Local News | Longtime Boca volunteer inducted into Florida Youth Soccer Association Hall of Fame

Former Miami Dolphin Zach Thomas wasn’t the only South Florida resident to hear his name called this month for induction into a Hall of Fame.

Bob Rollins, a longtime volunteer with both the Florida Youth Soccer Association and the Soccer Association of Boca Raton, was the 29th inductee into the FYSA Hall of Fame during the 2023 Annual General Meeting and Vendor Showcase on Aug. 4-6 at the Orlando World Center Marriott.

Thomas, a seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker who lives in Hillsboro Beach, was inducted into the National Football League in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 5. And Rollins, of Boca Raton, followed suit that afternoon as he was recognized for his nearly four decades in the sport of soccer.

He has held every position locally, ranging from coach to board member. He spent 19 years as a volunteer FYSA state board member, and is currently the treasurer for the Soccer Association of Boca Raton board as well as vice chair for the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District.

Rollins shared his initial reaction: “It was certainly a shock to me when I got the call from Art Turpel (who’s also had a variety of positions locally and statewide) and he asked me if I was going … I told him I hadn’t planned on going and he said you have to go, and I asked why, and he said, ‘Have you seen the email from FYSA?’ I told him no and he sent it to me and I said, ‘Holy smokes.’

Rollins’ soccer trajectory began when he was asked to coach his then 6-year-old son’s team. He admittedly didn’t know anything about the sport and turned to books for knowledge. He later sought out advice from experienced coaches and took in neighboring games.

“The thing is, you just don’t think about it. You are just doing something because you love it, and you don’t expect anything like that,” he said of the Hall of Fame honor. “It was great to see that some of my friends drove up for that. That made it really special.”

Turpel, his longtime friend, acknowledged that Rollins has made an incredible impact on the sport.

“Bob has been with the program for almost 40 years,” he said. “He has held just about every position in the club, from president to head of recreational soccer to referee administrator to treasurer to coach at both the travel level and the recreational level. He has touched on every aspect of this club.”