Back row, left to right: Olivia Coley-Bishop, Brian McPartland, Gerard Mahoney, Kyle Poetzsch, Matthew Stummer, Justin Perez, Kevin Mercadente, Brendan Reardon, William Intemann
Front row, left to right: Nicole Capolongo, Laurie Semetsis, Natalie Marrone, Meghan Pinezich, Melanie Drinkwater, Blakely Schiffman, Emmalee Meyer
Camera shy: Corey Birsner, Alexandra Diaks, Evan Finger, Rose Paskoff, Christopher Vital
By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 25, 2013-With 1,500 travel teams in Suffolk, Nassau and Queens, the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) is the largest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA).
The LIJSL Scholarship Program began in the early 1980’s when one boy and one girl each received a scholarship and it has grown just as youth soccer has grown. Over three decades later, the LIJSL under the direction of Scholarship Committee Chairperson Pat Grecco gives college scholarships to its players based on academic and athletic merit as well as community service. This year was no exception as 21 LIJSL players received scholarships on July 21 at a ceremony at the Huntington Hilton in Melville.
Congratulations to the LIJSL Scholarship recipients:
• Corey Birsner attending RIT, Vincent Gubin Memorial Scholarship
• Justin Perez attending Farmingdale State, Vincent Gubin Memorial Scholarship
• Kevin Mercadente attending Williams College, Vincent Gubin Memorial Scholarship
• Meghan Pinezich attending the University of Virginia, Eurosport Scholarship
• Nicole Capolongo attending Mount Saint Mary’s College, Bobbi Marks Memorial Scholarship
• Laurie Semetsis attending Stonehill College, Bobbi Marks Memorial Scholarship
• Natalie Marrone attending Pace University, Bobbi Marks Memorial Scholarship
• Kyle Poetzsch attending Hofstra University, Matthew Scarpati Memorial Scholarship
• Olivia Coley-Bishop attending Hunter College, Michael Scarpati Memorial Scholarship
• Brian McPartland attending Hofstra University, Michael Scarpati Memorial Scholarship
• Emmalee Meyer attending Villanova University, Carolyn Page Memorial Scholarship
• Melanie Drinkwater attending Goshen College, Sandra Atlas Bass Scholarship
• Matthew Stummer attending the University of Michigan, Frank Gorman Memorial Scholarship
• Brendan Reardon attending Iona College, Peter C. Collins Presidential Scholarship
• William Intemann attending Quinnipiac University, John Pinezich Memorial Scholarship
• Blakely Schiffman attending Binghamton University, Michael Secko Memorial Scholarship
• Evan Finger attending the University of Michigan, Jonathan Marc Serota Memorial Scholarship
• Alexandra Diaks attending NYU, Modell’s Scholarship
• Christopher Vital attending the University of Connecticut, Modell’s TOPSoccer Volunteer Scholarship
• Rose Paskoff attending Ithaca College, George Hoffman TOPSoccer Volunteer Scholarship
• Gerard Mahoney attending Lafayette College, George Hoffman TOPSoccer Volunteer Scholarship
• Justin Perez attending Farmingdale State, Vincent Gubin Memorial Scholarship
• Kevin Mercadente attending Williams College, Vincent Gubin Memorial Scholarship
• Meghan Pinezich attending the University of Virginia, Eurosport Scholarship
• Nicole Capolongo attending Mount Saint Mary’s College, Bobbi Marks Memorial Scholarship
• Laurie Semetsis attending Stonehill College, Bobbi Marks Memorial Scholarship
• Natalie Marrone attending Pace University, Bobbi Marks Memorial Scholarship
• Kyle Poetzsch attending Hofstra University, Matthew Scarpati Memorial Scholarship
• Olivia Coley-Bishop attending Hunter College, Michael Scarpati Memorial Scholarship
• Brian McPartland attending Hofstra University, Michael Scarpati Memorial Scholarship
• Emmalee Meyer attending Villanova University, Carolyn Page Memorial Scholarship
• Melanie Drinkwater attending Goshen College, Sandra Atlas Bass Scholarship
• Matthew Stummer attending the University of Michigan, Frank Gorman Memorial Scholarship
• Brendan Reardon attending Iona College, Peter C. Collins Presidential Scholarship
• William Intemann attending Quinnipiac University, John Pinezich Memorial Scholarship
• Blakely Schiffman attending Binghamton University, Michael Secko Memorial Scholarship
• Evan Finger attending the University of Michigan, Jonathan Marc Serota Memorial Scholarship
• Alexandra Diaks attending NYU, Modell’s Scholarship
• Christopher Vital attending the University of Connecticut, Modell’s TOPSoccer Volunteer Scholarship
• Rose Paskoff attending Ithaca College, George Hoffman TOPSoccer Volunteer Scholarship
• Gerard Mahoney attending Lafayette College, George Hoffman TOPSoccer Volunteer Scholarship
The 21 recipients were selected from 346 applications. Representatives from the governments of Nassau County, Town of Oyster Bay, Town of Huntington and New York State Senate were on hand to congratulate the scholarship winners.
LIJSL President Addie Mattei-Iaia addressed the scholarship recipients by stating, "Your parents, teachers and coaches have prepared you for the next step in life. We are calling on you as we need great leadership in our country."
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 12 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. Eastern New York 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. Eastern New York 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.