Board of Directors

MIKE LIBBER

PRESIDENT

The Maryland Soccer Legends and Board of Directors would like to extend a big congratulations on our new President, Mike Libber who will be replacing outgoing President Phil Tirabassi.

Tirabassi was first elected to former The Old Timers Soccer Association late October 2018. Tirabassi along with his Board of Directors elected to update the name to the current, Maryland Soccer Legends to reflect the ever changing audience as well as attract younger members.

“It has been my privilege to serve as President of the MD Soccer Legends for the past three years. During this tenancy, we tried to bridge the gap between old and new. The beautiful game has changed as have we.”said Tirabassi.

Libber was the Vice President from 2018-2022 and served on the Board of Directors under Tirabassi.

Libber has a very rich and very successful background in soccer in the state of Maryland starting with his high school career with the Curley Friars. He was a three year starter under Pep Perrella, and earned a slew of post season accolades. He ended his high school career as a senior being named the team captain and anchored one of the school’s all-time best back lines. His squad won the 1993 MSA champions with Libber chipping in a goal and an assist in the final. Libber was named to the All-State, All-South, All-City/County and All MSA selection as well as the Baltimore Sun’s All-Metro Player of the Year!

Libber continued on at UMBC and was a 3-year starter for Pete Caringi. He was a team captain in 1996 and scored 12 goals with 7 assists during his Retriever career.

Libber remains active in soccer in Maryland as the owner of Elite Tournaments, which specializes in the management of youth and adult sporting events. He also served as the VP for the Maryland Soccer Legends Association and is on the organizing committee to bring the 2026 World Cup to the United States.

The Maryland Soccer Legends is pleased that Tirabassi will remain on the Board of Directors and will be assisting Libber to help move the organization forward and continue growing the membership, recognizing outstanding leadership, encourage participation and promote the overall game in the state of Maryland in all facets of the sport. One of Libber’s goals to meet organization’s mission for membership is to reach out to more women, Hispanic and African communities which all make up a large portion of the soccer community in MD. He is looking to focus on more events and activities to encourage participation such as playing, coaching, refereeing, and not just as sideline spectators. Libber along with his BOD is also looking to add more community events and bring back old favorites like the annual MD Hall of Fame Banquet which is scheduled for May 13th at Columbus Garden. The Annual Golf Outing is May 23rd at Rocky Point Golf Links.

“I am honored and excited to be taking on this new role as President of the Maryland Soccer Legends. I have been apart of this organization for close to 20 years and I am eager to continue where Phil left off by expanding this group with more legends of the game from Maryland. With the pandemic forcing us to cancel the HOF dinner for the past two years. One of my main goals is to make sure we are able to host the event is a safe setting for everyone to once again enjoy and to continue our new tradition with the Annual Golf Outing this coming May.” Said Libber.

The other Board Members for 2022-2025 are Mike Barger, Vice President; Bernie McVey, Treasurer; Fran McGrath, Secretary; Stephen Craig, Board Member; Geovanny Monterroso, Board Member; Phil Tirabassi, Board Member; Larry Sandcomb, Board Member; Bill Wnek, Board Member.

Maryland Soccer Legends and The Board of Directors is a non- profit organization whose mission is to Promote, Recognize and Remember leaders, coaches, referees, administrators, athletes, mentors, organizers and outstanding contributors of all ages in the game of Soccer in the great state of Maryland. We welcome and encourage members and volunteers who want to be part of our organization to serve. We are looking for Board Members with diverse backgrounds with a passion for soccer and desire to keep soccer in Maryland growing. Please contact us at info@marylandsoccerlegends.

VICE PRESIDENT

MIKE BARGER

Maryland Soccer Legends BOD Vice President 2022-Present
Maryland Soccer Legends Board of Directors 2018-2021
Calvert Hall Cardinal Soccer Club Foundation Board of Directors 2018-Present
Baltimore Bays (USISL) 1996, 1997
Loyola College Soccer 1992-1995
Calvert Hall Soccer 1988-1991
1st Team All-Metro 1991 (Calvert Hall)
1st Team All-State 1991 (Calvert Hall)
1994 Youth National Champion (Baltimore Spirit)
Christos FC Player 2012-Present
Youth Soccer Coach 2014-Present

SECRETARY

FRAN MCGRATH

Fran McGrath has been the secretary of the Maryland Soccer Legends since 2015 and a board member since 1996. He is also the chairman of the Maryland Soccer Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony and serves as Special Events Chairman as well.

Outside the Legends, he is the secretary of the Maryland State Soccer Association, Maryland State Adult Cup Director, Recording Secretary for the Maryland Referee Association and is the General Soccer Manager for the Baltimore Kickers German American Soccer and Social Organization. In his younger years, Fran played and coached in the Maryland Majors League and ran both indoor and outdoor adult soccer programs.

BERNIE MCVEY

TRESURER

Bernie McVey has been the treasurer of the Maryland Soccer Legends and a board member since 2018. His soccer career began in Dundalk where his teams won several youth state championships. He played high school soccer at Mt. St. Joseph’s and college soccer at Loyola College. While at Loyola, his teams particpated in the NCAA tournament for four consecutive years, ultimately winning the Division II National Championship in 1976 while being named an all conference selection at midfield. He has previously served on the Board of Directors for the Soccer Association of Columbia, and coached both boys and girls youth teams in Howard County where he resides with his wife Terry.

Bernie is a graduate of Loyola College (BA, MBA) and has contributed to the Maryland Soccer Legends in the areas of finance and information technology.

STEPHEN CRAIG

BOARD MEMBER

Steve Craig has been involved in soccer for over fifty years as a player, coach, administrator and in recent times, a referee. Steve was an outstanding player in the St. Francis of Assisi youth programs and at Calvert Hall High School.

He played college ball at Loyola College of Maryland and was part of their NCAA Division II National Championship in 1976. Steve has been on the board of the Maryland Soccer Legends for the past ten years and works with our website and social media. He referees futsal and high school soccer and holds a Level Seven USSF Referee Badge and a National Futsal Referee Badge. He is proud to say that he has scored goals on three continents: namely, North and South America and in Europe.

PHILIP. N TIRABASSI

PAST PRESIDENT

Phil has been a player, referee, coach and administrator in soccer starting at a very early age. He played, locally, at Little Flower, Pompei and CWV winning many CYO, City and State Championships. He also was captain of the squad at Archbishop Curley and played at Loyola College (Mason Dixon Conference Championships as well as several NCAA bids). Phil has coached at The Catholic HS, Archbishop Curley HS as well as Loyola Blakefield. In 1999, he was named MSYSA Boys Soccer Coach of the Year. He coached several teams in European play winning the Caserta Cup in Naples, Italy and the Arsenal Cup in London, England. The Old Timers honored him by awarded the Dr Schmidt Award for his contributions to the sport of soccer.

Phil is a graduate of Loyola College (now University). He obtained his Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore Law School. He is a Fellow, of the University of MD, Carey School of Law, in Conflict Resolution and Public Policy. Phil also was an associate professor of law at UB Law. After serving many years as a judge of the District Court of MD for Baltimore, he recently accepted senior status. He is a Past President of the Baltimore County Bar Association.

As Past President of The Maryland Soccer Legends, he becomes a member of its Board of Directors.

GEOVANNY MONTERROSO

Board Member

Background: Born in Mexico where I began playing soccer before coming to the USA. I have played soccer since the age of 5 through college.

Some of my youth soccer clubs are Eblo FC and Catonsville Youth Soccer, Multiple years of playing in the Maryland Major Soccer League and State Cups (Morton Cup, Rowland Cup, and Stewart cup).

I also have coached for 7 years now. Started with Catonsville Youth Soccer before moving onto coaching for Coppermine Soccer, which I have been there for 5 years now.

I have also helped to build and grow soccer brands like: Steel Pulse FC, Columbia FC, and the Maryland Major Soccer League. Adding a media internship with FC Baltimore to my experiences.

Now I am working as one of Elite Tournaments’ Marketing Coordinators and work for the Baltimore Blast Media department.

Ashly Kennedy

Board Member

Ashly started her coaching career at Loyola University in 2007. She was hired as the first assistant coach at George Mason University from 2008-2013. She was the recruiting coordinator for the Patriots and was responsible for all team travel/management and organization responsibilities. In 2009, Kennedy received the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Assistant Coach of the Year Award for finishing the season with a 14-4-2 record.

Ashly has 15+ years of club coaching experience with ECNL teams including MD United and Bethesda Soccer Club. She is the current head girl’s soccer coach at Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn, Maryland. She has been the head coach for the Cavaliers since 2013 and took the Cavs to the IAAM "A" conference finals 7 out of her 9 years of coaching and won the IAAM "A" conference championship in 2016. She received the NSCAA Coach of the Year Award in 2016 and 2019.

As a player, Ashly played high school soccer at St. Mary of Annapolis where she won 3 IAAM "A" conference championships, was Gatorade player of the year and was inducted into the Maryland Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003. She played collegiate soccer at the University of Maryland. While at Maryland she was an NSCAA Freshman All-American and received ACC All-Conference honors each of her four years.. She was a two year team captain and played and started in all 56 games in her career. Kennedy went on to play semi-professionally in Canada with the Ottawa Fury receiving the USL All-Conference Team award as well as Most Valuable Player. She was called in the WPS combine to play professionally.

She also is the current coach of the USL semi-professional FC Christos team.

Ashly currently holds a USSF National ‘C’ Coaches License and has an NSCAA Advanced Diploma and an NSCAA National Advanced Diploma. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Family Science from the University of Maryland.