Sacramento, Calif. (January 16, 2024) – With this remembrance of Lynn Holland's remarkable service, we aim to honor his lasting mark on the California Youth Soccer Association (CYSA). Lynn's unwavering commitment and visionary leadership played a pivotal role in shaping the youth soccer landscape in California for years to come. Here is a chapter of his impactful journey:

The Year 1999

As the 2nd Vice Chairman of the Volunteer Board of Directors for CYSA, Lynn Holland, overseeing a community of over 200,000 registered players, took on the crucial responsibility of guiding the CYSA Coaching Committee, Recreation Committee, Olympic Development Program, and TOPSoccer program. His influence extended far beyond his title as he worked tirelessly to foster organizational growth and excellence.

Teaming up with Hervi Rualo, Chairman of the Coaching Committee, Lynn achieved remarkable milestones through the "CYSA Coaching School Program." being taught by 102 paid State Coaching Course Instructors certifying coaches at:  (11- Goalkeeping Course) – (142 “F” Courses) – (79 “E” Courses)  (15 “E/D Course) and (1) Live-in “D” course.  

Tribute to Lynn Holland:

When you mourn the loss and Celebrate the Legacy of an awesome youth program leader, the first thing that comes to my mind is how this individual inspired others to serve the kids participating in the program.

 Lynn was a compassionate & wonderful person who was a strong leader but still maintained a humble and unassuming commanding presence about himself that resonated with, “I am here to serve,” and indeed, he did just that. He was one to never compromise his expectations because he would do much more than what was required of him.

When I first assumed the duty as the CYSA Coaching Committee Chairman in the mid-’80s, the first thing that Lynn and Karl told me was,…“We are here to always make sure that we make our Youth Soccer Players Priority-One and guide them to succeed.”…. Lynn simply practiced what he preached.

Lynn always reminded us CYSA Coaching Course Instructors before every F, E, E/D, and National D Course we taught to always keep the "Kids First." This is why when our District VIII Commissioner asked me to redesign the District  VIII logo/patch, I added "Kids First" in our District VIII logo.

To quote J.C. Watts, “Character is doing the right thing when nobody is looking”! This is exactly how I’ll remember Lynn. He was simply a man of integrity.

Lynn’s leadership empowered not only our CYSA Staff, Coaching Staff Instructors, and ODP Coaches, but most of all, he was a positive role model in the lives of our CYSA CalNorth youth coaches and players.

Lynn Holland, Karl Dewazien, Ray Welch & Bob Asklof will forever be my soccer brothers on this Side of Glory.

Finally, Lynn was a great person to vent to, a person to laugh with, a beautiful soul and I will always cherish all the Forever Soccer Moments I had with him. I am beyond grateful to have not only been able to work alongside Lynn to serve but also to see the amazing work and passion he put into his work with our Kids in our CYSA CalNorth Youth Soccer Program.

I will forever hold Lynn in a Special Place in my heart! Lynn will definitely be missed by many, but a lot of us I know will make sure that he’s never forgotten!

Hervi Rualo

Collaborating with Ray Welch, Chairman of the Recreation Committee, Lynn spearheaded efforts to serve the CYSA membership better. Notably, the establishment of a volunteer 'District Teaching Staff' marked a significant stride, offering free 'Orientation' courses in the following cities in this first year: 

Bieber, Burney, Castro Valley, Clovis

Coarsegold, Danville, Falls River Mills, Fresno

Jackson, Lemoore, Newark, Livermore

Paradise, Pleasanton, Red Bluff, San Francisco

San Jose, Santa Rosa, Stockton, Tracy

Thanks to Lynn's financial finesse, CYSA was able to provide the course entirely for “Free” including a glamorous 'Free' course manual titled “U-6, U-8, U-10 Recreational Coaching Program,” where Lynn's writing prowess contributed to the manual's FUNtastic presentation. This manual eventually gained widespread popularity and became a widely-used resource nationally. 

In total, (325) successful coaching courses were conducted as part of the 'Coaching School Program' and 'Recreation Orientation courses,' bringing over 3,500+ coaches into the CYSA Coaching family. Thanks to Lynn’s insistence, all 3,500+ coaches were added to Karl’s Komments newsletter list, ensuring each receives monthly 'free' updates on the curriculum and CYSA happenings.

Lynn's active involvement and supervision in the Olympic Development Program yielded remarkable results, with several advanced players earning spots on the Regional and National Pool Teams.

Lynns' greatest joy, however, was working with the TOPSoccer Committee, which was responsible for encouraging and developing soccer programs for Special Needs Children in each CYSA city. Along with Ray Welch, Lynn contributed to the “Miles & Miles of Soccer Smiles” manual written by Peggy Neason, the United States Youth Soccer Association's USYSA TopSoccer National Chairperson.  It was the complete guide to starting and coaching a soccer program for special needs children in the USA.       

In reflecting on Lynn Holland's extraordinary journey, I am reminded not only of the indelible mark he left on the CYSA but also of the countless lives he touched and enriched through his unwavering commitment and visionary leadership. Lynn's legacy extends far beyond the soccer fields, reaching into the hearts of players, coaches, and communities across California and Region IV.

My friend is gone, and finding words to explain our relationship is challenging. There was more to Lynn Holland and more to our friendship than Youth Soccer, but soccer was our common bond. The glue of creating a better playing environment for our children brought us together and held us until his passing.

Though he is no longer with us, the spirit of my special friend, mentor, and soccer enthusiast lives on. In his memory, I have continued the work he began, striving to create a better playing environment for our children and ensuring that soccer remains a source of inspiration and unity. 

Rest in peace, Lynn, and thank you for the FUNtastic mark you left on our hearts and the beautiful game.

Your friend,

Karl Dewazien

CYSA Emeritus DoC 

FUNdamental Soccer Coach