Justin Lauer and William Bil Quinter Make Significant Contributions to Youth and Rec Soccer in Brevard

Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame 2025 inductees

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame selection committee announced that the 2025 induction ceremony will occur on Saturday, May 24, at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne. This will be the first in-person induction since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. To make a reservation for the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com or call 321-323-4460. CLICK HERE to see the 2025 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame Class.

REC SOCCER LEADERS

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Youth soccer on the Space Coast enjoys more participation than any other sport, and Justin Lauer and William “Bill” Quinter have made significant contributions over the past three decades as promoters, officials, and administrators, supporting players, coaches, and related organizations.

They started hosting local soccer tournaments 20 years ago to provide affordable competition for local teams, while also attracting out-of-area teams to play and enjoy the terrific Brevard County park venues.

Their first youth soccer tournament was the Brevard Hurricane Classic, played on Merritt Island.
The two friends also created a recreational tournament 16 years ago, after the state association discontinued the popular District Commissioners program, designed for recreational teams.

Now, they plan and organize multiple tournaments across Brevard County, from Melbourne to Titusville. Lauer and Quinter have served in numerous leadership roles within the Brevard Youth Soccer League. Lauer currently serves as chairman, and Quinter has previously served as Vice Chairman.

OFFICIALS, ADMINISTRATORS

Together, they launched the Brevard Youth Soccer League Hall of Fame to recognize adults who have significantly contributed to youth soccer in Brevard County for at least 10 years. They also created the Joe Goldian Memorial Scholarship fund for high school seniors, all in memory of Joe Goldian, a past BYSL chairman and sports official.

Ten years ago, the two soccer leaders also started BYSL’s summer banquet to recognize important club presidents and directors. Lauer is the Florida Youth Soccer Association’s Region B Vice president and was elected in August 2024 during a hotly contested race at the FYSA state convention.

Region B covers Vero Beach through Jacksonville to the north and Orlando through Gainesville to the West. Lauer and Quinter also volunteered to serve as tournament directors for the USA Junior Olympics soccer competition that moved to Florida unexpectedly during the COVID pandemic.

This was the first competition played with COVID-19 accommodations, showing that playing safely and getting kids back outside was possible. Lauer has been a referee assignor since 2002, developing consistent processes to staff soccer games across Brevard County.

Lauer achieved State Referee Emeritus distinction, less than one percent of soccer officials. Both men have officiated youth soccer for over 30 years and have supported the development of hundreds of referees during that time. This includes Lauer’s son and daughter, who also referee, and Quinter’s two sons, who also referee.

They have also served as volunteer soccer coaches for their kids when they played recreational soccer in BYSL.

“We have always believed that soccer is a great community activity that helps to keep kids involved with positive activities, and we have done our very best to encourage involvement at all levels of soccer through playing, officiating, and volunteering,” said Quinter.

THE 2025 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME Banquet and Induction Ceremony will occur at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne on Saturday, May 24. FOR INFORMATION about the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, or to make a reservation, e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com or call 321-615-8111.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

The 2025 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner and ceremony is sponsored by Health First and presented by Tom and Suzie Wasdin

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA—The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame selection committee announced that the 2025 induction ceremony will occur on Saturday, May 24, at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne. This will be the first in-person induction since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner and ceremony, sponsored by Health First and presented by Tom and Suzie Wasdin, will be held on the evening of May 24. The Meet-and-Greet will begin at 6 p.m., and dinner and the program will start at 7 p.m.

Tom and Suzie Wasdin are longtime Brevard County entrepreneurs, community supporters, and philanthropists. Tom, an NCAA Final Four basketball coach and Brevard Sports Ambassador, was inducted into the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

The meet-and-greet will include an opportunity to talk with the area’s sports royalty. Dinner and the induction proceeding, which will include compelling video tributes to each inductee, will follow.

The Brevard County High School Breakfast of Champions recognition awards will be held Saturday, May 24, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., also at Eastern Florida State College.

During the Breakfast of Champions, more than 40 awards will be presented to the best of the 2024-2025 male and female high school student-athletes in each sport. For sponsorship information, call 321-323-4460 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com.

Both the Breakfast of Champions and the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame events will be streamed live on Space Coast Daily TV.

Health First, Erdman Automotive, Eastern Florida State College, All Points, Clear Choice Health Care, Brevard Public Schools, Space Coast Office of Tourism, EDC of the Space Coast, 4Ever Young Merritt Island, and Savings Safari sponsor the 2025 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction event and the Brevard County High School Breakfast of Champions recognition awards.

To make a reservation for the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com or call 321-323-4460.

INDUCTEES SELECTED IN FOUR CATEGORIES

Nominees are chosen in four categories: professional sports, college sports, high school sports, and amateur sports. Special honorary recognition is also bestowed upon individuals and groups that have made significant contributions to sports on the Space Coast.

SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2025

■ PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Jamel Dean, Football; Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Wrestling; Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Football; Randy Pobst, Auto racing; Juwaan Taylor, Football

■ COLLEGE CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Paulette King, Basketball, Dylan Lewis, Soccer; Steve Freeman, Soccer; Bryan Cook, Baseball

■ PREP CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Lexy Denaburg, Volleyball; Andi Sellers, Soccer; Kaira Simmons, Track & Field; Jayvan Boggs, Football

■ AMATEUR/RECREATION CATEGORY INDUCTEE: Alli Penovich, Free Diving; Peter Blount, Track & Field; Caylor Williams, Wrestling

■ COACHING CATEGORY INDUCTEES: Doug Butler, Cross Country and Track; Gerald Hodgin, Football; Jim Oler, Basketball; Don Smith, Basketball

• SPORTS OFFICIAL INDUCTEES: Ted Ruta

• SPORTS JOURNALISM INDUCTEES: Steve Vaughn

• SPORTS DEVELOPMENT INDUCTEE: Loren McClanahan

■ LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT INDUCTEES: Larry Garrison, Clint Hurdle

■ SPORTS AMBASSADOR AWARD INDUCTEE: Rusty Buchanan

■ CHALLENGER AWARD INDUCTEE: Joshua Dillon

■ TEAM OF THE YEAR: Cocoa Tigers Football

■ LEGACY CHAMPIONS: Merritt Island Baseball, 1999-2000

■ COMMUNITY SPORTS ADVANCEMENT: Justin Lauer and Dr. Bill Quinter

■ SPECIAL TRIBUTE: Tim Wakefield

Space Coast Daily created the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and has inducted over 200 of Brevard County’s most outstanding athletes, coaches, and sports personalities. Eastern Florida State’s Titan Fieldhouse on the Melbourne Campus hosts the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame. Portraits of the Hall of Famers are displayed on the wall in the building’s main hallway, which runs parallel to the gym and outside the athletic department offices.

To make a reservation for the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com or call 321-323-4460.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MEMBERS OF THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Tim Wakefield talks about his induction into the first class of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame. Space Coast Daily created the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and has so far inducted more than 200 of Brevard County’s most outstanding athletes, coaches, and sports personalities.