Ken Conselyea Award, 2010

Michael Rado

Michael is a lifetime resident of Dayton, OH. He currently lives in Centerville, OH, with his wife Julie, and step-children Kelly (Ball State University) and Kyle Robie (Lawrence Tech). He has two daughters: Stephanie (Jim) and granddaughter Sarah; Courtney (Christian).

Michael graduated from Carroll High School in 1968. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Comprehensive Business Education from Wright State University, in 1972, and a Master’s in Business and Education from Wright State University in 1975. Until his retirement in 2002, Michael taught in the Mad River School District. Since then, he has been a long-term substitute in the Kettering, Miamisburg, Mad River, and Centerville school districts, as well as Sinclair Community College and National College.

He began his soccer playing career in 1960 in the Dayton area CYO. He continued playing soccer throughout college at Wright State University, where he was a member of the first varsity team and captain for two years. During and after graduation from college, he played in the Dayton Amateur League with the Hungarian Club Hunyadi, the Miamisburg Soccer Club and the Dayton Soccer Club.

Michael began his refereeing career with the United States Soccer Federation in 1973. He advanced to State Referee in 1979. He became the first National Referee in Ohio-South in 1984, where he remained until 1989. In addition to refereeing youth soccer, he also refereed in the Amateur leagues and was selected in 1985 to referee the Amateur Cup Championships in St. Louis, MO.

In 1978, he began his professional career. He worked in the American Soccer League, North American Soccer League, and the United States Soccer League. During this time, he refereed over 50 professional games. In 1973, Michael and the late Pat Smith formed the Dayton Area Soccer Officials Association. In 1977, Tom Kondas and Michael organized the Officials of the Ohio Soccer Association-South, where Michael served as the first president. During his tenure, he also served as assignor, interpreter of the laws, and assessor. In 1979, he was selected as the State Referee Administrator, a post he held until 1985.

Collegiate and interscholastic soccer were a big part of his referee background, too. He began his high school officiating career in1973, refereeing over 20 high school boys and girls state finals. As an NCAA official, he was the official for countless matches and numerous conference and league championships, playoff games, and four national finals, culminating with the referee position in the 1995 Division II National Final. He also served as a state referee instructor and a local assessor.

In 2008, after 35 years of referring, Michael retired from all aspects of soccer as a USSF State Emeritus Referee. He appreciates all that Pat Smith, Tom Kondas, Ken Baldeosingh, and Carl Wright did to help him throughout his career.