Dana Reinhart
2017
Soccer
Dana Reinhart built one of the most impressive soccer officiating careers the Pacific Northwest has seen. After playing for the US Coast Guard Academy, he began officiating youth, high school, college and some upper division state league games. By 1984, Reinhart owned a resume of more than 600 games officiated and earned a promotion to State 2 Referee. From 1994 until 2010, he averaged more than 200 games officiated per year.
One of the most memorable games Reinhart officiated came as a unique opportunity. The Canadian Men’s Team became stranded in Tacoma due to heavy snow in Oregon and scheduled a last-minute friendly with a group of local professional players who called themselves the Washington All Stars. Joey Waters captained the Washington team, while Bob Lenarduzzi captained the Canadian team, and Dana worked the center of that game, played at Meeker Middle School.
A significant heart attack in 1997 reduced Reinhart’s heart’s pumping capacity by 60 percent. However, that couldn’t keep him off the pitch. He used medicine and an implanted defibrillator and maintained his rigid referee schedule.
Reinhart officiated the USA Cup from 1993 through 2014, missing only one year in that span and refereeing at least 350 matches there. The tournament is the largest in the Western Hemisphere, taking place in Blaine, Minnesota, the largest soccer complex in the United States. That opportunity led to the chance to work 14 games with FIFA referees.
Reinhart worked with the Pierce County Soccer Referee Association from 1993 to 2014, serving several times as Director at Large on the Board of Directors. He closed out his career at the USA Cup in 2014, working 11 small-sided games in one day. He finished his career as the oldest active referee in Pierce County, earning a Grade 15 (Emeritus State 1) with lifetime totals of 3,404 centers and 5,402 games.
One of the most memorable games Reinhart officiated came as a unique opportunity. The Canadian Men’s Team became stranded in Tacoma due to heavy snow in Oregon and scheduled a last-minute friendly with a group of local professional players who called themselves the Washington All Stars. Joey Waters captained the Washington team, while Bob Lenarduzzi captained the Canadian team, and Dana worked the center of that game, played at Meeker Middle School.
A significant heart attack in 1997 reduced Reinhart’s heart’s pumping capacity by 60 percent. However, that couldn’t keep him off the pitch. He used medicine and an implanted defibrillator and maintained his rigid referee schedule.
Reinhart officiated the USA Cup from 1993 through 2014, missing only one year in that span and refereeing at least 350 matches there. The tournament is the largest in the Western Hemisphere, taking place in Blaine, Minnesota, the largest soccer complex in the United States. That opportunity led to the chance to work 14 games with FIFA referees.
Reinhart worked with the Pierce County Soccer Referee Association from 1993 to 2014, serving several times as Director at Large on the Board of Directors. He closed out his career at the USA Cup in 2014, working 11 small-sided games in one day. He finished his career as the oldest active referee in Pierce County, earning a Grade 15 (Emeritus State 1) with lifetime totals of 3,404 centers and 5,402 games.