George W. Olsen Award

The George W. Olsen Award is the highest recognition bestowed upon an individual by the St. Croix Valley Athletic Association and is presented each fall at the Hall of Fame Banquet. This award was first given on December 3rd, 1973 in recognition of George W. 'Puscan' Olsen. The award was originally designed to recognize an individual of the SCVAA for being the outstanding club member of the past year.  Since then the award has taken on even more importance as the Association's highest award for devotion and support of youth sports.

Mr. Olsen was a native of Stillwater and attended Stillwater High School and The University of Minnesota before joining the U.S. Army in World War I. He served in France as an ambulance driver and was awarded France's highest honor for bravery, The Croix de Guerre medal.

In high school he played football, basketball and was a member of the state championship team in 1914. A dedicated devout sports follower, his wife Irene said, he always had tickets to every sports tournament in the area. He was always accompanied by an enthusiastic band of youngsters. A continued supporter of youth sports and this was carried on by his son Dick and wife Marie Olsen.

They continued to give to the community the same support as always with the community suites, Graffitti Teen Center, and the list is endless... all done freely, discreetly and from the heart.

The recipients of this special award are selected by a committee of previous winners and current VAA Board Members.

 

Year

2021

Recipient

Tim Schroeder

Year

2022

Recipient

Rick Hill

2020  None-(Covid) 1996 Steve Wicker
2019 Sachin Gore 1995 Jim Wright
2018 Kim McRunnel  1994 Dan Hall
2017 Erich Hoefferle 1993 Ronald Fredkove
2016 Steve McRunnel 1992 Barry Sharon
2015 Bill Easton 1991 Robert Safe
2014 Scott Finberg 1990 Vic Thalacker
2013 Dave Callahan 1989 Pete Flock
2012 Mike & Teri Tompkins 1988 Joe 'Sam' Samuelson
2011 John Branch 1987 Bill Herzog
2010 John Morchinek 1986 Ken Anderson
2009 Tony Rinta 1985 Jeannie Hoffbeck, Kathy Schmitt
2008 Brennan Malanaphy 1984 Jim Lammers
2007 Paul Kaufer 1983 Terry Geibler
2006 None 1982 Dan Brookman
2005 Myron Reubendale  1981 Dick Beberg
2004 Dick Olsen 1980 Dick Schmidt
2003 Jean and Pat Tynen 1979 Don Jahnke
2002 Brett Ellingson 1978 Keith 'Jim' Kemp
2001 Ed Simonet III 1977 Tom Juhl
2000 Jeff Clark 1976 Vern Christensen
1999 Dick Siver 1975 Bob Bielenberg
1998 Lowell Lindstrom 1974 Jim Buege
1997 Mike Nystrom 1973 Tom Diethert