Jerry Boisvert at the Warrenton Soccer Complex.

When it comes to identifying key adult volunteers in youth sports on the North Coast, several names come to mind.

In the soccer community it’s one — Jerry Boisvert.

There isn’t a child who has played soccer in the last three and a half decades whose life hasn’t been touched by the man. Every adult volunteer, coach, referee or fan has encountered Boisvert’s dedication.

Recently he received the applause of his peers statewide with the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oregon Youth Soccer Association. The top honor from Oregon’s entire soccer community followed his nomination by Fergus Loughran, past president of the Lower Columbia Youth Soccer Association. Boisvert was one of its founders in 1984.

Boisvert has coached recreational and competitive youth teams, both the Astoria High School boys and girls squads, and served as a U.S. Soccer Federation referee. He has also singlehandedly spearheaded the maintenance of the Warrenton Soccer Complex, mowing, repairing and lining the fields, mending the goal nets and cleaning up.

Each fall when he was coaching Astoria High School teams, it was not unusual to drive along Ridge Road just after lunchtime and observe Boisvert cutting the grass in time for the junior varsity kids to play their early game — then coaching the varsity squad late into the same evening.

In addition to his commitment to inspiring his teams and maintaining the fields, what sets Boisvert apart is his sense of fair play. When coaching, his tone was always positive. He encouraged his young players with loving discipline. He could react with passion at a referee’s call against his team one moment, shout “good call!” the next, then shake the official’s hand after the final whistle. Visiting coaches frequently commented on his positive tone, as well as commending the excellent condition of the fields.

The Clatsop Clash — Astoria vs. Seaside high school games — was always contested with good sportsmanship during his 11-year era as Astoria’s varsity coach, despite the intensity of the rivalry. In large part that was because Boisvert had an equal number of Seaside players blended into his classic teams when they were U-14s.

His enthusiasm is irrepressible — he wore a tutu on silly costumes day at Camp Kick-A-Lot, an annual event where North Coast kids learn the game.

When recent serious health troubles caused Boisvert to step back from his commitments, the board of the Youth Soccer Association let out a collective gasp. Loughran — a man not prone to exaggeration — said they needed six or seven people to step up and divide Boisvert’s duties.