Dr. William T. “Bill” Franz (Class of 2021)

Bill is a former President and Secretary of RISOA, He was also involved in the development of the first RISOA website. He was drawn into the brotherhood of Soccer referees along with his son Matt, who has continued his involvement in officiating throughout his still young life having started as a referee here in Richmond and is currently working with the MLS in its VR reviews. Bill’s contributions to soccer officiating were not only through his leadership roles, but in his understanding of youth soccer as an educational environment to which he brought his particularly jovial disposition to the pitch. Dr. William Franz as a 1976 graduate of Muhlenburg College is an honored alumnus for his academic career to the benefit of Randolph-Macon College, where he began as a Professor of Physics. As a faculty member beginning in 1983, he taught novel courses in solar energy engineering, the physics of sports and the efficacy of denying settled science all while refereeing adult recreational soccer matches in the newly formed Hanover Adult Soccer Association playing on the fields in front of the Barrett Learning Center. Professor Franz was twice recognized as the recipient of the Thomas Branch Award for Teaching Excellence and in 2000 was named the Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor awardee, RMC’s highest faculty honor. From these beginnings he became an Administrator rising to the level of Provost and Vice-president for Academic Affairs before he retired. In speaking about our brother referee the RMC President captured much about we recognized about Bill in saying, "Among the qualities that have impressed me most about Bill is his openness to new ideas, underscored so wonderfully by his creative approach to both leadership and collaboration with his colleagues and others. Bill's profound service to Randolph-Macon has been so impactful in great part because he approaches both challenges and opportunities from a unique, and uniquely useful, perspective." He has done the same for CVSRA and in particular its scholastic division, formerly RISOA.