By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 9, 2013-Top players from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) recently played in two elite competitions of Region 1, which spans from Maine to Virginia and West Virginia. Our Olympic Development Program (ODP) played in June at the Region 1 ODP Tournament at Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey and other nearby fields. Coaches from 94 colleges, both men’s and women’s programs, scouted the competition, making this event one of the largest college showcase events in the United States.
Although no Eastern New York ODP teams won the tournament this year, unlike in 2012, our Boys-Under-16 and Girls-Under-17 ODP squads made the semifinals.
At the Region 1 championships played at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island from June 28 to July 2, Eastern New York teams fared even better as 10 teams made the semifinals:
Boys-Under-19 Massapequa Rough Riders, Long Island Junior Soccer League
Boys-Under-18 Lake Grove United, Long Island Junior Soccer League
Boys-Under-16 Smithtown Arsenal, Long Island Junior Soccer League
Boys-Under-14 FC Somers Razors, Westchester Youth Soccer League
Girls-Under-19 Manhattan Pride, Westchester Youth Soccer League
Girls-Under-17 FC Sting 95, Westchester Youth Soccer League
Girls-Under-15 Brentwood Pride, Long Island Junior Soccer League
Girls-Under-13 OMM/World Class ‘99 Patino, Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League
Girls-Under-12 New Hyde Park Firecats, Long Island Junior Soccer League
Girls-Under-12 (8v8) Alleycats Ocicats, Capital District Youth Soccer League
Lake Grove United, Smithtown Arsenal and Alleycats Ocicats advanced to the finals with the Smithtown Arsenal winning the Regionals for the second time in the past three years.
Congratulations to all these top teams from Eastern New York!
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.