From left to right, Hall of Fame Chairperson Rocco Amoroso, Eastern New York State Adult Soccer Association President Sal Rapaglia, new Hall of Famer Joan Connor, Long Island Junior Soccer League President Addie Mattei-Iaia and Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association President Richard Christiano
By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
December 11, 2013-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and Eastern New York State Adult Soccer Association congratulate Joan Connor, who was inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame at our 2013 Holiday Party on December 8 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.
Joan has been involved in youth soccer for over 30 years, starting as an intramural coach in the Bethpage Soccer Club. As her children became older, she coached them on Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) travel teams. When Joan completed coaching her daughter Megan’s travel team (Under-10 through Under-19), Bethpage asked her to coach another team, which she gladly did. Seemingly doing it all, Joan also helped train coaches, served as the club president and club registrar.
In addition to her involvement on the club level, the Bethpage resident served the LIJSL as a games supervisor and coordinator, Chase, Waldbaum’s and Long Island Cup supervisor and coordinator. Joan has served on different committees within ENYYSA, including chairing the tournament control committee.
In 1999, Joan was elected as a member of the LIJSL Board of Directors and serves today as the 2nd Vice President. The LIJSL Hall of Famer is also the LIJSL registrar and tournament control chairperson plus a member of the scholarship and budget committees. She also volunteers her time to host the LIJSL Coaches Orientation courses which an amazing 10,500 coaches have completed.
"Joan has devoted a significant part of her life to youth soccer, spending many days and evenings volunteering her time for thousands of players, coaches and parents," commented LIJSL President Addie Mattei-Iaia, "It is only through the special dedication of people like Joan that the LIJSL has continued to provide opportunities for young players to succeed both athletically and with individual character building."
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.