Reed Saunders

Reed Saunders (Veteran) - Inducted 2021

Reed Saunders was lifelong educator, committed to providing access to college educations for people of all financial backgrounds. Throughout his professional career, Reed played a key leadership role in designing and implementing the Pell Grants program and other state and federal aid programs to support students in obtaining their college educations through awarding grants, loan guarantees, and scholarships. 

A resident of McLean since 1969, Reed was instrumental in helping develop youth soccer in the Virginia-DC metropolitan area. Reed began coaching soccer in the early 70s.  He strongly supported girls’ participation in sports and assisted his daughter in becoming one of the first girls to play for the McLean Boys Club. He was one of the leaders in the migration of McLean Boys Club soccer to McLean Youth Soccer. From 1975 to 1977, he served as the first President of the VYSA. During that time, Reed wanted to ensure that no child was left behind in the sport because of financial constraints. In that endeavor, he was committed to keeping costs to a minimum so all children could participate. To address the limited coaching pool, Reed insisted on programs to encourage coaching development. For Reed, sportsmanship was not a word simply uttered, but one truly practiced. He was dedicated to ensuring that it was something “lived” by both coaches and players alike.   Reed was quoted in the minutes of an executive committee meeting held in 1977 “Our principal interest…. is the good of soccer.  We hope to make this a better game for kids.”