By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 27, 2022-The Merrick/South Merrick PAL Heat of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) defeated Soccer Kids NYC of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL), 4-1, in the Boys-Under-11 Gold Challenge Cup final. This Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) championship game was played under sunny skies on June 4 at Stringham Park in LaGrange.
Brady McElroy scored two goals, Quillan Florio and Lucas Finnegan each added one.
Merrick/South Merrick coach Andrew Kapper said, “We used the width of the field very well plus Mason Wan was very good in pressuring the ball.”
Merrick/South Merrick also received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. The namesake of the award, who died in 2016, was inducted into the Halls of Fame of the LIJSL and Eastern New York plus was honored as a Life Member by U.S. Soccer. Amoroso started the LIJSL Sportsmanship Program in 1980, it has since been copied around the world and he spoke about the benefits of Fair Play across the United States.
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 onto http://www.enysoccer.com/