The Vermont Soccer Officials Association announced that the Enosburg Falls Hornet boys and U-32 Raider girls in the North and the Fair Haven Slater girls and Sharon Academy Phoenix boys in the South are Vermont’s premier 2025 Sportsmanship teams.
This year for the first time, following all regular season and tournament games, each referee rated both teams on the sportsmanship behavior of the players, coaches, fans and on-site administrative support. Vermont officials worked over 1700 games this fall.
Marvin Pritchard, Vermont Soccer Officials Association president, expressed praise: “Congratulations to the teams selected for the 2025 VSOA inaugural Sportsmanship Award. The school, community and soccer official relationship that you have developed is a model for others to emulate in the future. You have been chosen by soccer officials who respect your passion for the game while always exhibiting the highest level of sportsmanship.”
Frank Martel, noted referee for over 50 years and the Northern Vermont Athletic Conference assignor, said he has seen it all. “Sportsmanship at its best are players following the rules of the game, respecting opponents, teammates and officials,” Martel said. “Players helping an opponent up, congratulating them on a great play, being honest and telling an official that the ball last touched them and for coaches, players, and fans respecting calls or non-calls even if they perceive them to be incorrect.”
This year’s VSOA Sportsmanship Committee also mentioned these highly rated finalist teams who displayed exemplary sportsmanship: the Mount St. Joseph, Stratton and Randolph girls, and the Otter Valley, Brattleboro and West Rutland boys.
Eric Evans, who assigns all games for SVL officials had this to say: “With the prevalence of social media, reports of poor sportsmanship nationwide in soccer are well documented. It is refreshing to see Vermont high school soccer be immune to this trend through the efforts of the Vermont Principals Association, school athletic directors, and especially the players and coaches. It is fitting that the VSOA recognize those schools who represent Vermont high school soccer at its best.”
