2017 Tracy Fifer Award for Long-Term Achievement in Colorado High School Soccer
The Colorado High School Soccer Coaches Association is proud to announce and recognize this year’s Fifer Award winner for Long-Term and significant impact on Colorado High School Soccer, Jay T. Engeln.
While Jay’s accomplishments within Colorado are certainly worthy of this Award perhaps his work for high school soccer and students nationwide is even more noteworthy.
Jay began receiving recognition for his athletic accomplishments early earning All-State honors in soccer and hockey at Evanston H.S., Illinois. He then played soccer at Colorado College for the legendary Horst Richardson. Jay earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology graduating in 1974. He was selected to the CC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.
Coach Engeln’s first real impact on Colorado High School soccer started in 1974 when he took a teaching job at Mitchel HS in Colorado Springs and started their boys’ soccer program, the first high school program in Colorado Springs. Moving to Doherty High School in 1975 he coached soccer and hockey. His boys’ soccer teams earned numerous championships between 1976 and 1985 including 2 city titles, 2 Colorado Springs Metro League championships, 4 District Championships, and State Champions in 1982 and 1985. He was also instrumental in starting a girls’ high school soccer league in Colorado Springs in 1976.
Along the way he garnered many personal coaching honors: Coach of the Year by the CS Metro League twice, CS Gazette COY three times, and Colorado State Soccer Coach of the Year twice. Jay was also named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s (NSCAA) Rocky Mountain Region COY in 1984 and 1985.
The National HS Athletic Coaches Association selected Jay as the Region 6 COY and The National High School Soccer, National Coach Magazine named him the National COY in 1985. Jay coached in numerous All Star games locally and nationally.
Two Colorado Springs coaching legends and past Fifer Award recipients, Vic Garcia and Jack Busher, praise Jay for his leadership within the fledgling Colorado Springs high school soccer league and as a mentor for them.
“He knew how to create a class program and encouraged the league coaches to work with one another. Jay was very giving of his time and energy to help deal with the issues of a new league.”
“Jay was also instrumental in establishing an early loose organization with the Denver area high school coaches to select men and women’s All-State Teams.”
“He was a soccer figure I looked up to. He gave the rest of the Colorado Springs coaches a feeling that our league could compete and bring home a State Championship. Jay also made sure his teams always competed as gentlemen.”
Jay moved into administration at the high school level in 1989 as well as on the national soccer scene. He became a Board of Director in the NSCAA where he served for 15 years. He was elected their Vice President in 1997 and the NSCAA President in 2000, the highest national position any Colorado coach has ever reached. Jay has also received many teaching and administrative awards and has been a featured speaker at the White House Conference on Teenagers in 2000.
Jay has had a deep connection to his students through the years, not just demonstrated by his teaching awards, but when two of his students were lost at Ground Zero on September 11th he traveled to NYC to volunteer in support of those working at Ground Zero. Sharing his experience with his staff at Mountain Vista HS upon his return, they were inspired to raise funds to send seven staff members to volunteer at Ground Zero.
Once his term at the NSCAA was completed he was “instrumental in the formation and growth of the NSCAA Foundation awarding coaching education scholarships to disadvantaged and under represented groups.” He is still involved with the Foundation.
He was awarded one of the NSCAA’s top recognitions in 2010, The NSCAA Honor Award.
Jay has been an inspiration and mentor to his students, staff, and fellow coaches, and continues to be.
Thank you Jay for helping to elevate Colorado and National High School Soccer to the highest level and being an inspiration to us all, on and off the field, and in the classroom.
We are honored to present this year’s Tracy Fifer Award to Jay Engeln.
