Joe Bares Obituary, Death – We regret to inform you that Joe Bares, our long-time Referee Coordinator, passed away recently. It is with great sadness that we share this news with you. Joe has been a member of the Board of Directors of the WCSC in some capacity or another on and off for over 20 years. During this time, he has worked not only as the Ref Coordinator but also as a Coach for all of the U11 and up girls Rec teams.
Throughout the years, Joe and Floran have enrolled, recruited, coached, and mentored a large number of young women. In addition, Joe has invested a significant amount of time in instructing and guiding referees, including my son and myself. The number of referees in our community has easily more than doubled and possibly even tripled in the space of only a few short years because to his single-handed efforts, which are the primary cause of this development.
Joe was a passionate supporter of recreational soccer, and he never hid his enthusiasm for the game. He was very forthright in his role as referee! He was not a man who muddled his words. He had strong convictions! This is Joe Bares, right here! What I do know about Joe is that he was passionate about soccer, and he demonstrated this passion by serving on the board for a long time, coaching your children for a long time, and talking about his sons who are still active in various soccer-related activities. Joe has dedicated decades to the development of soccer in Bartlesville, and the sport will suffer a significant loss without him.