June 25, 2014

The Colorado High School Soccer Coaches Association would also like to announce this year’s winner of the Fifer Award.

The Fifer Award is given each year to a former coach or individual who has had a significant impact on high school soccer in Colorado not just on the pitch but through other off the pitch contributions.

This year’s Fifer Award winner is Tony Hurt, the former Heritage HS boys and girls coach, past president of the Colorado High School Soccer Coaches Association, and President elect for the Colorado High School Coaches Association – the only soccer coach to receive such an honor.

Tony and his wife, Shanna couldn’t be here today, but will receive his Fifer Award in a separate ceremony in July when they return to Colorado from South Korea.

Described by one of his coaching peers as the best high school soccer coach never to win a State Championship, Tony left his mark in many other ways. A native of The United Kingdom, he moved to a U.S. soccer hotbed, St. Louis, Missouri in 1983 after graduating from and playing for Durham University in the UK. He quickly became involved in youth soccer organizing a league for emotionally disturbed youth.

Tony started his high school coaching career in 1988 at Mehlville HS in St. Louis with their boys soccer program and girls track team. He moved to Colorado in 1993 and quickly became involved at Heritage HS as the JV soccer coach for both boys and girls. He took over both Varsity Head Coach positions in 1998 and coached until 2010 before leaving to expand his teaching and coaching careers in Seoul, South Korea.

His coaching achievements include: 6 league championships, qualified for the State tournament 24 of the 26 seasons, amassed an overall CO HS record of 268-69-34, twice a State Championship runner-up, 7 times a semi-finalist all at the tough 5A level. The coaching honors that have been awarded him include: Induction into the Heritage HS Hall of Fame, CHSCA Teacher / Coach of the Year, NSCAA Rocky Mt. Girls Regional COY, National Federation of HS SW Region Girls COY, CHSCA Girls COY, twice NSCAA Colorado Girls COY, 6 times a Continental League COY, and a Denver Post COY twice.

His involvement off the field sets him apart as he has organized various fund-raising efforts ranging in scope from school building in Sudan, annual breast cancer awareness games, to volunteerism at the Denver Rescue Mission.

In 2010 Tony and his wife Shanna left for South Korea where he is still teaching and coaching, passing on his knowledge of history, curriculum writing, soccer, and tennis. He is a demanding, dedicated, tactically astute, inspirational leader on and off the field who is missed by his Colorado students, players, and fellow coaches. He has set an example for all of us as to what a teacher/coach should be.

Thank you Tony for your service to the Colorado High School soccer community.