By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
September 9, 2014-Newly-arrived from Stoke-On-Trent, England, Tim Bradbury coached York College to the very first City University of New York (CUNY) men’s soccer final. Tim’s Cardinals defeated John Jay College, 2-1, on October 27, 1990 in that inaugural championship game.
But Tim found his calling not in college soccer but eventually in youth soccer, dedicating himself to becoming the best coach he could be. He is a NSCAA Master Coach, has held the US Soccer A License for 23 years, US National Youth License, NSCAA National Staff Coach, Director of Education for UK Elite and 4-time presenter at the NSCAA Convention. He teaches nationally-recognized courses for both US Soccer and the NSCAA.
Tim has coached many of the top Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams during the past two decades. He has also been an Olympic Development Program (ODP) coach and Region 1 staff coach. Additionally, Tim is the Director of Coaching Instruction for the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), having started in this important role in 2011.
Since he arrived in New York a quarter-century ago, he says that it's a matter of the more things change in American soccer, the more things unfortunately remain the same.
“Americans’ technical ability has improved vastly but their game savvy, their tactical understanding born out of endless hours of playing in the streets is in my opinion still in need of vast improvement,” Tim stated. “While the playing standard has improved, unfortunately the attitude of many of the parents also has not and the win at all costs attitude of many soccer parents is undoubtedly hurting the game’s development.”
Tim said that players wishing to fulfill their potential should find the following:
1. A quality coach with the right credentials to play for
2. A curriculum that is developmentally appropriate and designed by an educated coach
3. Quality players to train around, with a love for the game
4. Quality training facilities
5. Be willing to spend individual time with a ball and work on their own to improve
The former semipro player went on to say that the most important items for youth players, in order, are having fun, becoming a better player, becoming a better person, and finally winning is at the bottom of his totem pole.
So how does Eastern New York define success for its youth players? Tim explained in order of importance, they are:
1. Years they spend in the game.
2. Whether it becomes a sport for life
3. Level they play at
4. If they have a desire to play and coach for life
“Tim has done a wonderful job serving as our Director of Coaching Instruction for the past four years,” commented ENYYSA President Richard Christiano. “He’s led clinics across our vast area as well as across the country emphasizing that youth players should be having fun while learning the fundamentals. Ask anybody who has attended his clinics and you will find out that his passion for the game is absolutely contagious.”
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 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.