. Not pictured: Steve Hubert, John Shane, Michael Olson, Mike Taylor and J.C. Hosea.

Verbeck reflects on his memories with the Tornadoes, remembering “the rainy games on those ‘all-weather’ fields (mainly sand) and the wind storms at 60 Acres. But there are also the times,” he adds, “when one of the boys, now young men, tells me how much he appreciated the time I spent or what he learned; or when one of the parents says how much his son has enjoyed the season even when we’ve been losing — it’s times like those that I will carry with me.”