Christine Gloth, NJ Youth Soccer
New Jersey Youth Soccer continues its celebration of the 2024 NJYS Awards Presented by RWJBarnabas Health, officially recognizing Breanna Kozej and Oliver Aplin as the NJYS Youth Referees of the Year. Each year, NJ Youth Soccer works with the NJ State Referee Committee to select and honor the NJYS Youth Referees of the Year for outstanding performance, strong individual work ethic and dedication to the promotion of fair play and good sportsmanship by players, coaches and fans.
Breanna Kozej has been refereeing since 2018. She first officiated games primarily in the South Jersey area, but she has since expanded to higher-level matches in New Jersey and beyond. She was chosen to referee in the US Youth Soccer (USYS) Eastern President’s Cup in 2023 and was also selected to represent the East Region at the USYS National President’s Cup in Kansas. Currently in college while continuing to evolve in her craft, the dedication and commitment she has shown makes her a worthy selection for this award.
“I am honored to have been selected as the NJYS Youth Female Referee of the Year,” said Kozej. “It means the world to me, and I am thankful for the help and guidance I have received along the way from referee mentors, referee coaches and national referee coaches. From starting to referee in 2018 to now, I have only wanted to grow and continue to stride towards my goals due to the love I have for this sport. I am lucky and blessed to be surrounded by positive referees and mentors who lift each other and myself up along the way.”
Oliver Aplin first began refereeing in 2019, working mostly in the southern region of the state. After being recognized for his talent as a referee, he was selected to officiate at the NJYS State Cup in both the spring and fall of 2023. His development and improvement throughout the year, as well as his eagerness to learn and continue to grow as a referee, make him a very worthy choice for NJYS Male Youth Referee of the Year. Still early in his progression as a referee, Aplin plans to continue as a soccer official while attending college.
“Thank you to New Jersey Youth Soccer for honoring me with the 2023 Male Youth Referee of the Year Award,” said Aplin. “I want to especially thank my family, past and present assignors, and Matt (Falk) and Barry (Towbin) of the State Referee Committee for supporting my growth in refereeing over the past five years.”
In addition to a plaque to commemorate this achievement, Breanna Kozej and Oliver Aplin were each treated to a congratulatory video tribute from Mark Geiger, legendary US Soccer referee and NJYS Hall of Fame member, that was played on video screens for the awards dinner audience to enjoy. They also received a custom ball from SIGND displaying a QR code that provided access to their personalized videos.
NJ Youth Soccer recently held its 2024 NJYS Annual Awards Dinner Presented by RWJBarnabas Health, where many players, coaches and guests of the soccer community were on hand at the Pines Manor in Edison, N.J. With more than 1,000 attendees, the event saw a capacity crowd for the annual celebration.
To find out more information about New Jersey Youth Soccer or to contact us directly, please email communications@njyouthsoccer.com. Also make sure to follow us on social media: @NJYouthSoccer