CHICAGO (Jan. 21, 2025) – Continuing in its pursuit to celebrate accessibility and inclusion in the beautiful game, U.S. Soccer today announced that long-time Referee Margaret Domka has won the fourth annual ADAPTandTHRIVE Disability Award, which recognizes an individual who is making an impact in Disability Soccer in the United States.
“As we celebrate the continued growth of the game in all its forms in the U.S., this award gives us the chance to recognize the excellent contributions in this space,” said Stuart Sharp, Head of Technical for U.S. Soccer’s Extended National Teams. “I’ve known Margaret for many years, and her passion for making a difference both as a match official and as a practitioner in sports mental health is inspiring, and she is without a doubt a fully deserving winner of this award.”
An accomplished Referee who has reached the top levels of the international game, Domka earned the honor for her dedicated service as a match official in various Disability Soccer disciplines, including with the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football (IFCPF), the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) and Special Olympics USA.
A 10-year member of the FIFA International Panel from 2007-2017, Domka officiated at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2012 and 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups, various Concacaf events, as well as serving as a match official in Women’s Professional Soccer from 2009-2011 and the National Women’s Soccer League from 2013-2016.
Domka started applying her Referee expertise to different disciplines of the game when she began as a PhD candidate researching Mental Health and Sport at Clemson University in 2018. Since that time, she has worked as a match official at nine major IFCPF events, including the 2022 and 2024 Women’s and Men’s World Cups and 2019 and 2023 Parapan American Games, as well as the first international friendlies played by the U.S. Blind Soccer National Team in 2023 and the 2024 U.S. Blind Soccer International Cup. She also officiated at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games.
“I am delighted and honored to receive U.S. Soccer’s ADAPTandTHRIVE Disability Award,” Domka said. ”I have been so fortunate to be introduced to a variety of Disability Soccer disciplines and have enjoyed every moment of my involvement. I firmly believe in the power of sport for development for each of us as individuals and for connection across our communities. Through my contributions, I hope to continue to expand opportunities for ALL to be involved and for our communities to become more unified through soccer. Through my involvement, I have also been changed by seeing the courage with which so many of these athletes approach the adversity they have faced and the authenticity they bring to each of their interactions. I am grateful not only to receive this award, but also to have been invited with open arms to become part of these incredible sport communities.”
Domka is also the Founder and Co-Executive Director of the U.S. Center for Mental Health & Sport (USCMH). Founded in 2021, the USCMH’s mission is to develop sport environments that allow for optimum mental wellness by providing mental health training and resources, opening pathways to access additional mental health support services, and committing to the advancement of mental health and sport research.
Nominated alongside Domka for the ADAPTandTHRIVE Disability Award were Ashley Hammond, for his work with CP Soccer and as CEO of the International Federation of CP Football, as well as Jennifer Kelso, for her work with Special Olympics North America.
In 2023, Joslynn Bigelow won the ADAPTandTHRIVE Disability Award for her work with Down Syndrome Sports of America. Prior to Bigelow, Shawn Danhouser won the award after serving on the Board for Diversity and Inclusion in Soccer with the U.S. Soccer Coaches community, as well as for his work with US Youth Soccer’s TOPSoccer. In 2021, Sandy Castillo won the inaugural ADAPTandTHRIVE Disability Award for her work as a long-time coach and advocate in the TOPSoccer program around Southern California.
Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer has been the official governing body of the sport in the United States for more than 100 years. As U.S. Soccer looks toward the future amid an unprecedented moment of opportunity, it has aligned its efforts around five strategic pillars: Grow the game by increasing youth and adult participation and accessibility to the sport; Foster best playing environments through quality of referees and coaches, and commitment to participant safety; Develop winning teams through solidified pathways and success of professional leagues; Grow the soccer economy to fuel reinvestment by increasing membership, fandom and commercial success; and Create a world-class organization through revitalized structure and culture, best-in-class talent, progress in DEIB, and more. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision.