[AWARDS] Gary Allen, a pioneer in the field of coaching education in Virginia, is the recipient of the Dr. Thomas Fleck, US Youth Soccer Excellence in Coaching Education Award. The Dr. Thomas Fleck Award is designed to honor a lifetime of dedication where one has, with integrity, honor, humor and humility, made extensive and far reaching contributions to the process by which youth soccer coaches are educated in America.

Along with the Hall of Fame inductees and yearly awards winners, Allen will be honored at the U.S. Youth Soccer Awards Gala on Feb. 17 as part of the U.S. Youth Soccer Workshop in Boston.

Allen, the youngest coach in Virginia to attain the USSF "A" License, was one of the original staff instructors of the National Youth License and the second coaching education director for Virginia Youth Soccer.

He currently serves as a senior staff instructor for the Virginia Youth Soccer Association coaching education program and a U.S. Soccer national staff instructor. He was inducted into the Virginia Youth Soccer Hall of Fame in 2008.

Past winners:
2011 Jimmy Conway, Portland, Ore.
2010 Virgil Stringfield II, Orlando, Fla.
2009 Dr. David Carr, Barboursville, W.V.
2008 James "Jay" Hoffman, Virginia
2007 Dr. Ron Quinn, Cincinnati, Ohio
2006 Dean Conway, Jamaica Plain, Mass.
2005 Dr. Thomas Fleck, Philadelphia, Inaugural Recipient