By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
January 20, 2014-While the media debates who should be selected first in the National Football League Draft at Radio City Music Hall this spring, it was Crystal-clear who would go first in the National Women’s Soccer League Draft at the NSCAA Convention in Philadelphia on January 17. That honor went to Crystal Dunn, a product of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) as well as our soccer clubs in Rockville Centre and Albertson. Other Eastern New York alumnae selected in the NWSL Draft were Emily Menges and Kim DeCesare.
With nine Eastern New York players on NWSL rosters, 5% of the league is made up of players from Eastern New York. Here’s a look at our players playing women’s professional soccer:
Nine of the 11 played in Eastern New York’s Olympic Development Program. With a goalkeeper and 10 field players, these women from Eastern New York could form a starting 11. And we even have a coach from Eastern New York as Paul Riley coached nine players on this list when they were younger (those with an affiliation with either Albertson or the Huntington Boys Club) and is now the head coach of the defending champion Portland Thorns.
Congratulations to all these fine people who are fulfilling their dreams of a pro soccer career!
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.