From left to right, Eastern District Soccer League President Peter Pinori, Long Island Soccer Football League President Gus Xikis, Hilda Wolfe and Eastern New York State Adult Soccer Association President Sal Rapaglia
By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
December 16, 2014-At the Eastern New York Holiday Party on December 7 at Marina Del Rey in the Bronx, the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and Eastern New York State Adult Soccer Association bid a very fond good-bye to Hilda Wolfe upon her retirement at the beginning of 2015.
Hilda has been an extraordinary presence in youth soccer for nearly four decades. During this time, the Franklin Square resident has served as Eastern New York’s Office Manager and has overseen the growth from a relatively small state association to a thriving organization.
“Beginning with my earliest involvement in soccer, my years as a League President, and an Eastern New York Executive Board member, Hilda has been a constant source of knowledge and advice for the past 17 years,” said ENYYSA First Vice President Ken Gulmi. “She has done so with grace and friendship and has been one of our state’s greatest treasures. She will be missed by all who have come to know her.”
Over the years, Hilda has organized, traveled with and served as liaison to the teams competing in Nationals, administered the State Cup competition up to and including the weekend-long finals for all tiers, overseen all registration administration, organized and managed the logistics for meetings as well as for Executive Board members traveling to seminars, conferences and meetings plus served as primary contact for our member leagues. In recognition of her endless contributions, Region 1 named her the Regional Administrator of the Year in 2002 and Eastern New York inducted her into its Hall of Fame in 2012.
“Without her kind, calm demeanor and guidance, our State Association would simply not be what it is today. She is universally admired and respected by everyone who had the pleasure of working with her,” commented ENYYSA Treasurer Jim Eleftherion.
In a display of their unending affection, Hilda received separate retirement presents from many of the leagues, both youth and adult, that make up Eastern New York.
It was a very good day all-around for the Wolfe family as her husband Ray Wolfe, the State Youth Referee Administrator, joined Hilda as a member of the Eastern New York Hall of Fame.
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.