Rebecca in red taking a shot in Japan
By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
January 29, 2014-The professional players who win four championships often wind up in their sport’s Hall of Fame. Rebecca Moros is that rare player in any sport who has not only won four championships but she did it on four different teams.
In 2005, the Larchmont resident competed for the New Jersey Wildcats and won the W-League championship.
In 2006, playing as a forward, Rebecca scored on a 12-yard shot in the 89th minute in the Women's Premier Soccer League final to give the expansion Long Island Fury the title, 1-0, over River Cities FC and was named to the All-WPSL playoff team.
In 2007, she scored in the first minute on a 20-yard chip to lead the Washington Freedom to a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks in the W-League final in Rochester, New York.
In 2011, Rebecca played right defender as the Western New York Flash outlasted the Philadelphia Independence, 5-4, in penalty kicks after tying 1-1 in overtime to win the Women’s Professional Soccer championship.
After the WPS folded, she went to Japan to play for INAC Kobe Leonessa. She continued her role in leading her team to titles as INAC Kobe Leonessa were Nadeshiko League champions in 2012 and 2013, Nadeshiko League Cup champions in 2013, Japan/Korea Women’s League Championship winners in 2012, Empress Cup All-Japan Women’s Football Tournament Champions in 2012 and 2013 plus Mobcast Cup International Women’s Club Championship winners vs. Chelsea in 2013.
“I had a great time in Japan! I spent two years there and learned a lot, including a ton of Japanese, which I continue to study, although a little less rigorously now that I don't have a use for it in my daily life,” she said. “I hope some Japanese players will join the NWSL so I'll have a chance to talk to them.”
When her former coach, Paul Riley, was selected to coach the defending National Women’s Soccer League champion Portland Thorns, the Duke graduate, who was an all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection from 2004 to 2006, wound up coming back to the United States.
“Becs is a total professional. She understands the importance of planning and preparing and that has been a major reason for her success,” commented Coach Riley. “The opportunity to bring her to Portland was almost too good to be true. She is bright and clever on the ball, fit as a fiddle and her soccer IQ is outstanding. I’m excited to coach her again and I hope Portland will provide her with another platform for success and longevity.”
Rebecca played for him with the Long Island Junior Soccer League’s HBC Fury, winners of five State Open Cup and two Region 1 titles, and with the Long Island Fury eight years ago. Prior to the Fury, she played for the Larchmont Leopards, Soundview United and Yorktown Jaguars of the Westchester Youth Soccer League. The now 28-year-old also played for the Olympic Development Program (ODP) of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) for an amazing six years and for Region 1 ODP for an equally impressive five years.
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 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 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.