Aziz Haffar, head coach for the state champion Valley High School boys’ soccer team, is the 2025 United Soccer Coaches National High School Boys Large Public School Coach of the Year.

Haffar will be honored at the United Soccer Coaches Awards Ceremony on Jan. 16, 2026, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, in conjunction with the United Soccer Coaches Convention.

“I am truly humbled by this honor,” said Haffar, who began his tenure as Valley’s head coach in 1991. “This award is a testament to all we achieved as a team in 2025. We had a special group of student-athletes who played for each other. That team will go down as one of the best to wear Valley orange and black.”

Haffar led Valley to the program’s sixth state championship in 2025. The Tigers beat Johnston 3-0 in the Class 4A title game to finish the season 21-1, winning 21 straight games after losing the season opener. The Tigers didn’t allow a goal in their last eight games and outscored opponents 21-0 during their five-game run in the state playoffs. 

“Coach Haffar is truly one of a kind and very deserving of this award,” said Zac Sinram, Valley activities director. “Not only is he a winning coach on the field, he cares about players off the field. The legacy he has built during his tenure is unmatched.” 

In 35 years at Valley, Haffar owns a record of 619-113-7. Under his direction, the Tigers have won 25 conference championships. Haffar led Valley to state championships in 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006, 2016, and 2025. He has coached nine Gatorade Player of the Year recipients, along with numerous All-Americans and All-Conference athletes.

His 1996 team was ranked No. 1 nationally by the United Soccer Coaches.