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.