Youth Referee of the Year

The Cedar Valley Soccer Club Phil Watson Youth Referee of the Year

2025 CVSC PW YROTY

Colton Wenszell, La Porte City, and Sophie Vandesee, Waterloo, have received the inaugural Cedar Valley Soccer Club Phil Watson Youth Referee Of The Year award.

The award was presented by Cedar Valley Soccer Officials Association Youth Director Tyler Strickler at the June CVSOA Monthly Meeting.

Colton has been refereeing since 2022 and has refereed over 250 games in that time.  He has enjoyed meeting new people, working hard and improving as a referee.

Sophie passed the USSF First Time Referee Clinic in the spring of 2024 and has refereed more than 40 games.  She appreciates the involvement in soccer and the community that refereeing has brought and says that it has built her confidence and growth as a person and as a referee.

Both Colton and Sophie thank Tyler and the Cedar Valley Soccer Club and the CVSOA for their recognition.

Phil Watson commented, “I’m very honored to have the CVSC YROTY named after me.  I was on the original board of the Cedar Valley Soccer Club in 1992 and I got the CVSOA started in 1994.  Since then, we have produced hundreds of referees for Cedar Valley soccer.  Many began working youth recreational games and have climbed the ladder to be referees at the high school, college, state and regional levels. 

Being a quick learner and a hard worker is the winning combination and Sophie and Colton have exhibited those values on and off the soccer field.  We couldn’t have picked finer examples of successful youth referees.”

Congratulations to Colton and Sophie!