The Region 1398 family is honored to celebrate the contributions of two of our volunteer referees: Thomas Smith and Dakota Larsen. And we congratulate them on their high school graduations this month!

Our soccer community is stronger because of the volunteers that work hard to provide soccer for our kids. As parents, we watch proudly as our kids grow up to be young adults through the life lessons that the sport of soccer teaches us. And in a similar parental way, the Region 1398 Volunteer Board couldn’t be any prouder of how Dakota and Thomas have grown up in front of our eyes after volunteering to referee over 200 matches EACH over the past 3+ years, in addition to mentoring a number of newer referees in our region.

Thomas is graduating from Esperanza High School and will be attending Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana, in the fall to study Mechanical Engineering. Dakota will be moving with his family to Montana after graduation from Yorba Linda HS and start his studies at community college.

Due to AYSO bylaw restrictions, our Region is unable to provide a direct scholarship to both Thomas and Dakota, so we are asking for private donations from our 1398 family in order to properly recognize the outstanding contributions of these two young men.

Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated as we will be presenting a scholarship check to Dakota and Thomas after their graduation nights in a couple of weeks.