Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association officials applauded the appointment of former ODP coach Wilmer Cabrera as the U.S. Under-17 National Team coach.  Cabrera was named coach last week. He succeeded John Hackworth, who became an assistant to U.S. national coach Bob Bradley.

"It’s great that he got it," said Jack Cohen, who is head of the ODP program. "He was one of the guys. "They really groomed him for this position -- regional and national coach. They knew what they had and they didn’t want to lose him."

Several other officials echoed Cohen’s assessment of the former Colombian international defender.

"It is a testament to the ENYYSA ODP program that one of our coaches was selected to such a prestigious position by U.S. Soccer," said Lonny Unger, co-chair of the ENYYSA ODP program and president of FC Westchester, a U.S. Soccer Development Academy program. "By creating the U.S. Soccer Development Program and now making this appointment, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati is making some smart decisions that I know will move this country’s soccer program to the next level."

Long-time ENYYSA treasurer Michael Finnegan saw Cabrera in action at the Region I level.

"I am very happy for him and I have nothing but the best to say about him," Finnegan said. "The boys that he works with at the camps really like him and the other coaches have the highest respect for him."

Cohen decided to bring the 40-year-old Cabrera into the program when he spotted the 40-year-old with former ENYYSA ODP technical director Alfonso Mondelo during a training session at the N.Y. Hota/Bavarian fields in Franklin Square, L.I. four years ago.

"I said to Alfonso: ’We can use him?’ " Cohen said. "He said, ’Sure." And I said, ’Let’s get him into the program ASAP.’ "

A week or two later ENYYSA found a spot for Cabrera.

Cohen said he was most impressed with the way Cabrera deals with players.

"He’s a true gentleman," he said. "He never raises his voice to the kids, whatever is happening. . . . When he talks, it’s like a whisper. Everybody listens. "It’s a matter of respect and his understanding of the game. It’s just a pleasure to be around a guy like that."

Even after Cabrera left ENYYSA ODP to join the MLS Verano program, which works with Hispanic youth programs Cohen kept Cabrera on as a consultant.

When Cabrera realized he couldn’t put the proper time into the ODP program, he told Cohen he couldn’t take any compensation. "He said, ’Jack. I can’t do it. I can’t take the money and not be here,’ " Cohen said.