2013 Leadership Award Honorees

The awards presented to our honorees are named in memory of people who shared Bob’s love of youth sports and the ideals he believed in.  They were family and friends.  They were a fellow coach and brother (Jim Emig), a youth athlete that Bob coached in youth soccer and admired throughout his athletic career (Todd Bruns), and a family friend and volunteer (Cathy Hill) who demonstrated the importance of volunteerism to youth sports.  The Bob Emig award goes to a supporter of youth sports.  A $500 donation will be made on behalf of each award winner to a non-profit youth sports organization of their choice.

  • Jim Emig Coach Award
    Norm Armstrong
    Belleville West High School

    Norm Armstrong served in various coaching capacities at Belleville West High School from 1958 until his retirement in 1989. For many of those years he was head Track and Cross Country coach for both boys and girls. In 1990 he was named to the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

  • Cathy Hill Volunteer Award
    Tonya Powell
    Maplewood RIchmond Heights Youth Sports

    Tonya Powell is one of the longest serving members of Maplewood Richmond Heights (MRH) Youth Sports. The organization provides children in PreK - 8th grade of all socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to participate in quality team sports programs. About 50% of the community it serves is at or below the poverty level, and they never turn away a registration because of finances.

  • Cathy Hill Volunteer Award
    Robyn Curtis
    Maplewood RIchmond Heights Youth Sports

    Robyn Curtis is one of the longest serving members of Maplewood Richmond Heights (MRH) Youth Sports. The organization provides children in PreK - 8th grade of all socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to participate in quality team sports programs. About 50% of the community it serves is at or below the poverty level, and they never turn away a registration because of finances.

  • Todd Bruns Athlete Award
    Morgan McGinnis
    Collegiate Tennis Player

    Morgan McGinnis is a role model for youth in hard work and determination. McGinnis was a four-time State Qualifier in girls’ tennis at Edwardsville High School, finishing with a career record of 135-54, which placed her 5th in all-time career wins. She was a Sectional Singles Champion in 2010 and 2011. But the heart of her story is her journey back from a stroke suffered in February of 2012 while playing an interclub match, which left her temporarily paralyzed on the left side of her body. She had to literally relearn tennis during her junior year and battle back for nearly eight months from this life threatening setback.

  • Bob Emig Supporter Award
    David Brcic
    President of Soccer Master

    David Brcic is a retired professional soccer goalkeeper and president of Soccer Master. Brcic played professional soccer for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL) and for a number of teams in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) including the Wichita Wings, Kansas City Comets and St. Louis Storm. He was on the U.S. Men’s National Team from 1978-1985 and the U. S. Olympic team in 1980 and 1984. He was named to the MISL All Star team in 1986 and 1987.