Hudl’s Innovator of the Year Contest Rewarding Leaders in Youth Soccer
Being an innovator can mean being original, or having a new idea yet sometimes it just means doing things differently, and more successfully. The idea is to embrace change and growth. As we all want to grow the beautiful game of soccer, the idea of Hudl creating the Innovator of the Year award is fantastic — the contest salutes achievement that truly improves the sport for all.
Hudl is a leading software company changing the way coaches and athletes prepare for and stay ahead of the competition. With more than 161,000 active teams and over 4.2 million unique users, Hudl has become the preferred game film solution for all teams, from the smallest youth organizations to professional franchises around the world.
The U.S. Soccer Development Academy uses Hudl to share game footage. In fact, there are 17,600 active soccer teams using Hudl along with 100% of the English Premier League and the majority of MLS teams. Hudl is also used by almost every team in Germany’s Bundesliga and most of Italy’s Serie A.
Always wanting to think out of box and grow the game, Hudl kicked off the Innovator of the Year award this year.
“Innovation can take many different forms and we’re thrilled to highlight individuals that are pushing the sport of soccer forward in creative ways,” said Maggie Potthoff, Market Development Manager for Hudl. “Providing these pioneers a platform to showcase their work will help raise the level of play at all levels, and the sport can only grow because of that.”
Hudl has partnered with SportsEngine, Soccer.com, Sklz, and United Soccer Coaches on the Innovator of the Year award and each finalist receives a big bounty of gifts valued at approximately $10,000 each. The winner scores a hefty $50,000 worth of prizes.
Your vote will help decide the winner from or four finalists
Meet the Innovator of the Year Finalists
Ruth Nicholson
With more than 20 years of experience in youth sports operations, Ruth has created an unparalleled resource that goes beyond the game to address challenges people face when building and running a club.
One of her three nominations put it simply, “Her understanding and insight is second to none!”
Sanjay Patel
As a board member of Soccer in the Streets, Sanjay has helped turn a game into a medium for social change. Station Soccer is a program designed to create soccer fields out of the unused ground at train stations, giving youth of all backgrounds a place to play while learning lessons like personal responsibility and teamwork. Their first location, Five Points Marta Station in Atlanta, is the first step towards Sanjay’s “league of stations” vision.
Sam Haynes 
For Sam Haynes, everything starts with technique. His development academy has drawn more than a hundred players in just 18 months and focuses on mastering the basics while creating a true relationship between player and coach. But his impact doesn’t stop there. Sam uses a social media platform to inspire thousands of players with his positive mindset.
Mark Christie
Mark’s eight nominations make it obvious this coach has had a big impact on club soccer in the Bay Area. With the help of tech companies and software engineers, Mark has merged coaching with technology to help create several mobile apps and platforms—like Column B and Edmodo online classes—to help athletes learn and improve. Mark goes out of his way to ensure all of his players have the confidence to perform, both on the field and in life.
Hudl and their partners formed a spent quality time reading through hundreds of nominations and then narrowed it down to four innovative finalists. If you want your voice to be heard, please vote for your favorite by June 19. VOTE NOW!
The Innovator of the Year will be announced on June 22 and receive a grand prize worth more than $50,000.
The Criteria Process
What makes an innovator? A person who is dedicated to bringing about positive change. According to the dictionary, it is a person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products.
Here is how this contest defined the criteria:
- Unique Innovation (40%): Entries must show unique effort in club soccer innovation. New ideas and implementations will receive the most credit.
- Effort and Time Commitment (30%): Entries must show the innovator’s high level of dedication and effort. The goal of their innovative practice should be to make a positive change in the world of club soccer.
- Influence of Innovation (30%): Entries must show the number of people influenced by the innovator. The larger the innovator’s reach, the bigger the impact on club soccer.
Source: Hudl
