Gala 4 Goals 2011

The first annual Gala 4 Goals was a huge success with nearly 650 in attendance at the TCF Bank Stadium DQ room.

The evening started early with a question and answer time with U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Bob Bradley. There was plenty of time to socialize afterwords with two bars and appetizers throughout the evening. Those in attendance could also make bids on silent auction items. They ranged from weekend resort stays to autographed balls and jerseys from many U.S. National Team and MLS players.

The program consisted of awards and a talk by Bradley himself.

First, former US National Team player Cobi Jones, who still holds the record for most caps by a U.S. player with 164, took to the podium. Jones handed out the Sanneh Foundation Leadership awards which were given to two incredibly talented and devoted high school soccer players. Devoted not just to soccer but to being leaders and good people by being involved in many types of community service.

Those awards were give to Patrick Sheedy from Marshall High School and Gitchi Gummi Soccer club and Haley Erickson from Orono High School and Wayzata Soccer Club.

Next Lifetime Achievement awards were handed out to Buzz Lagos and Tony Peszneker.

“I never knew Tony Peszneker as a coach but only as a teammate and a friend. He taught me more than anyone else did in how to be pro, the ultimate professional soccer player,” said Sanneh in introducing Peszneker.

Sanneh also introduced Lagos saying, “Buzz, I can’t say enough about you. You were like a second father to me. I feel a bit guilty giving this award to him because your lovely wife Sarah Lagos shared in raising me too. But Buzz, you’ve touched so many lives, including mine. You’ve been a rock to soccer in Minnesota.”

There was also a Delores Houle (Tony’s mother) Soccer Mom Scholarship award handed out by Tony Sanneh’s mother and her sisters. The award was handed out to a soccer mom who is devoted to providing the best for her kids and who understands the value that soccer brings to the development of a well-rounded young adult. That award was given out so a mother could send her children to a Sanneh soccer camp.

The last speaker of the night was U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Bob Bradley. “Not only has Bob Bradley been a coach to me but he’s been a mentor,” said Sanneh in his introduction. “The best thing Bob has ever told me was, “Tony, be yourself.” Everyone knew I was fast so people would tell me, do this or dribble around that guy. Bob sat me down one day and said, “Tony, you’re good because you do what you’re good at. Just be yourself and you’ll have good results.”

“That simplified everything for me. Bob’s a great man. He’s not only a good soccer coach, he’s a good role model.”

Bob Bradley took the podium as the special guest of the night. “It’s a great honor for me to be here tonight,” said Bradley. “Because the passion here tonight for the game of soccer, the passion for giving something back is really special. I get to travel around and see this on occasion, but I think you should all be very proud.”

Bradley told the group he was asked to talk about team building. Bradley said, “The real team building talk tonight is about what’s going on inside this room. It’s a credit to Tony and it’s a credit to all of you who have been involved in Minnesota soccer, that not only have you been on the field together but you share a bigger vision. So for me it’s incredibly nice to be here and to be part of this. I congratulate Tony for all his work and for all the people that work in the foundation. I really appreciate being part of this team tonight and seeing all the great things that are going on here.”

Also helping out with the evening was Tony’s friend and U.S. Men’s National Team press officer Michael Kammarman. Kammarman can often be seen on US Soccer’s Studio 90 broadcasts.

Socializing continued through the evening with music by DJ Jake Rudh.

Although the evening was a fund raiser for a very good cause, it felt much more like a celebration of soccer in Minnesota, with people from many different facets of the game gathering for a night to find joy in the sport we all love.

Tony Sanneh had a gift on the field that allowed him to be a big game player in several MLS Cup games for DC United, in Germany for Hertha Berlin and FC Nuremberg and for the U.S. National team in World Cup 2002. But Tony’s greatest accomplishments might still be on the horizon. His work with the many facets of the Sanneh foundation is impressive and his ability to bring together the varied soccer interests in Minnesota is nothing short of remarkable.

Original Write up

Saturday, March 12, 7:00 pm at TCF Bank Stadium

The Sanneh Foundation’s inaugural Gala for Goals will be a fun filled, spirited evening to inform our guests of the valuable work of the foundation in The Twin Cities and around the world.

We look forward to making this an annual celebratory event and continuing to raise money to help those in need in the Twin Cities areas and beyond.

Event Details:

Attire: Semi-formal

Food: Both buffet style and butler passed appetizers will be provided by Joe Senser’s Catering from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. In addition to the appetizers, desserts will be provided after the event program at around 9:15pm.

Drinks: Cash bar will be available throughout the night for most drinks but we will also be providing open bar for several choices of wine and beer throughout the evening.

Music: DJ Jake Rudh (voted “Best DJ” in the Twin Cities by the readers of City Pages magazine eight years running from 2003-2010) will be providing the music for the evening.

Event Parking: Parking will be available for a fee in the:

Gold Lot of TCF Bank Stadium, which is located off of 6th St. SE
Gopher Lot of TCF Bank Stadium, which is located off of 23rd Ave.
Map (pdf)

Event Highlights:

7:00 Gala and Silent Auction Begins
8:30 Program Begins: Lifetime and High School Achievement Awards, Scholarships, and Keynote Speakers
9:00 Program and Silent Auction Ends and Music Begins

Distinguished Guest Speaker

Bob Bradley – Coach for U.S. Men’s National Team

Bob Bradley Coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team is one of the most notable names in U.S. Men’s soccer. Coach Bradley began his coaching career as an assistant coach at University of Virginia before going to his Alma Mater, Princeton University as its head coach. At Princeton, Coach Bradly led the Tigers to two Ivy League Titles and reached the NCAA Final Four in 1993. After his collegiate coaching career, Bradley spent nine seasons coaching MLS teams the Chicago Fire, MetroStars, and Chivas USA. Among many other accolades, Bradley was named MLS Coach of the Year in 1998 for leading the Chicago Fire to the MLS Cup and the US Open Cup. In 2000, under Coach Bradley’s leadership the Chicago Fire won the prestigious US Open. As Coach of the USMNT, Bradley has lead that team to winning the Gold Cup in 2007; placing 2nd in the 2009 Confederation’s Cup; and leading the national team to the second round of 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The Sanneh Foundation’s Life-Time Achievement Award Winners

Buzz Lagos – Coach at Higher Ground Academy

For decades, Buzz Lagos has been a very important figure in Minnesota soccer as a coach, mentor, and ambassador for the game. Lagos is the founder and former head coach of the Minnesota Thunder where he coached for 16 years with an impressive overall record of 324-148-46. At the Thunder, Lagos led the team to four A-league Championship matches (1998, 1999, 2000, 2003), winning the championship in 1999. He coached the Saint Paul Academy soccer team during their powerhouse years in the 1980s, which included several state championships. His leadership extended beyond the pitch as both a coach and a favorite math teacher. Currently, Lagos is a soccer coach and math teacher at Higher Ground Academy, a charter school in St. Paul dedicated to diversity and a strong learning environment. At Higher Ground, Coach Lagos is instilling great life lessons as he builds their soccer program.

Tony Peszneker – Girls Varsity Coach Wayzata High School and Director of Coaching and Player – Wayzata Soccer Club

Tony Peszneker is truly one of the Minnesota soccer community’s standout professionals with vast playing and coaching experience. Peszneker played professionally for both the Minnesota Kicks of the North American Soccer League and the Minnesota Thunder of the USL. He also played for the Edmonton Eagles and Edmonton Brickmen in professional outdoor leagues and Wichita Wings and Memphis Storm in professional indoor leagues. Peszneker was inducted into the Thunder Hall of Fame in 1996. While truly an impressive soccer player, Coach Peszneker has successfully made the jump from the field to the sidelines. Coach Pezsneker has worked with Wayzata Soccer Club developing kids and their passion for soccer since 1990. The strength of the Wayzata Soccer program under Coach Peszneker’s leadership is evident. Wayzata’s Girls teams have become a force to be reckoned with under his leadership with numerous titles and strong winning records. Coach Peszneker is the Girls Varsity Soccer coach at Wayzata High School in Wayzata, Minnesota, where he was named one of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America coaches of the year in 2003 and named to the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2008.