By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
October 28, 2014-Today’s press release is being brought to you by the word “east.” As in the Eastern Pike Soccer Club, located in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania by the shared border with New York and New Jersey. Eastern Pike’s travel teams play in the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL) of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). Meanwhile, the club’s intramural teams register under Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer.
The five travel teams are actually closer to many clubs in the EHYSL than clubs in Pennsylvania.
“We play in East Hudson as it’s more competitive than leagues in Pennsylvania and the teams are only 30 to 60 minutes away, as opposed to 90 minutes to three hours away for clubs in Pennsylvania,” said Eastern Pike President Shawn Bowles.
475 children are currently wearing the red and black of Eastern Pike and the club has grown dramatically since its founding in 1986. The kids come from Delaware Township, Dingman Township, Matamoras, Milford and Shohola, towns in the east of Pike County, hence the club name. Eastern Pike even has a Special Children’s Program.
“All the players, coaches and parents from Eastern Pike wanted to do was play competitive soccer and did not have any program within many miles to do so. They reached out to East Hudson and we were more then happy to welcome them in,” commented EHYSL President Jim Purdy. ”They have made a significant commitment from their President and Board members, their coaches and their players to our league.”
Purdy added, “Several players along with their parents drive the better part of two hours a week to play and train as members of the East Hudson Academy program while their coaches have made themselves available to our coaching programs. Teams travelling from and to Eastern Pike to play has now become just another travel game despite the distance. It has been a true pleasure having Eastern Pike as a part of our league!”
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.
