USA Volleyball Chesapeake Region

2000 National Award Recipients

 
Viera, Sharpless, and Creech Win Prestigious Awards
At 2000 National Championships
 
2000 George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award
Barbara L. Viera
2000 Wilbur Peck Referee Emeritus Award
Joe Sharpless
 2000 Golden Whistle Award
Wil Creech
 
 
2000 George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award:  Barbara L. Viera
Serving as Head Volleyball Coach at the University of Delaware for 27 years, Barbara Viera has amassed 687 victories placing her seventh among active Division I coaches.  She also coached the men’s club team at Delaware for several years.

Barbara founded the Delaware Junior Volleyball Program and also the University of Delaware Volleyball Camp.  These two programs have served thousands of young women over the years.  She has been active in USA Volleyball, sponsoring tournaments at Delaware for both adults and juniors.  She has served as the Boyce Banquet Chair and as a member of the Educational Foundation.  She also is an active member of the AVCA where she currently is a member of the Board of Directors and Chairperson of the Education and Publications Committee.  During her career, she has made over 80 presentations and written over 30 articles including two books.

Barbara has been recognized with the DWASF Sports and Fitness Award, the Volleyball Festival’s Patti Snyder Park Award, DAHPERD’s Professional Honor Award, and NAGWS’s Pathfinder Award.  The East Coast Junior Olympic Championship Trophy was named after her.  Throughout her career, she has been strongly committed to improving the opportunities for girls and women in sport and has seen many of her dreams realized.

 
 
2000 Wilbur Peck Referee Emeritus Award:  Joe Sharpless
Joe’s officiating career began in 1964 with his certification as a USVBA Regional Official.  He progressed to a USVBA National Official in 1967; and, in 1975, he received his USVBA National Scorekeeper’s rating.  Joe received his NAGWS National rank in 1985; and, in 1996, the NAGWS named him an Honorary National Official.  Joe retired from all officiating in 1996 after officiating at all USVBA Open Championships from 1967 through 1996.

From 1980 through 1990, Joe served as the USVBA’s Supervisory Vice President for the Rules of the Game Commission, the Referee’s Commission, and the Scorekeeper’s Commission.  In 1974, Joe submitted the recommendation for the Provisional Referee Rating, which was later adopted by the Referee’s Commission and the USVBA Board of Directors.  During Joe’s tenure as Vice President of the Technical Development Division, he was instrumental in granting approval to the Referee’s and Scorekeeper’s Commission for the adoption of the USA International Scorekeeper’s rating which later was approved by the Board.  He was out front in ratifying an agreement between the USVBA and NAGWS regarding standardized officiating standards and testing and a common officials uniform for volleyball.

Other USVBA/USA Volleyball awards presented to Joe include the George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award (1973), the “Doc” Booth Commissioner’s Award (1979),  the Ed Lauten Scorekeeper’s Service Award (1982), the Glen G. Davies Referee’s Service Award (1990), and the Nancy S. Sharpless Scorekeeper’s Emeritus Award (1997). 

 
  
2000 Golden Whistle Award:  Wil Creech
For 25 years, Wil Creech has participated in volleyball tournaments in the Chesapeake Region, the United States, and around the world, as a player, coach, organizer, and most significantly, a referee.

Wil Creech was in the first class of Junior National officials at the Junior National Championships in Rhode Island and earned his National Rating on Long Island soon thereafter.  He attended an FIVB International clinic in Salinas, Puerto Rico in 1991 and was certified as a fully-fledged International Arbiter the following year.  He has worked as a referee in a variety of capacities at most of the Open Championships since 1991.  He was fortunate enough to call the Men’s Open finals in 1991 and 1999, many of the Junior Nationals, an Olympic Festival, several Armed Forces Championships, two World University Games, two Pan-American Games, several NORCECA championships and a variety of other events.  He has served with the National and Junior National rating teams and as the National Commissioner for Regional Referee Development. 

 
To CHRVA Main Index
Suggestions welcome at: usavchr@chrva.org
This Page Last Updated:  9/6/2000
This page has been viewed [an error occurred while processing this directive] times since 9/6/2000.