The Regional Board is comprised of the Regional Commissioner, Regional Risk Management/Safety Director, Regional Coach Administrator, Regional Referee Administrator, Regional Registrar, Regional Child and Volunteer Protection Advocate (CVPA) and Regional Treasurer.  The RC is elected and serves terms in 3 year increments, while the remaining board members are elected to one year term(s).  Staff members are appointed on an as needed basis.

Meet our Members

Regional Commissioner & Game Scheduler - Jon Karpel
Jon was born and raised in San Jose, CA, and was active as both a player and referee in the PAL Soccer program.  Much like AYSO, the PAL program is run entirely by volunteers.  After completing college and graduate studies in California, Jon came to Southern Utah University as a biology professor in 2010.  Jon has all four of his children playing soccer in the AYSO region.  As a coach, Jon stresses fair play and team work, and enjoys helping kids gain new soccer skills.  He is glad that there is a quality soccer program in Cedar City for his family to be a part of and enjoy.  Jon was appointed as the assistant Regional Commissioner this past November and was unanimously elected as RC in March 2018. In 2019, this region won the Area 9B Region of the Year. This was due to Jon's unending service to the region and with the help of his dedicated volunteers.

Treasurer & VIP Administrator - Helen Johnson
Helen started with AYSO as a child playing soccer in Utah.  She later went on to referee when she was 17 years old for two years.  Currently all 4 of her adopted children are playing in the VIP program, which has grown to over 40 players in just a few years.  She is excited to help out the board and support Iron County's Youth.  She joined the board as the CVPA & VIP Administrator in 2017 and was elected to the Treasurer position in 2018.  Helen received the Area 9B Coach of the Year Award in 2018 for her dedicated service to the VIP program. In 2019, Helen received the well deserved and earned, Section 9 VIP Spirit Award!

Registrar - Gayle Long


Coach Administrator - Candice Whiting
Candice was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona for 19 years. In Phoenix, it was not hot until your shoes stuck to the asphalt! She did not play sports when she was younger;  but with three kids of her own, two boys and a girl, she has found herself immersed into sports. After being a team mom, she saw a need and started helping out with her kids coaches. With her newfound love for soccer, Candice decided to try her hand at being a coach and has never regretted that choice. It’s the highlight of her day when she sees past players at school or around town. With her fast growing love for AYSO, she was thrilled to be invited to join the AYSO board at the end of the 2018 season. She is always trying to learn and grow to ensure she can give all the kids she meets the best soccer experience. When she is not out on the pitch, Candice’s second favorite thing to do is put on her cowgirl boots and enjoy playing in her backyard because you never know what new animal she has brought home or maybe she got lucky and her garden finally started to grow something.  

Director of Coordinators - E.Jay Overson
E.Jay has enjoyed soccer since he was six (6) years old, playing throughout his youth, and shortly after graduating from Cedar High school. From that point on, E.Jay took more of a volunteer role in helping friends coach Utah Summer Games teams over the years. After leaving to attend the state of Michigan for a time for law school, he returned to Utah with his family and sought opportunities to help local soccer players improve. E.Jay found the opportunity he was looking for by volunteering as an AYSO Coach. Despite his own children's choice not to play, E.Jay has enjoyed teaching and coaching other people’s children the basics of the game for four (4) consecutive years as an AYSO Coach. After seeing how much fun soccer could be, E.Jay’s two daughters decided to give soccer a try during the next season, wherein E.Jay was able to coach his daughters on the same team for their first ever soccer season, which they enjoyed immensely. He has now been an AYSO Coach for five (5) consecutive years, and still keeps in touch with a majority of his past players. In 2018, E.Jay was invited to join the AYSO board after demonstrating his passion for the game and for AYSO. During his time as an AYSO volunteer, E.Jay has come to realize in order to help this organization thrive, it is paramount to find and have more active volunteers; there needs to be more community involvement from the parents and families of our youth players. E.Jay is a local attorney, when he isn’t out on the pitch coaching/watching soccer.

Referee Administrator
Open

Safety Director
Open

Child & Volunteer Protection Advocate
Open


Regional Secretary & Webmaster - Regina Jackowiak

Regina’s love of volunteering is equal to her love of soccer.  She began both as a child, which continued in high school playing Varsity soccer and being president of a service club.  As a working parent of two, volunteering still came naturally.  A lifetime member of Girl Scouts, Regina volunteered as a troop leader, service unit manager, and trainer.  When her oldest daughter wanted to try playing soccer, Regina found AYSO and immediately volunteered as the team parent.  Though she had an infant at home, she gave more of her time by becoming a Referee and Division Coordinator.  When her job moved the family in 2000 from Sparks, NV to Las Vegas, NV she found herself volunteering again for a brand new AYSO region as a Coach for her youngest daughter, a Referee, and Registrar.  Within two years, Regina was the Regional Commissioner.  One year later they received the Pele Award for growth; and in 2004 she successfully started the Region’s first VIP division.  She tried retiring in 2010 but was asked to return in 2011.  In 2013, Regina received the Section One Award for Region of the Year.  Later that same year, Regina and her husband moved to Utah and she immediately sought out the AYSO region in Cedar City.  In 2014, Regina was excited to become a staff member for Region 873 as the U5 Master Coach, Referee and Referee Scheduler; receiving the Referee of the Year Award for Area 9B for that season.  In 2015, the region was finally able to start their VIP division and Regina gladly accepted the roll of Administrator and Coach.  She also accepted the roll of Referee Administrator while continuing to be a Referee and the Master Coach for U5.  In 2017, she passed the role of VIP Administrator to Helen but continues to coach this wonderful group of players. In 2018, Regina received the Section 9 VIP Spirit Award and in 2019, the Section 9 Referee Spirit Award both for her dedication to the program. Recently, Regina was elected to the Area Director position for 9B which she has accepted. While her new role allows her to keep her feet firmly planted in Region 873, she felt it necessary to retire as this regions Referee Administrator as her new responsibilities will encompass over 9 Regions in middle and southern Utah as well as Colorado.  Regina is happiest when she can help families and her community, which is why she became a Realtor in Utah; why she accepted her nomination/election as the Paragonah Civic Committee Chairman in 2018; and why after 20 years of volunteering, she still calls AYSO home.