By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 28, 2014-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Haley Thoma is receiving the Patricia Louise Masotto and Brenda Driscoll Scholarship. The scholarship’s namesakes were best friends and top women’s soccer players from Massapequa, Long Island. Eastern New York set up a scholarship in their name after they were killed by a drunk driver in 1985.
Chris Lyn, Eastern New York’s 2013 Girls Competitive Coach of the Year, wrote, “I’ve had the pleasure of coaching Haley for the past three years. As a player, Haley is talented, bold and innovative. She combines her skills with a knowledge and passion for the game that is infectious to her teammates. However, perhaps what impresses me most about Haley is her drive and motivation to achieve only the highest standard of excellence in all aspects of her life.”
She did that at John Jay High School as she was on the High Honor Roll for all of her four years there. Haley received the President’s Award for Education Excellence, the Stephanie Atwell Mentoring Award, the New Student Mentoring Award, was a member of the START (Students Teaching All the Right Things) Club plus was captain of both the varsity soccer and basketball teams.
In the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL), the Hopewell Junction resident played for premier teams LaGrange Freedom and Middlepath FC. She also competed for the Eastern New York Olympic Development Program (ODP) for four years. Haley volunteered her time with the LaGrange TOPSoccer Special Children’s Program, John Jay Youth Soccer Camps, St. Mary’s Tutoring, Adopt-a-Family and the Interact Club.
Haley wrote in her essay, “I have been playing soccer since before I could tie my shoes. Time has passed, my teams and coaches have changed, competition has become more intense and I have changed, but my love for the game has never swayed."
"To me, soccer is everything! Soccer has become our family’s bonding time and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My dad loves nothing more than to talk sports, so soccer provides us the chance to talk about what we both enjoy. Not only has soccer been a huge part of my family, but it has also introduced me to some of my very best friends––friends I can’t imagine life without!”
Good luck to Haley as she studies at and plays for the University of North Carolina-Charlotte this fall.
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. 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.