By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 8, 2016-Finding a field to play on and having the proper equipment have been two challenges facing the Spirit of Mount Vernon Soccer Club since its founding in 2007. The East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL) club, located just north of the Bronx-Westchester border, is looking to expand to serve all the diverse corners of the City of Mount Vernon, population nearly 70,000 coming from 98 nations, but the club uses its funds to allow kids to play whose families do not have the financial means to pay for registration and uniforms.
So that prompted Club President Ripton Cooke to contact Ken Gulmi, 1st Vice President of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), about the goals needed for expansion. Through Chairperson Luis Montoya’s Inner City/Soccer Start Committee of Eastern New York, our Board of Directors unanimously approved a $1,700 donation to the Spirit of Mount Vernon Soccer Club for two sets of Bownet goals. One pair of goals is 21 feet x 7 feet, and the other pair of goals is 12 feet x 6 feet, for the expanding number of small-sided games being played in Eastern New York. The goals are portable and are used on the public fields that the Spirit of Mount Vernon plays on in the city.
“We’re very happy to make this donation to the Spirit of Mount Vernon Soccer Club, an up-and-coming club in the East Hudson Youth Soccer League,“ commented Eastern New York President Richard Christiano. “We are hopeful that our donation will allow more kids in Mount Vernon to be able to play youth soccer.“
“We have received the goals and on the behalf of the Spirit of Mount Vernon Soccer Club and the greater Mount Vernon community, I would like to thank Ken Gulmi and Eastern New York for their continued support of our organization. I hope that we will make them proud for all that they have done to give these kids an opportunity,“ stated Club President Cooke.
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 teenagersbetween 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 turnedaway. 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/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.
