The 2025 New Jersey Youth Soccer Awards Dinner brought together coaches, athletes, parents, industry leaders, volunteers, and New Jersey soccer legends for a memorable night of fun and celebration. Held at the elegant Pines Manor in Edison, New Jersey, the event honored the achievements of the 2024 season and the inspiring individuals who make youth soccer thrive.

At the event, Greater Than The Game had the privilege of interviewing elite athletes, coaches, and business leaders from around the state. Below are the five lessons from the night that will inspire growth on and off the field!

Champions Hate to Lose: Skip Gilbert, CEO of US Youth Soccer

Skip Gilbert is the CEO of US Youth Soccer, but his love for the sport was forged on the pitch. After a short career as a professional, he began working for different sports organizations like The Sporting News, USA Swimming, and the United States Tennis Association in numerous executive roles before being named the CEO of US Youth Soccer in 2020.

In the interview, Gilbert explained that a study of Olympic champions across various disciplines found that the one common trait they all shared was their hatred of losing.

If athletes can harness this competitive mindset, they can excel both in sports and in the business world. To view our full interview with Gilbert, where we discuss topics like excelling in the business world, leadership, and his advice for young athletes, click here.

Become a Creator: James Galanis, Director of Technical Operations at New Jersey Youth Soccer

Before James Galanis served in his current role with NJ Youth Soccer, he played professionally in Australia,  before becoming a coach for the Atlanta Beat.

Galanis’ advice for coaches is to think of themselves as creators. “Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to drills and what your team needs. As a coach, you need to create the environment that will help your team be successful.”

Although this advice was directed at coaches, it can be applied to all walks of life. Whether we are in school, at work, or with our family, it is important to create an environment where everyone can thrive.

If you would like to see our full interview with Galanis, where we discuss how to build a winning team in youth sports and beyond, click here.

Sometimes You Just Have to Get Up: Ashley Hammond

Ashley Hammond is the Director and Founder of CP Soccer, whose mission is to build a nationwide soccer league for kids affected by cerebral palsy, stroke, or traumatic brain injury.

In the interview, he opened up about his own journey, having a son born with CP — a neurological condition that affects balance, coordination, and muscle tone. Hammond explained that when his son was young, he and his wife agreed that they would never pick him up when he fell. While this may seem harsh to outsiders, Hammond shared that this decision helped his son build both toughness and resilience. Years later, when his son tore his ACL on the pitch, he walked off the field without help from his parents or teammates.

So what can we learn from this story? Sometimes in life or on the field of play, we will face adversity and need to pick ourselves up and move forward.

To watch our full interview with Hammond, click here.

Always be Encouraging:  Alyssa Manasse US Olympic development player Interregional Player

Rutgers Prep Sophomore Alyssa Manasse explains that the most important characteristic for a great teammate to have is to be encouraging and to uplift your teammates. She stressed the importance of talking teammates through challenges and helping them build confidence in who they are as a player. She says that these simple acts can really make a difference in the growth of a player. 

While we may not all have teammates, we can all put this into practice in our daily lives. Whether it be at our job, school or in our family we can all work to be a little more encouraging. We never know the positive effect it can have on those around us. Check out our full interview with Manasse by clicking here.    

The Importance of Accountability: Mark Surretsky, State Cup and National Champion

In this interview, State Cup and national champion Mark Surretsky discusses the value of having an accountability partner when pursuing a goal. He also shares what to look for in the right partner.

“You want people to keep you level-headed and make sure you are being responsible,” Surretsky told Greater Than The Game, emphasizing that the best accountability partners are those who will call you out — but do so in a respectful way.

No one succeeds alone. It is imperative that we surround ourselves with people who will guide us, support us, and keep us in check along the way

Check out Surretsky’s  full interview here!

Celebrate Even When We Lose: Michael Padmore, NJYS Volunteer of the Year

In this interview, we talked with Michael Padmore, the Vice President of the Travel Program at East Brunswick Soccer Club. As a coach, father, and former player, Padmore emphasized the importance of celebrating regardless of the outcome.

“It’s important to go out for pizza, win or lose,” he said.

There are two reasons why he believes this is crucial:

It gives a team the opportunity to assess what went wrong and what they can improve on in a relaxed atmosphere away from the field.

It creates memories with the team and family members that will last far beyond any win or loss.

This practice is something we can all implement in our lives. Many times, we become so focused on the outcome of a goal that we forget to build memories along the way. It’s also a reminder to continually assess how we can improve — whether at work, in school, or on the field.

To view our full interview with Padmore, click here.

Never Give Up: Bobby Kaupas, NJYS & JAG Physical Therapy Comeback Player of the Year

In this interview, we sat down with Bobby Kaupas, the Comeback Player of the Year and goalie for the Cherry Hill Soccer Club.

Kaupas shared how he was able to return to the sport after an injury he once thought would end his career. With the help of JAG Physical Therapy and the support of his family and teammates, he made his way back onto the pitch.

One key lesson Kaupas emphasized was the importance of setting goals in whatever you do and having the endurance to push through challenges. “Just keep trying, work hard, and that will eventually get you to your goal,” he told Greater Than The Game.

While the idea of a comeback is often discussed in sports, it is always powerful to see a young athlete personify resilience, refusing to give up even after a potentially career-ending injury. Like Kaupas said, if we work hard and continue to try, it’s only a matter of time before we get to where we want to be.

To view our full interview with Kaupas, click here.

Thank You

Greater Than The Game would like to thank JAG Physical Therapy for sponsoring this article. The JAG Physical Therapy team proudly serves the tri-state area with facilities throughout New Jersey, Manhattan, Westchester County, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Rockland County, and Pennsylvania. Each location serves patients with a variety of physical and occupational therapy needs, ranging from post-operative care to sports medicine, orthopedic rehabilitation services, and more. If you would like more information on how JAG can help with your recovery needs, click here.

We would also like to send a heartfelt thank you to all our interviewees and to New Jersey Youth Soccer for a tremendous event.