DICK WALSH AWARD

The Dick Walsh Award is the ultimate honor a supporter of South Carolina High School soccer can receive and is awarded by the South Carolina High School Soccer Coaches Association in recognition of Mr. Richard Walsh who was a pioneer for youth soccer in the Lowcountry of the Palmetto State.

Walsh was involved in South Carolina high school soccer officiating and scheduling for almost 30 years. He officiated baseball and football for 25 years, as well as basketball and volleyball. His competence was rewarded by officiating a number of state championship matches. In 1994, he received the South Carolina Soccer Officials Association's "Loyal Services Award".

Walsh, who was killed in a tragic car accident a few years ago, embodied a "soccer volunteer" as he dedicated his services through refereeing, coaching, administration, etc., so that youth soccer would persevere in South Carolina. He was the recipient of the first S.C. High School Soccer Coaches Association's SERVICE AWARD that bears his name in recognition of his contributions to high school soccer. The SCHSSCA incorporated the award in 1999 and thus far, seven individuals have been bestowed this tremendous honor:

1999
The first recipient of this prestigious award was his wife Brenda Walsh, who alongside her husband devoted countless hours and personal sacrifices to many youth in not only the Charleston lowcountry, but throughout the Sandlapper State. Ms. Walsh served as an administrator, registrar, team mother, etc., while raising her children and then after their playing days were over.

2000
J.R. Murphy was tabbed as the second recipient of the Award.  A former University of South Carolina letterman in men's soccer during the late 1970s, Murphy is now an attorney based in Columbia and is extremely active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  Mr. Murphy is annually one of the Soccer Coaches Association's most fervent donators of time, money, and resources and aids our Winter Clinic with a splendid luncheon sponsored by the FCA. His services are truly treasured by all members of the SCHSSCA.

2001
The 2001 recipient is Kyle Heise of SCSoccer.com - The Official Website of the SCHSSCA.  Heise began publishing the Kickin' Around Soccer Newsletter in 1993 as a service to the South Carolina prep soccer community, but has now incorporated that service into a full-fledged website unlike any other in the nation dedicated solely to high school soccer.  The site is very popular amongst not only coaches and players, but also of the mainstream media as a "one-spot" source for prep soccer coverage.

2002
Longtime coach William Hosea was the distinguished recipient of the 2002 Dick Walsh Award. Hosea has tallied more than 400 career victories and a winning percentage of greater than 80% in 32 years of service at Riverside HS (1973-2000) and J.L. Mann (2001-present). He holds numerous state, regional, and national records and coached in the McDonald's All-American Game at Blackbaud Stadium in 2003.

2003
Coach Scott Ruggles of Stratford HS was the 2003 recipient of the Dick Walsh Award. Ruggles compiled a 231-149-8 (.606) record in 20 seasons as the Knights' boys soccer coach. He has served as President and Vice-President for the S.C. High School Soccer Coaches Association and currently is the Assistant Director for The Home Depot North-South Soccer Classic.

2004
Rich Lloyd, owner of Lloyd's Soccer Sports on Daniel Island, is the 2004 recipient. A former football player at The Citadel, Lloyd has been a loyal and faithful friend of soccer at all levels across the Palmetto State. His business has seen it transformed from a sporting goods store to the unchallenged top soccer shop in South Carolina. His benevolence and support for the high school game is unmatched and Rich is certainly appreciated by the SCHSSCA!

2005
Kevin Heise is the only person to have played ('89), coached ('97, '02), and officiated ('98) a North-South Soccer Classic match. In addition to being the boys soccer coach at Brookland-Cayce High School since 1991 where he has compiled more than 250 victories, nine region championships, and a pair of Class 3A Lower State titles, Heise has been an integral staff member of the SCHSSCA Executive Board since 1996 serving in various capacities, including President and Vice-President amongst others.

2006
Frank Ridlehoover has been involved in Palmetto State soccer since the early 1980s and has coached at Eastside, Dorman, and is currently at Gaffney. He guided Eastside to three consecutive Class 4A state title games from 1984-86 and captured championships in 1985 and 1986. Ridlehoover, affectionately known amongst coaching peers as "Uncle Frank", also served a coaching/teaching stint in Columbus, N.C., and lead Polk County High School to a Class 1A state title. He is an active member of the S.C. High School Soccer Coaches Association and annually attends the NSCAA national conference.

2007
Dick Smith has claimed two state championships with the Yellow Jackets as T.L. Hanna captured the Class 4A state title in 1980 and his 1996 squad won the Class 3A State Championship. Smith served as a Co-Coach for the North team in the 3rd North-South Soccer Classic in 1991 and was the Head Coach of the North squad in the 8th edition of the all-star match in 1996. In addition, Coach Smith is one of only four soccer coaches from the Palmetto State to coach in the prestigious McDonald's All-American Game, which was played in Charleston in 2002. Also, Coach Smith was inducted into the SCHSSCA Hall of Fame's inaugural class and will serve as a co-coach in the inaugural Clash of the Carolinas North Carolina vs. South Carolina all-star game in July 2007. Coach Smith has been instrumental in the development and promotion of prep soccer in the Upstate with his service at T.L. Hanna HS for nearly 30 years. Coach Smith, referred to as "Dickie" by many of his closest colleagues, is a founding father of the SCHSSCA and has remained active in not only that organization, but also serves as the State Soccer Chairman for prep soccer and is on the SCACA Executive Board. Service to S.C. prep soccer has been the hallmark of Smith's tenure.

2008
Wayne Quinlan has been a supporter of Palmetto State prep soccer for a quarter of a century. He has served as head boys soccer coach at three high schools - Beaufort, Eastside, and Dutch Fork and has amassed a career mark of 285-181-18. The 2008-09 school year will mark a new chapter for Coach Quinlan, as he will move to Hilton Head Island High School to become the head boys soccer coach. Quinlan has served the S.C. High School Soccer Coaches Association in a variety of capacities, including stints as President, Winter Clinic Director, and the coordinator of the nation’s only interstate all-star game - the Clash of the Carolinas, which pits all-stars from South Carolina against those from North Carolina at the Charleston Battery’s Blackbaud Stadium each July. In addition to his soccer coaching duties at the high school level, Coach Quinlan has also coached prep football and club soccer.