Young PWSI coach Matt Lawrey savors Double Goal Coach Award

By Roger Gonzalez

Soccer coaches across the nation were nominated for the Positive Coaching Alliance’s “Double Goal Coach Award” last month, and among them was a young Prince William Soccer Inc. coach named Matt Lawrey.

A former soccer standout at Mary Washington University who now coaches Under-9 boys and is an assistant for U-16 and U-18 girls teams at PWSI, Lawrey is delighted to have earned such an honor in his first year of coaching at the club.

The Double Goal Coach Award seeks to reward coaches who strive to win while also teaching life lessons through sports, to develop better athletes and people.

“Obviously, it’s nice to be recognized by an organization that is nationally known,” said Lawrey, who guided his team to two PWSI tournament titles in his first year with the club, in a conversation with Soccerwire.com. “It was good for me…It’s nice to get recognition for what you believe in.”

Lawrey, 25, has been with PWSI just under a year. He holds a U.S. Soccer Federation A License and National Youth License, but didn’t think he had much of a shot to win the PCA award.

“I honestly had no idea. I know a lot about PCA. When I was nominated, I thought it was cool,” said Lawrey, who also is an assistant coach at his alma mater.

“I didn’t think it would go further than that. I guess it’s based on my own actions, but a huge, huge part of it was PWSI, the coaches there, the directors. I think the biggest thing was actually the parents. I’m super-appreciative of them.”

PWSI executive director Mike Yeatts couldn’t be more proud of his club’s young honoree, though he’s also excited for what’s still to come.

“We are very excited about Matt receiving this prestigious award,” said Yeatts. “He is an outstanding young coach who embodies the ideals of the Double Goal award.”