By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 17, 2021-SUSA FC got the better of Nirvana 360 Boca by the score of 1-0 to win the Livio D’Arpino Cup as Boys-Under-16 State Open Cup champions on Saturday, June 5 at Stringham Park in LaGrange.
The cup’s namesake, Livio D’Arpino, was an Eastern New York Hall of Famer who was seemingly involved in every level of local soccer before his untimely passing in 2002. He was the third vice president of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and the first vice president of the Eastern New York Adult Soccer Association. Livio also was President of the Italian-American Soccer League, of which he was voted a Life Member.
SUSA will represent Eastern New York at the East Regionals from June 25 to July 1 at Hammonton, New Jersey as part of the National Championship Series.
Nirvana 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 Long Island Junior Soccer League (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 over 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 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 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/