The Charlotte Moran Memorial Fund and Kirkwood Soccer Club presented a $2500 scholarship to Kayla Steeley at the Charlotte Moran Girls College Showcase hosted by KSC over Thanksgiving weekend.  Kayla is a member of the LC Fusion SC in PA and will pursue a degree in Athletic Training at Neumann University in the Fall of 2013.  Congratulations Kayla!

“But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of sunshine“–Thomas Jefferson

Thanksgiving weekend is upon us… The first President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nation-wide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, “as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God.”  For as long as I can remember, I have spent every Thanksgiving weekend with my family, with the exception of one year – 1996 – when I traveled to Tucson, AZ with my friend Charlotte Moran to work with her at the USYS Interregional Girls ODP Tournament.  It was indeed unusual not celebrating with my family…and I can assure you that they have never let me forget that I left them at home without the traditional celebration!

That year I spent Thanksgiving Day on a bus with 35 teenage girls as Charlotte decided it would be “fun” to visit Tombstone, Arizona!  The adventures of working with Charlotte Moran!  Since then I have spent every Thanksgiving Weekend with my family.

Until this year – 16 years later – I will have the opportunity to honor my friend by managing the Charlotte Moran Girls College Showcase at the Kirkwood Soccer complex in Delaware…. Thanksgiving weekend.  It was less than 4 years ago that we, the soccer community, lost our friend Charlotte to cancer.  However, thanks to numerous people who loved Charlotte during her life and appreciated her passion for girls and women’s soccer, we continue to keep her legacy alive.  Her name adorns various awards; she is often spoken of with fondness and kindness and most certainly is missed by all.

So, while I will spend Thanksgiving Day with my family, this weekend in 2012 belongs to Charlotte.  It is my weekend of thanksgiving to acknowledge with a grateful heart my gratitude to my good friend.

If you would like to more information or to contribute to the Charlotte Moran memorial fund you can dohere.  If you would like to donate you can do so here.  If you are interested in competing at the tournament in future years you can find the tournament website here.

 The Charlotte Moran Memorial Fund, a 501c3 organization, has been established to honor the legacy of long-time women’s soccer advocate, Charlotte Moran, who lost her battle to pancreatic cancer in May 2009 after heroically battling the disease for nearly two years.  

Charlotte had been involved in soccer for more than 20 years, beginning at the grassroots level as a team manager through roles at regional and national levels.  In addition to her leadership roles as the state level, she also served as the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Girls Region I Administrator for a number of years as well as the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program National ODP Girls Chair.

In 2002, Sun Wen  was voted as the Co-Player of the Century, sharing the honor with American, Michelle Akers, by soccer’s governing body, FIFA.  Charlotte and Sun Wen became friends when the Chinese National Team traveled to the U.S. when, during Charlotte’s tenure at EPYSA, the association hosted the team!  It became a life-long friendship.

  Oct. 16, 2009

"Charlotte was a pioneer for women’s soccer in the United States," said Florida State head coach Mark Krikorian.