John Greaves pictured with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer President Jim Kuntz in 2015 when he won Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Girls Competitive Coach of the Year. On Friday, Greaves won the 2016 US Youth Soccer Girls Competitive Coach of the Year award.

11/29/2016—Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer is pleased to announce that John Greaves, Director of Coaching at Yardley Makefield Soccer (YMS) and head coach of the YMS Premier Xplosion, has been named 2016 US Youth Soccer Girls Competitive Coach of the Year. He was honored Friday night at the 2017 US Youth Soccer Awards Gala in Los Angeles.

Greaves joins Nevin Shenck (2002) and Terry Underkoffler (1997) as US Youth Soccer Girls Competitive Coach of the Year winners from Eastern Pennsylvania.

In the late fall, Greaves was named the US Youth Soccer Region I Girls Competitive Coach of the Year after taking home the state award for the second time in three years. As the regional winner, he was nominated for the national award.

According to US Youth Soccer, the Girls Competitive Coach of the Year Award goes to a coach for “his or her coaching activities, sportsmanship, player development, personal coaching development and citizenship.” 

Greaves enjoyed a landmark 2016 at the helm of the Xplosion. Having finished second in the US Youth Soccer National Championships for three consecutive seasons, his team finally broke through with a 3-2, extra time victory in last summer’s U17 Girls final. The Xplosion rallied from a 2-0 deficit at halftime to lift the elusive trophy.

In addition to the national title, the Xplosion won the US Youth Soccer National League and its fifth Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup in six seasons.

He also promoted players to the Xplosion from within his club to supplement a core that’s been together since under-9 play, a testament to the work he’s done in the YMS community.

“Coach Greaves has done great things for YMS in his time as Director of Coaching,” said Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer President Jim Kuntz. “To see his team win a national championship after finishing second three years in a row was one of the highlights of 2016. This is a very well deserved honor.”