SCHOLARSHIPS

Three scholarship winners receiving their awards from GCFYSL President, Mike Hyatt: Jose De Caires, Esther Liptai, and Lane Robinson

2024 Scholarship Recipients

Suzy Reno Player Award Winner: Lily Sirianni

Ed Mallardi Referee Award Winner: Esther Liptai

Mike Hyatt Character Award (new): Weston DeSoto

GCF Scholarship Awards

Brooks Beeman
Jose De Caires
Jake Larson
Johan Rafeek
Katherine Ratliff
Anna Rausch
Lane Robinson

2023 Scholarship Recipients

Suzy Reno Award Winner: Gabriel Martin Pedroza

Ed Mallardi Award Winner: Rhea Soderberg

GCF Scholarship Awards

Summer Zaret 
Collin Paoli
Alejandro Soto
Marcos Membreno
Rebekah Wiles
Will Perfater
Eve Hage
Lily Kate Whittaker
Tillman Arieti 
Megan Sanford
Brayden Moeller

Our Scholarships

Each year the Greater Central Florida Youth Soccer League (GCFYSL) offers graduating high school seniors who have participated as players or referees at any of our affiliate clubs the opportunity to apply for a GCFYSL Scholarship. The top applicant in each category is awarded the Suzy Reno Player Scholarship or Ed Mallardi Referee Scholarship. We also award the new Mike Hyatt Player Character Scholarship.

Suzy Reno Player Scholarship Award
Ed Mallardi Referee Scholarship Award
Mike Hyatt Player Character Award
GCFYSL Player and Referee Scholarships

Who Can Apply

Players and young referees who meet the criteria AND who submit the required application package are eligible. Players/Referees may apply for both scholarships, but only one will be awarded to each successful applicant. This is a single-year scholarship.

Deadline

The application deadline is Monday, May 20, 2024. All scholarship recipients will be notified via email and/or phone by Sunday, June 9, 2024. The Scholarship Committee will honor the recipients at an Award Ceremony in June.

Requirements

Players:

  • Played for a GCFYSL affiliated club(s) for at least three years (six seasons).  

  • Must be a graduating high school senior.

  • Has a 3.00 or Higher GPA for the past School Year.

  • Has a letter of acceptance from a college or university or enlistment into the Armed Services. (Students who have not yet been accepted  may apply and followup with documentation upon award.

  • Complete the application and submit the required documents.

Youth Referees:

  • Refereed for GCFYSL affiliated clubs for at least three years (six seasons).

  • Must be a graduating high school senior.

  • Has a 3.00 or Higher GPA for the past School Year.

  • Has a letter of acceptance from a college or university or enlistment into the Armed Services. (Students who have not yet been accepted  may apply and followup with documentation upon award.

  • Complete the application and submit the required documents.

How to Apply

Applicants submit the online or downloaded application and the required documentation. 

Gather your Documents.

  • An Essay titled “The Life Lessons Learned Through Soccer
  • A copy of your college acceptance letter or email
  • A copy of your High School transcripts

For online submittal, fill the online application and upload the required documents.

For mailed submittal, download the application and mail it with the required documents to:

     GCFYSL Scholarships
     PO Box 700146
     St. Cloud, FL 34770

About Our Scholarship Honorees

Mike Hyatt

GCFYSL is pleased to announce our new named scholarship, the Mike Hyatt Award. This $1000 scholarship will be awarded to the applicant who displays player character. Mike has been instrumental for years in developing Central Florida youth soccer - at the club, league and state association levels - as well as officiating as a USSF Referee. Mike represented GCFYSL as league President for 18 years, where he started the scholarship program. He started in youth soccer in Deltona in 1995, where he also served as President. Mike is currently serving as Vice President of Admin & Communications at FYSA. He coaches at St. Cloud Soccer Club. We thank Mike for his contributions to the success of GCFYSL. He loves the game of soccer but mostly loves helping the players and their futures.

Suzy Reno

Suzy served as our B1 District Commissioner for more than 20 years and was inducted into the FYSA Hall Of Fame in 2002. With her love of the sport, she helped to build youth soccer in Central Florida to what it is today. The DC Cup was her real passion because of its accessibility to all levels of players. We lost Suzy in 2015, but her memory lives on through the youth that play soccer in our community. For this reason we honor Suzy by giving a $2000 scholarship each year in her name.

Ed Mallardi

Ed became the director of the Orange County Division of the Florida Soccer League in 1982. In 1985 he started the first girls soccer team at Bishop Moore High School. Since then they have won 5 state championships. He has helped three different soccer clubs get their start, including the Maitland Soccer Club which he was the president of for 14 years. Ed was also a long time member of the GCF Board of Directors, which he helped start, and our Director of Discipline. We lost Ed in 2008 but his love for helping the youth in our area will live on. For this reason we honor Ed by giving a $2000 scholarship each year in his name.