COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (December 16, 2024) – USA Volleyball will honor longtime official and event administrator Bill Forrester with the prestigious Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 USA Volleyball Hall of Fame. The award is USA Volleyball’s highest honor, recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to volleyball in the United States.
The Hall of Fame at the Dorothy C. Boyce Banquet will be held May 21, 2025, in Denver, just before the USA Volleyball Open National Championship begins at the Colorado Convention Center. Proceeds from the event go to the USA Volleyball Foundation to provide funding to support the Olympic & Paralympic dreams of the athletes in USA Volleyball’s national team programs. Ticket will be on sale soon.
USA Volleyball previously honored Forrester with the George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award in 2004 and the Glenn G. Davies Referee Service Award in 1999. He is the organization’s 57th recipient of the Frier Award.
Forrester’s journey in volleyball spans more than five decades, marked by dedication, innovation and a passion for the game. His involvement in volleyball began in the early 1970s as a student at Montana State University. This passion only deepened during his service in the U.S. Air Force, where he competed on base teams worldwide, including in the Philippines, where his team won the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) championship.
After returning to Montana State in 1976, Forrester co-founded the university’s first volleyball club with Bill Neville. He also began his officiating career and worked his first collegiate matches in the Big Sky Conference. Since then, he’s officiated with major conferences at the Division I, Division II and NAIA levels.
Forrester’s professional career in structural engineering took him across the country, but his commitment to volleyball remained constant. He played integral roles in organizing, officiating and administering volleyball events at every level. As a national scorekeeper and referee, he contributed to numerous USA Volleyball national championships and served as the referee chair for the Heart of America Region from 1986 to 1999.
Internationally, Forrester has made a lasting impact through his work with events such as the Goodwill Games, the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, World League competitions, FIVB beach events, Volleyball Nations League, and multiple NORCECA tournaments. He has also supported Team USA at four Olympic Games, from London 2012 to Paris 2024, by providing critical logistics support as part of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s staff.
In addition to his administrative and officiating roles, Forrester has been a driving force behind volleyball’s growth through his involvement with the Athletes Unlimited professional league, National Intramural and Recreational Association, the NCVF Collegiate Club Championships and several USAV junior qualifiers.