Delana is top manager

Jeffersonville's Delana Goodson was named the state's top team manager for 2008 at the Indiana Youth Soccer awards in Carmel recently.

Goodson has been manager of Southern Indiana United's U14 team, which consists of players from both Floyd and Clark counties, for three years, a year after her son Austin joined the club.

Beyond seeing to the normal duties like registration, tournaments, fees and uniforms, Delana is also the team's photographer, videographer, social planner and indoor manager.

And if that's not enough, she is also co-ordinator of SIU's 'One Call Now' phone message service, and helps coordinate the Major League Soccer camps every summer. All while she tries to keep down the day job at Brown-Forman in Louisville.
"Like, many working soccer moms, we live by our calendars and our lists to keep all the balls in the air," said Delana. "I have always been a planner and organizer so this is actually easy for me."

She thought that becoming a manager at SIU was the perfect opportunity for her to give back to something that her son enjoys so much.

"I am very fortunate to have an amazing group of parents, a great team of players, and a wonderful coach," she said. "I didn't need this award to know how much they appreciate my efforts -- they let me know all the time. And, because of that, I have no problem doing this for another four years."

Delana said competitive soccer takes a little more time, money and commitment, but has been a lot of fun for her entire family.

"These are memories I will always treasure," she said.

Coach Jonathan Eade said Delana is an essential part of the team's success.
"It would not be possible for me to coach this team without her," he said. "She is always positive, caring and always willing to help anyone. She has done a fabulous job as a mother. Having had the opportunity to coach her son, it is evident that she has instilled in him strong values."

The judges said that Delana's organizational and communication skills and her caring spirit make her the perfect team manager and inspiration to parents, players and other administrators.

Delana was up against some tough competition with managers from SWISA (Evansville), Westfield Youth Soccer and Carmel United Soccer (Indianapolis).

This is the fourth year in a row that SIU has captured an award and the prizes didn't end with Delana Goodson. The club also won a $1,000 certificate in a draw which will be used towards purchasing a set of goals.