By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
November 21, 2017-On Thanksgiving Day, Americans think of all we have to be thankful for and many watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York, a holiday tradition for nearly a century.
Since the founding of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) in 1972, our volunteers have been the lifeblood of our association so particularly during this Thanksgiving time, Eastern New York is extremely thankful for our army of over 25,000 volunteers from Plattsburgh to Pawling to Patchogue. These volunteers lend their time and talents so our more than 100,000 players each have a terrific youth soccer experience.
Many started as volunteers when they first registered their son or daughter for youth soccer and the club needed help. They manage leagues, coach teams, register players, organize car pools, line fields, put up nets, slice oranges, run concession stands and clean bathrooms, often spending their entire weekend at the youth soccer fields that dot the landscape of New York State. No matter the weather.
These volunteers are excellent role models and are often honored by their own clubs with appreciative plaques or a simple “Thank you.” Many do their good works in anonymity and will never have an article written solely about them. Yet without all these volunteers, youth soccer simply could not exist.
So Eastern New York has decided to make our volunteers the November Personality of the Month to give thanks for all that they have done for our players and continue to do week in and week out.
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 on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.