By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 23, 2021-Nirvana 360 Illusion doused the Smithtown Kickers Flames, 6-1, in the Girls-Under-18 State Open Cup championship game on June 6 at Stringham Park in LaGrange so the new champs received the Richard Christiano Cup.
Christiano, the cup's namesake, has brought fiscal responsibility to the Eastern New York Youth SoccerAssociation (ENYYSA) as President for the past dozen years, was a youth coach for the New Hyde Park Wildcats and served on the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Board of Directors for 14 years, greatly improving the LIJSL Select Program during this time.
Smithtown received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. The namesake of the award, who died in 2016, was inducted into the Halls of Fame of the LIJSL and Eastern New York plus was also honored as a Life Member by U.S. Soccer.
Nirvana will represent Eastern New York at the East Regionals from June 25 to July 1 in Hammonton, New Jersey as part of the National Championship Series.
With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and 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 Children With Special Needs. 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 onto http://www.enysoccer.com/