From left to right, ENYYSA President Richard Christiano, ENYYSA First Vice President Ken Gulmi,
Bill Smith, ENYSASA President Sal Rapaglia
By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
December 10, 2014-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and Eastern New York State Adult Soccer Association (ENYSASA) are very happy to announce that Staten Island Youth Soccer League (SIYSL) President Bill Smith has been inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place at our 2014 Holiday Party on December 7 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.
This is the second consecutive year that Bill has become a Hall of Famer as he was inducted into the SIYSL Hall of Fame in 2013.
Bill started his career in youth soccer 21 years ago, coaching the SIYSL’s Richmondtown Wildcats Girls Under-6 team. The following year, he began coaching the girls Rockets team for the same club, serving as their head coach for the next six years and capturing numerous tournament championships along the way. In 1996, Bill became Director of the Richmondtown Soccer Club and increased membership by 71% during his tenure. He also assumed another coaching responsibility, for its Boys Under-6 team. In 1999, Bill took on the additional responsibility of training Richmondtown's entire soccer program.
In 1997, the Oakwood resident also began coaching the Boys-Under-8 team for Staten Island United, continuing as their coach for the next 10 years. Bill received his USSF National “D” Coaching License and also became a certified referee plus certified assignor. He went on to coach the Metrostars/Red Bulls Academy team and Monsignor Farrell High School junior varsity and varsity boys teams.
In 1995, Bill joined the SIYSL’s Executive Board as Fourth Vice President and moved up the ranks. In 2004, Bill was elected President of SIYSL's 6,000 players, a position he continues to hold today.
Under his leadership during the past decade, SIYSL has implemented the following:
• TOPSoccer for children with special needs
• SIYSL Presidents Cup competition
• 3v3 Friendship Cup for Intramural players
• SIYSL Select Soccer program
• SIYSL Hall Of Fame
• SIYSL Indoor Recreational Tournament
• Senior Day recognizing middle school graduates from the SIYSL
• Annual SIYSL Holiday Gala and recognition for volunteers
“The tragic events of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 had a profound effect on Staten Island and our members there. But Bill really shone during this difficult time!” commented ENYYSA First Vice President Ken Gulmi. “He became a tireless advocate on their behalf. He virtually emptied the SIYSL treasury to insure that every child affected by this disaster received Christmas presents, soccer equipment, etc. Bill spent hundreds of hours lobbying local politicians and school officials to get equipment and replacement fields, adding two new field complexes so far and yet never failed to fulfill his day to day responsibilities to SIYSL and ENYYSA. His leadership in this regard was truly outstanding!”
In 2010, Bill was elected to the ENYYSA Executive Board as Fourth Vice President and is still a member, currently serving as the Third Vice President and presently serving on numerous committees.
With 123,843 youth soccer players––68,587 boys and 55,256 girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 11 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.