BALTIMORE– US Lacrosse and its Youth Council have announced the winners of the 2009 Youth Excellence Awards. US Lacrosse will honor these seven individuals from around the country at the ninth annual US Lacrosse Youth Excellence Awards Breakfast on January 16, 2010. The awards breakfast takes place during the US Lacrosse National Convention in Baltimore.

A complete listing of awards and honorees are as follows:

Outstanding Contribution to the Game
Noel Ebner – Syracuse, N.Y.
This is the Youth Council’s highest honor. The award is for individuals who, over the years, have consistently contributed to the youth game of lacrosse in support of the US Lacrosse mission and vision and in ways that will have a lasting impact on generations to come. Noel Ebner began his lacrosse career in 1970 when he received his first lacrosse stick from Louis Jacques on the Onondaga reservation. He was a member of the boys' high school team at West Genesee Senior High School. Ebner’s long history of volunteerism began with the Onondaga Valley Lacrosse Association (OVLA) in 1993, serving as a coach, board member and eventually, president. He then served as coach, and later president, of the Brine Upstate Lacrosse League (BULL), now known as the Upstate Lacrosse Association (ULA). Ebner was also a board member of the Roy Simmons Sr. Memorial Lacrosse League for Boys and Girls in 2003.

On a national level, Ebner has done exemplary work in multiple positions over the past decade. Ebner has served as an at-large member of the US Lacrosse Youth Council since 2000, then served as a vice president for four years, and moved on to become its president from 2006 through 2008. He also chaired at least five different US Lacrosse committees and focused on events such as US Lacrosse youth festivals and the US Lacrosse U-15 National Championship. Ebner has served on the women’s board of governors and the board of directors. He also is actively involved with the Upstate NY chapter of US Lacrosse, serving as its secretary and youth representative.

Girls’ Coach of the Year
Rose Sulley– Portsmouth, N.H.
This award is given to an outstanding youth girls’ coach who embodies the characteristics of an ideal coach supporting the US Lacrosse mission and vision, dedicating him or herself to his or her players and providing the best possible lacrosse experience for everyone involved with his or her team. With just four years of coaching under her belt, Rose Sulley has made a tremendous impact on the sport. She was a volunteer assistant for the Seacoast Lacrosse Club’s U9 Girls team (2005), assistant coach and field coordinator for the Seacoast Lacrosse Club’s U11 Girls team (2006), head coach for the Seacoast Lacrosse Club’s U11 Girls team (2007), and head coach for the Seacoast Lacrosse Club’s U13 Girls team (2008). Sulley imparts a love for the sport into every young girl that she has coached.

Boys’ Coach of the Year
Paul Deppi – Newtown, Pa.
This award is given to an outstanding youth boys’ coach who embodies the characteristics of an ideal coach supporting the US Lacrosse mission and vision, dedicating him or herself to his or her players and providing the best possible lacrosse experience for everyone involved with his or her team. As a founding member and former President of Lower Bucks Lacrosse, Paul Deppi has been coaching for the past 16 years. He instills a sense of pride in all players, coaches, parents and officials and for this he is looked at as a role model. He teaches integrity and sportsmanship at all times and expects it back in return. Deppi’s advocates say he would rather lose doing things the right way, then to win doing them the wrong way.

Program Administrator of the Year
Henry ‘Hank’ Nunez – Tustin, Calif.
This award is given to an outstanding administrator of a league or program who runs a program of excellence that upholds the mission and vision of US Lacrosse. Hank Nunez is the founder of the Hewes Middle School and Tustin youth lacrosse programs. He is the commissioner for the Orange County Lacrosse Association boys’ teams where he coordinates fields, divisions, playoffs and training. Nunez ensures the proper growth of the game, making sure that new programs in his area are started in the right way by providing leadership and resources. Nunez plays a large role in making lacrosse one of the fastest growing sports in Southern California.

Outstanding Youth Official
Laura McCarthy – West Caldwell, N.J.
This award is given annually to an exemplary member of the "third team on the field" who embodies the characteristics of an ideal role model, teacher, and mentor supporting the US Lacrosse mission and vision and seeking to maintain a high quality of experience for all on his or her field. Laura McCarthy has been an official for over twenty years and ensures that everyone has the best experience possible while playing lacrosse. She has shown effective leadership which has resulted in enormous growth in her chapter. McCarthy encourages each of her youth lacrosse players to participate as an official for at least one day in hopes to garner an appreciation for officials and to continue the successful growth of lacrosse in Northern New Jersey.

Excellence in Growing the Game
Robert ‘Robin’ Buckley – Fox Point, Wis.
This award is for an individual who supports the US Lacrosse mission and vision, working effectively and tirelessly to develop lacrosse in a particular geographic area. Robin Buckley has been involved in lacrosse for over 20 years and has consistently sought out opportunities to provide individuals with coaches’ training and any other programs to help support the sport’s development in a positive way. He is actively involved in finding ways to incorporate all US Lacrosse resources to the fullest including: the coaches’ training and certification programs, the New Start Program, hosting National Team Clinics for both boys and girls, hosting annual PCA workshops, and he has attended the National Convention every year since 1992. In 2002, Buckley founded the Wisconsin chapter of US Lacrosse and the Wisconsin Lacrosse Federation (WLF). With his enthusiasm and excitement for the sport, Buckley hopes to spread the game to areas that are currently untouched.

One for All
Bowen Hadley – Bothell, Wash.
The "One for All" award honors a young adult who has given unselfishly of his or her time and talent to help grow and build lacrosse awareness. Bowen Hadley, at only 17 years old, serves as a role model to other officials, coaches and players. He is a liaison between middle school teams and the school’s administration to ensure the team’s success and to build awareness of lacrosse. While on the field as an official, Hadley exhibits qualities of superior professionalism and self-confidence. Bowen Hadley is a motivated young man who will continue to have a strong impact on the growth of lacrosse.

US Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is the national governing body for men’s and women’s lacrosse. US Lacrosse has more than 300,000 members in 62 regional chapters around the country. Through responsive and effective leadership, US Lacrosse strives to provide programs and services to inspire participation while protecting the integrity of the game. To learn more about US Lacrosse, please visit www.uslacrosse.org.