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, has seen it all.
“Sportsmanship at its best are players following the rules of the game, respecting opponents, teammates and officials,” he 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 mention three highly-rated finalist teams who displayed exemplary sportsmanship and they were from the Southern Vermont League, the MSJ, Stratton and Randolph girls and the Otter Valley, Brattleboro and West Rutland boys.
From the NVAC, the fnalists were the Caledonia United, South Burlington and Richford girls and the Richford, Essex and BFA Fairfax 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 VPA, ADs, and especially the players and coaches. It is fitting that the VSOA recognize those schools who represent Vermont high school soccer at its best.”
The Sportsmanship Award winning Enosburg Falls, U-32, Sharon Academy and Fair Haven Athletic Directors were notified recently and are now organizing events at their schools honoring their teams. VSOA officials will attend and present the teams with a banner and certificates.
MIDDLEBURY — Former Middlebury swimming and diving coach Peter Solomon has been selected as one of 21 inductees into the 2026 College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Division III Hall of Fame Class. Solomon led the Panthers for 14 years from 1998 through 2011.
Solomon’s teams amassed 161 victories in his 14 seasons with the men’s and women’s programs. He boasted a .644 winning percentage across both teams and led his squads to team finishes of 10th or better in 10 NCAA Championships, including five consecutive on the women’s side from 2003 to 2008.
Under his guidance, both programs compiled 10 of their 13 individual national championships. He helped Middlebury Athletics Hall of Famer Marika Ross ‘08 collect four national titles across the women’s 100 (2007) and 200-yard butterfly events (2005, 2007, 2008), while fellow inductee Derek Chicarilli ‘02 was crowned on the 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards in 2001. Other national titles during his tenure included the women’s 1,650-yard freestyle (Heidi George — 1998), the women’s 1-meter dive (Tessa Truex — 2005) and the men’s 100 and 200 fly (John Dillon — 2010).
Solomon coached 76 All-Americans across his Panther career. His 2002 men’s team knocked off perennial league contender Williams to claim the only NESCAC Championship in the history of Middlebury swimming and diving programs.
He enjoyed a 29-year NESCAC coaching tenure, earning nine conference coach of the year honors, including five with the Panthers. He also spent four years at Amherst before joining Middlebury and helmed the Wesleyan programs for a decade following his stint in Vermont. He retired from his position in Connecticut following the 2022-23 campaign.
