PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers announced their club awards for the 2012 Major League Soccer season at the annual Stand Together Awards Banquet on Sunday evening at The Nines in downtown Portland. In total, 13 awards were given out as the club celebrated accomplishments, performances and moments from the 2012 season.
Highlighting the banquet was the awarding of the club’s seven major awards – Golden Boot, Player’s Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Community Player of the Year, Play of the Year, Unsung Hero and Supporters’ Player of the Year. The Timbers also recognized the accomplishments of coaches and players affiliated with their youth development programs.
Proceeds from the Stand Together Banquet, which also featured a live and silent auction, benefit the Portland Timbers Community Fund and the Timbers’ work in the greater-Portland community.
Players' Player of the Year – Diego Chara
Voted by the players, midfielder Diego Chara was selected as the Player’s Player of the Year. Known for his tireless work and imposing play in the midfield, Chara started all 28 of the matches he played in during the 2012 campaign, logging an MLS career-high 2,473 minutes. He played the full 90 in all but three of his appearances during the season. Chara was named honorable mention on the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week in Week 22 for his efforts in 1-1 draw against FC Dallas on Aug. 5, and wore the captain’s armband during a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire on May 20 at JELD-WEN Field.
Community Player of the Year – David Horst
Defender David Horst was instrumental in the Timbers’ community outreach efforts in 2012. Among his numerous community appearances, Horst visited several local schools for family reading nights and spent time with young kids with life-threatening illnesses at a local children’s hospital. He participated in a talent show to support Campfire’s youth education programs, dancing and singing on stage with teammates and Timber Joey. As part of the club’s Adopt-a-Club program, Horst served as a mentor for Portland City United Soccer Club, where he helped run a youth clinic and delivered motivating messages. Additionally, Horst is currently serving as the honorary chair for the United Way for 2012-13, showing his ongoing support for the city and youth.
Supporters’ Player of the Year – Diego Chara
Voted on by fans, Chara was named the 2012 Supporters’ Player of the Year. In his second season with the Timbers, Chara owns the club’s MLS record for consecutive starts by a field player at 27, a streak he started in 2011 and concluded June 30, 2012. He appeared in his 50th match with the club on Aug. 19 against the New York Red Bulls, becoming just the fourth Timbers MLS player to reach the milestone. Chara was presented his award by members of the club’s supporters group, the Timbers Army.
Golden Boot – Kris Boyd
Presented by Timbers Ring of Honor inductee John Bain, forward Kris Boyd was presented the Timbers Golden Boot as the club’s leading goal-scorer in 2012. Boyd tallied seven goals on the campaign, including the game-winning goal in his club debut March 12 against the Philadelphia Union. His first goal as a member of the Timbers was named the MLS AT&T Goal of the Week for Week 1. Boyd also scored two key goals, the go-ahead strike in a 1-1 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on May 26 and the opening goal in a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders FC on June 24, to contribute to the Timbers winning the 2012 Cascadia Cup. He finished the season with three goals against the LA Galaxy, including a brace July 14 at JELD-WEN Field.
Unsung Hero – Eric Alexander
Presented by general manager Gavin Wilkinson, midfielder Eric Alexander was awarded the Timbers Unsung Hero. In his third MLS season, Alexander logged a career-high six assists to finish the season as the Timbers assist leader. He played in 24 games (14 starts) during the regular season and played 1,302 minutes. Alexander recorded his first career two-assist performance, setting up two Darlington Nagbe goals against Real Salt Lake on March 31. He also assisted on Nagbe’s game-tying goal in the 82nd minute of a 2-2 draw on the road against Toronto FC on Aug. 15, which marked the Timbers’ first multiple-goal road performance as an MLS side. All six of Alexander’s assists this season resulted in goals by the Timbers’ top two goals-scorers, Boyd and Nagbe.
Young Player of the Year – Brent Richards
Forward Brent Richards, the Timbers’ first Homegrown Player, was named the club’s Young Player of the Year. From Camas, Wash., Richards played in sixregular-season matches during his rookie campaign, making his first MLS start against Chivas USA on July 28. Across all competitions, Richards played in ninematches with the first team, logging 347 minutes. He also played in nine matches for the Timbers Reserves, scoring four goals, including the game-winning goal in a 3-2 win over the Seattle Sounders FC Reserves on Sept. 16. The Timbers U-23s’ all-time leading scorer, Richards was signed to the first team on Jan. 4, 2012.
Play of the Year – Jack Jewsbury’s game-winner Oct. 21 at Vancouver
The 2012 Timbers Play of the Year was awarded to captain Jack Jewsbury and his clutch, game-winning goal on the road against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place on Oct. 21, helping the club clinch the 2012 Cascadia Cup. In the 39th minute, midfielder Franck Songo’o laid off a pass from the top left side of the penalty area for Jewsbury, who then hit a 30-yard shot into the top far corner of the goal. The Portland defense would make Jewsbury’s goal stand in a 1-0 victory, giving the club its first road win of the 2012 season and its first Cascadia Cup as an MLS side. The strike was voted by fans as the MLS AT&T Goal of the Week for Week 32.
Timbers U-23s Player of the Year – Steven Evans
Midfielder Steven Evans was named the Timbers U-23s Player of the Year after a solid 2012 campaign with the Timbers U-23s in the Premier Development League (PDL). Evans played in 15 games during the regular season, recording four goals and one assist, to help lead the Timbers U-23s to a second-place finish in the Northwest Division and reach the Western Conference semifinals. He has been a member of the Timbers U-23s since 2009, and ranks among the team’s all-time leaders in games played (42) and goals (8). From Troutdale, Ore., Evans is a standout player in his junior season at the University of Portland, where he is a two-time, All-West Coast Conference selection.
Timbers ODP Boys Coach of the Year – Oscar Monteblanco
Oscar Monteblanco was an assistant coach for the Timbers ODP ’98 Boys team in 2012. He helped send an Oregon ODP record 12 boys to the ODP Regional Pool for the 1998 age group. Additionally, Monteblanco helped coach the Timbers ODP ’98 Boys to a first-place finish in a tournament against the pre-academy teams for the San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He also serves as the head coach for the women’s soccer program at Warner Pacific College in Portland.
Timbers ODP Boys Player of the Year – Jose Benavides
Jose Benavides played for the Timbers ODP ’98 Boys team in 2012. A two-time ODP Regional Pool player, Benavides was a member of the Timbers ’98 ODP team that took first place in the San Jose tournament that featured pre-academy teams from the Earthquakes, Galaxy and Whitecaps FC. He was an invitee for the U.S. U-14 National Camp in 2010.
Timbers ODP Girls Coach of the Year – Janine Sparza
Janine Sparza is the head coach for the Timbers ODP Girls ’99 age groups at the club’s Regional Training Centers on the west and east sides of Portland. She coached 13 girls who went on to be selected for the ODP Regional Pool for the ’99 age group in 2012. Sparza, a former U.S. Women’s National Team player, also serves as the head coach for the Portland Rain, an adidas Timbers Alliance club, of the Women’s Premier Soccer League and at Clackamas Community College.
Timbers ODP Girls Player of the Year – Adrianna Hudson
Adrianna Hudson helped lead the Timbers ODP ’96 Girls to a semifinals appearance in the 2012 ODP Regional Championships. She is a four-time ODP Regional Pool player and has attended the U.S. U-14 and U-15 Girls National Camps. In 2011, Hudson was a key part of the Timbers ODP ’96 Girls squad that finished second at the ODP Regional Championships.
Timbers Camp Coach of the Year – Sabi Sudy
Sabi Sudy was named the Timbers Camp Coach of the Year, having coached at 13 camps throughout the greater-Portland area in 2012. Sudy was named the head coach at Portland Christian High School prior to the start of the 2012 prep season.
Portland Timbers Club Award Winners
Player’s Player of the Year
2012: Diego Chara
2011: Jack Jewsbury
Community Player of the Year
2012: David Horst
2011: Jake Gleeson
Supporters’ Player of the Year
2012: Diego Chara
2011: Troy Perkins
Golden Boot
2012: Kris Boyd (7 goals)
2011: Kenny Cooper (8 goals)
Unsung Hero
2012: Eric Alexander
Young Player of the Year
2012: Brent Richards
2011: Kalif Alhassan
Play of the Year
2012: Jack Jewsbury’s game-winner Oct. 21 at Vancouver
2011: Darlington Nagbe’s goal July 2 vs. Sporting KC
Timbers U-23s Player of the Year
2012: Steven Evans
2011: Brent Richards
Timbers ODP Boys Coach of the Year
2012: Oscar Monteblanco
2011: Joe Sottile
Timbers ODP Boys Player of the Year
2012: Jose Benavides
2011: Rubio Rubin
Timbers ODP Girls Coach of the Year
2012: Janine Sparza
2011: Mac Wilson
Timbers ODP Girls Player of the Year
2012: Adrianna Hudson
2011: Ellie Boon
Timbers Camp Coach of the Year
2012: Sabi Sudy
