By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 10, 2018-The Massapequa Soccer Club is a longtime member of both the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL). Every summer for the past decade, Massapequa has hosted Rotherham College from England and the club’s Director of Coaching, Richard Nuttall, made the original connection as he is a native of northern England.
All the participants. Massapequa is wearing maroon, Hota is wearing light blue and Rotherham is wearing red-and-white stripes.
Besides playing against some excellent local competition, the annual trip gives the British boys the chance to tour New York City and Long Island.
Rotherham has played friendly games during the past decade against LIJSL Boys-Under-19 teams on the turf fields of John Burns Park and Field of Dreams in Massapequa. For a change, the friendlies were played on the plush grass at Park Stadium in Franklin Square this past Sunday, July 8.
An added treat before the barbeque last weekend was the first two games were officiated by Howard Webb, who refereed the 2010 World Cup Final between Spain and the Netherlands. Howard’s son, Jack Webb, is the Rotherham captain and he scored two goals as Rotherham defeated New York Hota, 3-1. In the second game, Hota topped Massapequa, 2-1, and Rotherham won the last game, shutting out Massapequa, 3-0.
Howard graciously posed for photos throughout the day with anybody who wanted to meet one of the very few select people who was part of a World Cup Final.
"I would not have missed meeting and officiating with Howard for anything!" exclaimed LIJSL ref Sean McPhillips.
From left to right: Stephen Cope, Sean McPhillips, Howard Webb and Jason Silver.
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 on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.