The Robert L. Lindsay Meritorious Service Award is designed to recognized individuals who have made a significant contribution to volleyball at the regional level. Each regional is allowed to recommend up to five individuals each year to USAV. Former recipients are not eligible to receive this award from the same member Organization.
Local professional photographer Gregory Juan awarded USAV Meritorious Service Award through the Bayou Region Volleyball Association
Director of Photography for the Digs Volleyball Network and a local New Orleans based
photographer and with his work with the BayouRVA Beach High Performance program and assistance with The Region’s Facebook and Twitter, Gregory Juan has been awarded a 2019 awarded USAV Meritorious Service Award by the Bayou Region Volleyball Association.
With over 20 years of experience as both a videographer and photographer, Gregory Juan has freelanced in all levels of youth, prep, and college athletics behind the camera. He has freelanced for numerous high schools in New Orleans filming and breaking down game film for football, basketball, volleyball and softball coaches. He has also nationally worked with PAVO (Professional Association of Volleyball Officials) and the USA Volleyball A2 team on film analysis and player development. Juan has also installed volleyball specific softball to a large number of NCAA Division I volleyball programs that make film breakdown and analysis more user friendly and custom to each specific team.
As a photographer, Juan has photographed numerous NCAA Championships for volleyball and basketball as well as track and field for the Southland Conference. On the prep level, he has shot the LHSAA Volleyball Championships for schools across the state at their home gyms or at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner.
Scott Thompson (USAV National Referee & Scorer) awarded USAV Meritorious Service Award through the Bayou Region Volleyball Association
Congratulations to USAV National Referee & Scorer Scott Thompson for receiving the 2018 Robert L. Lindsay Meritorious Service Award from the Bayou Region of USAVolleyball for his enormous efforts in supporting officials’ development in the region through clinics, observations, testing, video editing and just being fun.
Scott is a both a USAV National Referee and National Scorer with over 17 years of volleyball officiating experience. Scott moved to Louisiana from Chicago 12 years ago and began training with BRVA’s other national level referees. As his officiating career progressed, Scott’s love for teaching and training allowed him to begin to give back to the region in various capacities. Scott has been a clinician at many of the annual officials’ meetings and taught well over a thousand juniors how to keep score. Scott has been training and evaluating officials in the region for many years and his success has enabled him to recently join the National Rating and Training team as its youngest member.
Outside of volleyball, Scott works for Shell Chemical and recently relocated to the Pittsburgh area to be an Operations Manager at a brand new petrochemical facility – Shell’s largest current project in the world. Scott is looking forward to visiting Louisiana from time to time to both officiate and continue supporting officials’ development. He hopes to one day move back to the Bayou Region!
Don Landry (Blue Crab Volleyball) awarded USAV Meritorious Service Award through the Bayou Region VBA
Congratulations to Don Landry of Blue Crab Volleyball for receiving the 2017 Robert L. Lindsay Meritorious Service Award from the Bayou Region of USAVolleyball for his efforts in supporting coaching development in the region by making available facilities for the purpose of training officials and educating coaches.
Don has been coaching volleyball for 23 years after a (very brief!) career as an adult player. He began Blue Crab Volleyball in 1994 and currently serves as its Club Director and a coach. Blue Crab Volleyball is a registered junior program affiliate of USA Volleyball through the Bayou Region. Through Don’s leadership Blue Crab’s main purpose is to provide quality training and competitive opportunities for young athletes at all levels of development. This competitive athletic experience will enhance social development, contribute to mental and physical health, and teach the values of teamwork, responsibility, self-discipline, and self-motivation. Don is committed to promoting and developing youth volleyball in the New Orleans area, focusing on
players’ interests and enthusiasm, volleyball skills and athletic abilities.
Don has head coached at Immaculate Conception High School and is currently in his 6th year as Head Volleyball Coach at Academy of Our Lady High School.
After the 2016 season, Don was named Head Volleyball Coach of the year in LHSAA 9-AAAA. He will also serve as the Head Coach of the 2017 LHSAA East All-Star Team.
Millicent Van Norden awarded USAV Meritorious Service Award thru the Bayou Region
Congratulations to Millicent Van Norden for receiving the 2016 Robert L. Lindsay Meritorious Service Award from the Bayou Region of USAVolleyball for her efforts in supporting the officials’ division and coaching development in the region by making available facilities for the purpose of training officials and educating coaches.
Millicent is the head volleyball coach at the University of New Orleans.
She earned letters at Alcorn State in volleyball and track and field. On the volleyball court, she was a two-time All-SWAC selection and was named the pre-season volleyball SWAC Player of the Year in 2000. On the track, Millicent was a USA Track and Field Indoor National Participant and a provisional qualifier in the long jump and the 100-meter hurdles in that same year. She currently owns the school and SWAC record in the heptathlon with 5,071 points.
Van Norden came back down South in 2014 from her most recent stint as head coach at
Maryland-Eastern Shore, and brings 13 years of experience to UNO with 12 of those coming as a head coach. In that span, Van Norden registered a record of 179-227. The LaPlace, LA native started her career at her alma mater Alcorn State where she won 57 games in her first two seasons, and led the Braves to back-to-back SWAC Eastern Division titles.
She earned both her bachelor’s in education (2000), and a master’s degree in secondary
education (2003) from Alcorn State.
Van Norden is married to her husband, Allen Van Norden and the couple resides in LaPlace with their two sons, Cain and Loki.
Floyd P. ‘Topo’ Frilot awarded USAV Meritorious Service Award thru the Bayou Region
Congratulations to Floyd P. ‘Topo’ Frilot for receiving the 2015 Robert L. Lindsay Meritorious Service Award for the Bayou Region for his efforts in coaching, playing and promoting USAV beach volleyball.
Topo (along with Andrew Beyer) runs the Digs Volleyball Network and is also a partner in the Digs Volleyball Complex. Digs VB Network hosts junior events in The Region, as well as contracts to manage the region’s junior championships. Topo is a 5 time Gulf Coast Beach Maters Champion and is available for volleyball training and fundamentals instructing. He has over 31 years of involvement in the sport of USAV and BayouRVA volleyball. Topo is married to “THE very competitive” Kelly Ann and they have three beautiful children. In his ‘other’ life, Topo has over 18 years of experience in the construction industry as a project superintendent and consultant and once served as the construction consultant for the current Coconut Beach complex.
USAV Meritorious Service Award thru the Bayou Region recipient list:
2019 – Gregory Juan
2018 – Scott Thompson
2017 – Don Landry 2016 – Millicent Van Norden
2015 – Floyd P. ‘Topo’ Frilot
2014 – Stewart Sheng & Peter Hickman
2013 – Roger Barba
2012 – Warren Dufrene
2011 – Maggie Millet
2010 – No award presented
2009 – Kenneth Marrocolli
2008 – Angelle Simms & David Dufrene
2007 – William Genemaras & Karin Genemaras
2006 – Darlene Taylor & Scott Clause
2005 – Betsy Becker & Greg Castillo
2004 – Malcolm Grimes
2003 – Michael Barnes & Bryan Dardar
2002 – Louis Puissegur, Jr. & Jimmy Miranda
2001 – Andrew Beyer & Lee Feinswog