By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 24, 2023-Two teams that are 275 miles apart, the Massapequa Rascals of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) and Coliseum Shock of the Central New York Youth Soccer League (CNYYSL), met in-between at Stringham Park in LaGrange for the Girls-Under-10 Challenge Cup championship game. This Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) match was played on June 3.
Juliette D’Amato scored the game’s only goal in overtime to give Massapequa the title. Kaycee Weiss had the shutout in goal.
Massapequa coach Paul Bigilin stated, “Our defense was unbelieveable and defender Sofia Monahan was our Player of the Game. A great match!”
Coliseum did not leave the Hudson Valley empty-handed as they received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died in 2016, started the LIJSL Sportsmanship Program in 1980 and it spread to Eastern New York, nationally and then to China and Ireland, making soccer games kinder and gentler in the process.
The Challenge Cup was presented by LifeVac, the choking rescue device that has saved over 900 lives and counting.
With approximately 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 10 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