Downingtown, PA>> At the 2016 Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup Finals, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer awarded perpetual trophies to U16 and U17 state champions for the first time in its history. The trophies were named for some of the luminaries who helped develop soccer within Pennsylvania and beyond. The U17 Girls played for the Charlotte Moran Cup, the U17 Boys the Frank Olszewski, Sr. Cup, the U16 Girls the Bob Urban Cup and the U16 Boys the Werner Fricker, Sr. Cup.

The inaugural champions are below: 

Bob Urban Cup: FC Pennsylvania Strikers 3, LDC 1

Werner Fricker, Sr. Cup: Patriot FC 4, FC Montco 1

Charlotte Moran Cup: YMS Xplosion 3, LDC 2

Frank Olszewski, Sr. Cup: FC Europa 1, YMS 0

Members of the Urban, Fricker, Moran and Olszewski families were present at United Sports to present the trophies on behalf of their relatives. 

Fricker, as president of the US Soccer Federation, was instrumental in bringing the FIFA World Cup to the United States in 1994. Prior to his role as president, the Philadelphia resident made his mark as a player, coach and administrator. 

“My father’s contribution to youth soccer really was on an administrative level. His vision was to bring the youth programs to the United States both locally and nationally to the same level as in Western Europe," said Marlene Fricker, speaking of her late father. "So to have the recognition on the local level, for our family is very rewarding because that was his vision from the time he was at the olympic level, all throughout his playing career and his administrative career. I think he would be proud and we are certainly proud that he is being recognized."

Steve Dematteo accepted the Werner Fricker, Sr. Cup for his Patriot FC team. 

"The fact that he is from the Pennsylvania area and has done so much for Pennsylvania soccer then and now, helps make guys like this (better)," Dematteo said. "And the levels are getting so much better here in the United States and getting so much better at the high-end club level, not just the academy level. The fact that someone like that was a pioneer for so many different changes in US soccer and US Youth soccer is a huge deal for us to be a part of that kind of association."