Scholarship

The AYLA Willie Gateau Scholarship Fund committee continues to solicit applications and award winning applicants every year. The scholarship fund was established in 2002 with many generous gifts from our supporters. Our major supporters (above) helped establish a financial base from which we continue to make our awards. Heroes Pub continues to sponsor an evening for supporters to come out and participate in a silent auction, food, and drink…all in the spirit of Willie. Please monitor the AYLA website at www.youthlax.org for details regarding this important event, which is held during the Spring every year.

If you are not familiar with our scholarship fund, please check the AYLA website at www.youthlax.org for additional details, including the application for graduating High School Seniors, The scholarship fund was established in part, to celebrate a past volunteer who was very instrumental in the success of AYLA. His name is Willie Gateau. Willie was a founding member of AYLA, an individual who was never too busy to lend a hand to help a child, a parent, or a fellow coach. His behind-the-scene efforts during the early AYLA years are now reflected in the current foundation and strength of the AYLA organization, which can be translated to the successes of its teams, players, and coaches. Willie continuously volunteered his time to help with fields, goals, equipment, as well as coaching. He even managed to spend some time at his full-time job and to spend time with his wife and three children.

The AWGSF scholarship committee awards a one time, once a year, monetary award to one, or more, graduating seniors, who have played a minimum of one Spring season for AYLA. Realize that past winning applicants have generally shown a great deal of Willie’s volunteerism quality.

For those that are interested in making a contribution to this worthy cause, we thank you in advance. Even a contribution of $5 or $10 helps make a difference. Please make checks out to the AYLA Willie Gateau Scholarship Fund (AWGSF) and mail them to:

AYLA 
P.O. Box 3494 
Annapolis, Md. 21403

The fund is a 501c3 and qualifies as a charitable organization.

In accordance with the provisions of section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code we would like to inform you that any contribution to the AYLA Wille Gateau Scholarship Fund is fully tax deductible since no premiums, gifts or services are being received in return for your donation.

• 2003 - Nicholas Bonnacci
• 2004 - Joseph McKenna
• 2005 - Todd Turner
• 2006 - David Gateau, Jr.
• 2007 - John GreenField and Amy Yatsuk
• 2008 - Vincent Cerniglia and Tucker Scherger
• 2009 - Andrew Proulx
• 2010 - Charles Whiteley
• 2011 - Kevin (Kyle) O'Brien
• 2013 - Matthew Greenfield and Justin Noel
• 2014 - Nicholas Armero, Jake Ellis, John Pennington
• 2015 - Koby McMahon
• 2016 - Davis Hitt
• 2017 - Canevin Wallace and Charlie Olmert 
• 2018 - Henry Hitt, Luke Ellis, and Presley Miller
• 2019 - Demetri Brown, Samuel Bullen, and Nick Bullen