By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
December 5, 2013-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Harlan Grossman has been selected as our Young Referee of the Year.
The 17-year-old East Northport resident played for the Elwood Soccer Club for six years, then took up the whistle as an intramural referee. But Harlan’s desire to excel drove him to take US Soccer’s certification course, scoring the highest grade in the class. He also scores in the high 90’s on recertification tests which is not surprising considering that he is the standing valedictorian at John Glenn High School.
"He volunteered to spend a weekend recruiting new referee candidates at the Long Island Junior Soccer League Convention. His professionalism, knowledge and enthusiasm attracted many candidates," Long Island Soccer Referees Association President Cathy Caldwell said. "Harlan also volunteers to mentor referees on weekends when he is not officiating a game."
Somehow, he finds the time to be Habitat for Humanity President, newspaper editor, tennis captain and Mathletes captain at John Glenn in addition to all this refereeing.
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. 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.