Frank Alonso Memorial Scholarship


Frank Alonso was a beloved member of the Manhattan community and a longtime soccer coach who dedicated more than 20 years to coaching youth and high school soccer. Frank had a personality that drew people in like a magnet—he could talk to anyone, children adored him, and he was known for telling the very best stories. He was an amazing father, son, brother, and husband, and a loyal supporter of Liverpool FC and England football.


Frank was taken from us by pancreatic cancer in November of 2018, but the impact he made on our community and the lives he touched continues. We are proud to carry on his legacy through this scholarship.


The Frank Alonso Memorial Scholarship honors Frank’s life and legacy by ensuring that Manhattan youth can continue playing the game they love. Awards support Sporting Kaw Valley (SKV) players who either face extreme financial hardship or whose families are navigating significant medical challenges. Scholarships are reserved for Manhattan area players and are applied directly to club costs such as registration fees, uniforms, and tournament expenses.


All applications can be submitted via the Financial Aid section of a player's Playmetrics account and must include and meet the criteria below.

Frank Alonso Memorial Scholarship Criteria

The Frank Alonso Memorial Scholarship (the “Scholarship”) is intended to reduce financial barriers so Manhattan youth can participate fully in Sporting Kaw Valley Soccer Club (“SKV”) programs in memory of Frank Alonso.


Scholarship funds may be applied to SKV player registration fees, uniforms, league/tournament fees, and limited travel support tied to SKV participation. Funds are paid directly to SKV; no cash is provided to families.


Eligibility (recipients must meet A and either B or C)

A. Manhattan focus (required). The player must be an SKV participant whose primary residence is in Manhattan, Kansas or surrounding areas (Riley, Randolf, St. George, Wamego, etc). Proof of residence may be requested.

B. Financial need (either/or with C). The player would be unable to participate without assistance due to extreme financial hardship (examples include recent job loss, housing insecurity, unexpected expenses, or income below a reasonable threshold for household size).

OR

C. Medical challenge (either/or with B). The player or an immediate family member is facing a significant medical condition creating financial stress that would otherwise prevent participation (a brief note from a healthcare or social services professional suffices; no medical records required).


Application

A short application will collect:

  • Player and parent/guardian names and contact info
  • Manhattan address (or school confirmation)
  • A brief statement of the financial hardship or medical challenge
  • Optional coach/program staff note (if helpful)
  • Any relevant dates (season requested; fall/spring)


Applications are treated as confidential. Only the selection committee and designated SKV administrator will access individual applications. Sensitive documents are not stored longer than

necessary for award decisions.


Applications are reviewed before the fall season.

  • Decisions prioritize (1) meeting the Manhattan requirement; and (2) demonstrated extreme financial need or medical
  • challenge (either/or).
  • Award size & duration: $250 for one player a year
  • Players may reapply each season/year; priority may be given to first time recipients if funds are limited.
  • Disbursement will go directly to SKV where they will post an award credit to the player’s account or issues payments to approved team expenses.6) Nondiscrimination & fairness
  • The Scholarship will be administered without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, sex, religion, disability, age, or any other protected characteristic.


If, in any year, there are insufficient applicants who meet the criteria to distribute available funds, The Alonso Family may make awards in a manner that most closely honors the donor’s intent (supporting Manhattan SKV players with financial/medical barriers) while maintaining compliance with applicable policies.


With permission, SKV may publicly recognize recipients only by first name/last initial (or fully anonymous), and will acknowledge the Scholarship as “The Frank Alonso Memorial

Scholarship.” Families may opt out of public recognition.


SKV will provide the Alonso family with a brief, annual summary of impact (number of recipients, aggregate amounts, anonymized highlights). No personally identifying recipient details will be shared

without consent.