By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 6, 2022-The Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL), founded in 1933 and the oldest league in both the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and American youth soccer, held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on June 23 at the SC Gjøa Clubhouse in Brooklyn.
“Everything about the AGM was extraordinary,” stated CJSL President Ron Restrepo. “It was an absolute pleasure to review the wonderful year we had in both the fall and the spring and I had a chance to see people who I had not seen in years because of the pandemic.”
Istria SC and the legendary Carlo Bucic received the Legacy Club Award while John Tucker of SC Gjøa took home the Club Person of the Year Award.
CJSL President Restrepo on the left presenting the New Club Award to Giovanni Russo of Juventus Academy NY.
CJSL Games Chairperson David Gordon on far left giving the Referee of the Year Award to Luben Mihaylov of Brooklyn, who is seen conducting a coin toss in the photo on the right.
From left to right: Katie Fahey and Jun Reiss of SC Gjøa plus Osvaldo Martinez of South Bronx United received CJSL scholarships from President Restrepo for their academic and athletic excellence. Katie was the first female to ever be honored by the CJSL as the league looks to continue to grow its girls program.
President Restrepo concluded, “We also felt it was very important to take a moment to recognize the people who are making a difference in the soccer community just as Eastern New York does every year.”
With approximately 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 nine 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.