Last week the Amateur Football Alliance (AFA) announced the winners of their Grassroots Football Awards for 2020 and one of the winners was young community referee Alexandros Pieri.
The FA and McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards are for people who make a positive difference in the game and as the AFA states o their website, the awards are “…our way to celebrate the fantastic individuals who put their heart and soul into the grassroots game across England – and say a huge thank you to the incredible volunteers who inspire us all…”
There were plenty of nominations in all of the categories with the judging panel given a tough time deciding the winners.
Alexandros, who is 18-years old and a former Omonia Youth FC footballer, was nominated and won the “Rising Star of the Year” award. Alexandros received a commemorative certificate and a £50 voucher.
His nomination included the following write-up: “As a referee Alexandros is calmness personified. He has an air of authority that is not dictatorial but in control. He is pleasant with parents, coaches and players who regularly praise him for the way he officiates their matches. Alexandros will go out of his way to help young footballers understand the Laws of the Game. There is an education in the way he officiates, and this is one of his great strengths; he aims to ensure the participants understand why a decision was made – making the grassroots environment a positive one.”
