JACK HOLLAND
From Jack Holland’s earliest days as a youth soccer player in the Tampa Bay Area, this lifelong contributor to the game built a distinguished career spanning more than three decades as a player, referee, instructor, assessor, assignor, and administrator.
Beginning as a defender for Berkeley Preparatory School in 1969 and later as a co-founder and player for the Plant City Rogues Soccer Club, he helped establish and grow organized soccer in the Plant City area during the formative years of the sport in Florida. The Rogues captured the Florida Suncoast Soccer League Division II Championship in 1978 after finishing runners-up in 1977.
His officiating career began in 1977 during the inaugural season of youth soccer in Plant City. Over the next 27 years, he advanced through the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) referee ranks, achieving National Referee Grade 03 status in 1996-97 before retiring as a National Referee Emeritus. Throughout his officiating career, he worked at virtually every level of the game, including high school, collegiate, amateur, youth regional and national championships, professional indoor leagues, and Major League Soccer.
His professional officiating assignments included the North American Soccer League (NASL), American Indoor Soccer Association (AISA), National Professional Soccer League (NPSL), United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL), the “A” League, and Major League Soccer (MLS). He was also selected for prestigious events, including the 1993 US Youth Soccer National Championships, the 1996 USASA National Amateur Select Tournament, and the 1996 International Paralympics Tournament in Atlanta following the Olympic Games.
In addition to officiating, he dedicated decades to soccer administration and referee development. From 1977 through 2004, he served as League Director and Referee Assignor for the City of Plant City Parks & Recreation Department and the Optimist Club Youth Soccer Program, helping to grow participation from approximately 170 to more than 1,500 players across 120 teams.
His leadership roles within Florida soccer included District Referee Administrator, Area C Director of Instruction, State Director of Instruction, and ultimately State Referee Administrator and State Youth Referee Administrator for Florida State Referees, overseeing more than 5,600 registered officials statewide. He also served extensively as a USSF Referee Instructor, Referee Assessor, Assignor, and Assignor Instructor. Jack served as the State Referee Administrator from 1999 to 2001, during which he oversaw 5,600 US Soccer Referees from Florida.
Widely respected throughout Florida and the southeastern United States soccer community, he contributed significantly to the growth, education, and professionalism of officiating and youth soccer development for more than three decades. His accomplishments were recognized in 1995 when he was selected as Florida Boys High School Soccer Official of the Year.