Parks & Rec employees honored for contributions to soccer
On May 11, two Parks & Rec employees were honored by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame. Steve Schmidt and Bill Salvatore were recognized for their contributions to the game.
Steve Schmidt, Rec Leader 2, was honored with the Chick Fallon Service to Soccer Award for his 38 years of dedication to the game. Steve is a 24-year employee of the department and currently the supervisor at Towey Playground.
He started playing at Olney Recreation Center at age eight. His coaching career began at 14. At 15, he was the youngest person to receive a USSF coaches license. Steve coached at three different high schools and has started soccer programs at ten Parks & Rec facilities across the city. He is currently a member of the Indoor Soccer Committee and the Executive Committee of the Philadelphia International Unity Cup.
Steve recently started the non-profit Cardinal Dougherty Soccer Alumni. The group raised over $30,000, which it has awarded as scholarships to high school soccer players and local soccer clubs. For the past two years, the group has also served as the main sponsor of Parks & Rec’s Outdoor All-Star Game.
Bill Salvatore, Unity Cup Director, was awarded the Paul Stilley/Little Club Award as the Administrator of the Year. Bill has single-handedly put this tournament on the map. The Philadelphia International Unity Cup is a World Cup-style tournament held over several months. It unites the city’s neighborhoods and celebrates its diverse immigrant communities through soccer.
Bill has been working with other large cities to duplicate the success found here in Philadelphia. He has also been honored by City Council and other agencies for his hard work and dedication.
