By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

December 21, 2011-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and Eastern New York State Senior Soccer Association are pleased to announce that Richard Gross was inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame on December 17.
 
The recipient has a long and storied career nationally in soccer as he has dedicated more than 30 years as an administrator growing the sport in the United States and many more as a player, coach and parent.
 
Richard was elected Vice President of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA) in 1986 and was elected President the following year. He worked to improve the organization from a loose affiliation of clubs and leagues into a structured and profitable state association. On his watch, EPYSA began its annual Workshop, which has just celebrated its 25th year, as well as the camp program, teaching soccer to over 2,000 kids each summer.
 
Working with US Soccer during the 1980s, EPYSA promoted the US Men's National Team in two memorable, well-attended games in Philadelphia--hosting Ukrainian side Dnepr in 1989 at Franklin Field and Sheffield Wednesday at the old Veteran's Stadium in 1993.
 
In 1990, Richard was elected Treasurer of US Soccer, serving as a most critical time as it was preparing to host the 1994 World Cup. That event was the most successful World Cup ever.
 
After the 1994 World Cup, Richard became Commissioner of the American Professional Soccer League that same year. Attendance grew in what became known as the A-League as the United States prepared for the kick-off of Major League Soccer in 1996.
 
He has travelled to all the World Cups since 1998, blogs about the game and was recently elected President of US Adult Soccer.

With 120,000 youth soccer players and more than 25,000 volunteers, the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 12 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Special Children. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer Association. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.