Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA)

CHULA VISTA, CALIF. -- The United States Olympic Committee presented its most prestigious award, the Olympic Shield, on Wednesday, January 5 to 2004 USA Softball Olympic team head coach Mike Candrea (Casa Grande, Ariz.)

An honor given in recognition for an individual’s outstanding service to the United States Olympic Committee and the Olympic movement, Candrea is only the 45th person to receive this award since 1966. The first ever Olympic coach in the award’s 39 year history, this honor has only been awarded on 12 occasions since its inception.

Mike Candrea led the 2004 USA Softball team to one of the most prolific team performances in Olympic history. Persevering and battling during adverse times is just one of the many lessons taught both on and off the field by Candrea.

When he was selected to be the 2004 Olympic coach in May of 2002, Candrea set one goal and he accomplished it. Echoing numerous times of his will to ‘not just win, but to dominate,’ Coach Candrea led his team to its third consecutive gold medal and the cover of Sports Illustrated as ‘The Real Dream Team.’ One of the most dominating performances in Olympic history, he led the Red, White and Blue to a 9-0 record outscoring opponents 51-1.

Prior to the Games, Candrea and crew led his team across the nation in a 53- game ‘Aiming for Athens’ pre-Olympic tour where they finished undefeated while visiting approximately 30 U.S. cities.

But among all the glory and victories, there is one thing Mike Candrea taught the 2004 team that means more than a gold medal. On July 18, Mike lost his wife Sue unexpectedly while traveling during the ‘Aiming for Athens’ tour. A sudden and tragic loss just ten days before leaving for Athens, Coach Candrea faced the toughest moments of his life. Arriving in Greece a few short days after the team, his unbelievable strength and poise guided the team to victory. He stressed to each one of them the importance of cherishing every moment and that this USA Softball family is the reason he continued to pursue Sue’s dream for him to coach in the Olympic Games.

Led by his courage and words, he was very open with the team upon his arrival in Athens – “I don’t want you to play for me or Sue during these Olympics, I want you to play for your country.” Standing as a pillar of strength and feeding from the support of the 18 players and coaches surrounding him, Candrea led his team into the competition and to its third consecutive gold medal.

Following the triumphant victory, members of the U.S. team hoisted Coach Candrea upon their shoulders and carried him off the field. A flood of emotions, it was evident the impact this coach has made and will continue to make to so many lives.

OLYMPIC SHIELD AWARD

This award is given in recognition of outstanding service to the

United States Olympic Committee

1966 -- H. Jamison Swarts, USOC Executive Board member

1966 -- Thomas F. Lennon, Assistant Secretary for delegation to 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games

1966 -- Daniel J. Ferris, USOC Executive Board member

1966 -- James F. Simms

1969 -- Dr. Harry F. "Mickey" McPhee, Head physician at two Olympic Games

1969 -- Pincus Sober, USOC Executive Board member

1969 -- Albert Wheltle, Active in USOC for 20 years

1969 -- J. Lyman Bingham, USOC Executive Director (1950 65)

1969 -- Dr. Merritt Stiles, USOC Officer

1969 -- *Charles L. Ornstein, Active in USOC for 40 years

1969 -- Hon. Jeremiah T. Mahoney, USOC Executive Board member

1973 -- Lt. Gen. Henry W. Buse Jr., USOC Officer

1973 -- Hermann G. Rusch, Long time food director at Olympic Games

1981 -- Charles W. Buek, Investment Committee chair (1973 81)

1981 -- E. Newbold Black IV, USOC Officer

1981 -- Tenley Albright, USOC Officer

1981 -- Joel Ferrell Jr., USOC Officer

1983 -- Sen. Ted Stevens, Involved with Amateur Sports Act of 1978

1983 -- Patrick Sullivan, USOC Counselor

1983 -- George M. Wilson, USOC Executive Board member

1983 -- Edward H. Mosler Jr.

1985 -- William E. Simon, USOC President (1981-85)

1985 -- Harold "Hal" Henning, USOC Executive Board member

1985 -- Lawrence Hough, USOC Officer

1989 -- Andras Toro, USOC Officer

1989 -- Stephen B. Sobel, USOC Officer

1989 -- Evie G. Dennis, USOC Officer

1989 -- Howard C. Miller, USOC Officer

1989 -- Rudolph Sablo, USOC Executive Board member

1989 -- Col. Don Hull, USOC Executive Board member

1989 -- Richard Hollander, USOC Executive Board member

1989 -- Stephen Lieberman, USOC Executive Board member

1989 -- Daniel Steinman, USOC Executive Board member

1989 -- Russell C. Dermond, USOC Executive Board member

1989 -- Matthew Cusack, USOC Executive Board member

1989 -- Lt. Gen. A.P. Clark, USOC Executive Board member

1989 -- J. William Middendorf II, USOC Executive Board member

1990 -- Robert Sheppard, USOC Executive Board member

1990 -- Baaron Pittenger, USOC Executive Director

1996 -- Dr. Joe Kearney, Chair, USOC Games Preparation and Services Committee/Board of Directors member

1996 -- Dr. Alpha Alexander, USOC Member Services subcommittee chair/Board of Directors member

1997 -- Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty, counselor to President Bill Clinton; vice chair of the White House Task Force on the 1996 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games

1997 -- Greg Harney, Director of USOC International Games Preparation Division

2004 -- Bill Martin, Acting USOC President

2005 – Mike Candrea, 2004 Olympic Women’s Softball Coach – Gold Medal

About ASA

The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation's largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 88 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 240,000 teams and 40,000 umpires today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit www.asasoftball.com.

About USA Softball

USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of the only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won seven World Championship titles including the last five consecutive. For more information about USA Softball, please visit www.usasoftball.com.

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