This year’s Excellence in Coaching Award recipients are Bill Tompkins and Kevin Rooney.

Tompkins and Rooney will be honored at the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Annual Awards Banquet on February 24 at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to EPYSA.org/events/awards_reception.

"Bill and Kevin have each dedicated themselves to the soccer community as coaches and educators," said Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer CEO Chris Branscome. "They are two of the most respected names in Pennsylvania soccer and continue to support our youth—and their fellow coaches—by working at the local club level."

A native of Glenside and graduate of Abington High School, William “Bill” Tompkins got his coaching start as an assistant with Roslyn Soccer. He’s stayed in the profession for 32 years, working at various levels. Tompkins coached Bishop McDevitt High School Boys Soccer to its first winning record and first appearance in the Philadelphia Catholic League Playoffs. He also spent more than 20 years in the Olympic Development Program. Several of his former players went on to play professional soccer, including Ben Olsen, Jeff Larentowicz, Dan Gargan, Bobby Convey, Phil Karn and current Philadelphia Union manager Jim Curtin among others.

"Coach Tompkins was the first coach I had in my playing career that gave me a true structure and created an environment where I could develop as a player," said Curtin, who played for Tompkins at Bishop McDevitt. "He was an incredible motivator and a guy who made me see the game from a coach's perspective. I owe Coach Tompkins a great deal for any success I have had in the game."

As one of the first coaches in the state with a U.S. Soccer National Youth License, Tompkins spent 10 years as a coaching educator in Eastern Pennsylvania. He co-founded A.C. United, based in Abington, in 2003, where he coaches an under-13 boys team.