Walt Chyzowych Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Tom Fleck, 2004
 The Walt Chyzowych Award is given annually to recognize and give thanks for a person’s lifetime of
dedication to preserving the spirit of the game of soccer, advancing its level of play and promoting its
growth and development among youth and adults nationwide.
The inscription on the 2004 Walt Chyzowych Memorial Fund (WCMF) Annual Award reads:
Educator, Coach, Author, Administrator, Confidante and Friend
Tom Fleck, an All American at West Chester State University and Walt Chyzowych, an All American at
Temple were opponents on the playing fields of Philadelphia in the late 1950’s.
Their personal rivalry continued into the professional American Soccer League (ASL) with Fleck
playing for the Uhrik Truckers and Chyzowych leading the Philadelphia Ukrainians. Later the two
challenged each other as opposing coaches with Fleck mentoring Lehigh and Chyzowych leading Philadelphia
Textile.
While Walt Chyzowych continued his playing and coaching career, Tom Fleck continued his education
with a graduate degree from Temple and a Doctorate from Lehigh (1970). Achieving such, Dr. Tom Fleck,
soccer player and coach became one of only a handful of soccer persons recognized with the penultimate
degree, a status which would be most helpful in his emergence as a leader in American soccer,
specifically in the area of youth soccer competition.
In 1978 Dr. Tom Fleck became the United States Soccer Federation’s (USSF) first Youth Coordinator as
the sleeping giant of American youth soccer needed to be organized and administrated nationally by the
governing body.
After a three-year sojourn into professional soccer as General Manager of the NASL’s Philadelphia
Fury, Dr. Tom Fleck returned to his main interest, a devotion to America’s youth serving a 13-year term
as Director of Educational Services and Coaching for the Florida Youth Soccer Association. Fleck lead
Florida Youth Soccer to a leadership position in player development and administrative support for
emerging programs. An additional seven (7) year stint in a similar capacity for the State of Idaho
helped spread Dr. Fleck’s wisdom and expertise west of Mississippi.
During this twenty (20) year period of Tom Fleck’s career he additionally served as: President of
the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), helped found the NSCAA Academy program; and
served as technical advisor for the United States Soccer Federation (US Soccer) for the 1980 World Youth
Championship (TUNSIA) and the 1994 USA World Cup. Dr. Fleck became further recognized internationally as a
leading soccer intellect in the area of youth soccer when he spoke to UEFA Coaches on the subject at Wembley,
England in 1998.
Dr. Tom Fleck has authored no less than ten (10) youth soccer coaching manuals and parental guides
for players ranging from under six years of age to under 12 and has made countless appearances
nationally speaking in the subject of youth coaching and teaching.
From 1975 to present Tom Fleck has served as a National Staff Coach to US Soccer and from 1980-1985
for NSCAA Academies. But from 1995 to present, Dr. Fleck’s presence has been most notably felt as a
clinician at US Soccer’s National Youth Course, for which he had significant involvement in curriculum
development. In many ways, it was Dr. Fleck’s knowledge and expertise in the area of youth soccer
teaching and coaching, which led to the USA’s emergence as a youth soccer power internationally.
As a friend and confidante to Walt Chyzowych, often by his side in those serious problem solving
times, Tom Fleck had major input into the decisions which has led the United States to the position in
worldwide soccer it holds today.
Tom Fleck’s career has not been unnoticed or unrewarded however. Among the honors previously
bestowed on Dr. Tom Fleck are:
- Torch Bearer (Boise, ID) Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Torch Relay
- National Soccer Coaches Association Life Service to Youth Achievement Award, 1996
- Eastern Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame
- N.S.C.A.A. Exceptional Services Award
- Order of AHEPA, Outstanding Service Award
Tom Fleck joins a list of outstanding soccer personalities as the Walt Chyzowych Memorial Fund’s
distinguished Service Award’s ninth recipient.
--Press release, December 2003
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