Ravens Win United Soccer Coaches Team Ethics Award

*Seniors John Hughes and Eli Ours celebrate with their teammates after John’s goal.*

The 2021 Hillcrest Academy boys soccer team was recognized by the United Soccer Coaches, receiving the United Soccer Coaches Team Ethics Award Silver level. To receive the Silver version of the award the team went through the season, receiving no red cards and accumulating only two yellow cards. Based on the formula, number of cards divided by the number of games played, Hillcrest ended the season with a .133 rating just missing out on the Gold level of the award.. Hillcrest was one of 19 boys programs in the country, and the only one in Iowa to earn the silver or higher version of the award.

The award reflects well on the leadership and on-field play of the team, particularly the seniors who set the standard and tone for much of the season. Guys like Eli Ours, Dominic Bouse, and John Hughes found ways to be competitive, to play hard, and yet to promote a sense of sportsmanship and fair play that set an example for the rest of the team. This is the third time the team has qualified for the Silver award along with qualifying once for the Bronze level.

THE AWARD

United Soccer Coaches Announce 2020-21 High School Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award Recipients

KANSAS CITY, MO (August 2, 2021) – Thirty-five high school boys and girls teams received the United Soccer Coaches Platinum Team Ethics Award for completing the entire 2020-21 fall, winter or spring seasons without receiving either a yellow or red card.

In all, 146 boys and girls teams received either the Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze version of the High School Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award, which recognizes teams that exhibit fair play, sporting behavior and adherence to the laws of the game, as reflected by the number of yellow caution cards or red ejection cards they are shown by referees throughout the season based on the number of cards accumulated divided by the number of games played (i.e., 5 cards divided by 20 games played is 0.25 or 25%, which qualifies for a Silver Award).

Thirty-eight teams were recipients of the Gold Award, which is given to teams with a percentage of cards ranging from 1-10%.

A total of 52 teams claimed the Silver Award, which is given to teams that accumulate a percentage of cards ranging from 11-30%, while the Bronze Award went to 21 teams, which is presented to teams that accumulate a percentage of cards ranging from 31-50%.

The Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award was created to recognize teams that exhibit fair play, sporting behavior, and adherence to the laws of the game.

THE CRITERIA

Effective with the Fall 2020 season, a team must play a minimum number of matches that either: equal the number of matches required to qualify for postseason play, or 10 matches
A team must not have received any (0) Red Cards at any time during the regular or post season.
Yellow Card Percentage can not exceed 50% (Total Yellow Cards Received ÷ Regular and Postseason Games Played).
The Head Coach must be a current United Soccer Coaches Member and the team has finished play for the season (regular and post).
A completed Card Certification and Signature Form.

AWARD LEVELS

The following levels may be awarded based on the Yellow Card Percentage (Total Yellow Cards Received ÷ Regular and Post Season Games Played):

Platinum YCP = 0% (No (0) Yellow Cards Received)

Gold YCP = 10% or Less

Silver YCP = 30% or Less

Bronze YCP = 50% or Less