Back row, left to right: Cameron Beale, John Behr, Frank Pepe, Nicholas Ticali, Matthew DiLuccio, Nicholas Triano, Jack Heiser, Matthew McDonnell, Nicholas Flaim
Front row, left to right: Gina Melone, Taylor Pizzimenti, Luciana Lombardo, Mackenzie Nyitray, Olivia Rohrecker, Sydney Corda, Rebecca Root, Brittany Lewis, Kristie Roth, Megan Ricci, Gabrielle Ramirez, Morgan Weber, Alexis Richer
Camera shy: Hunter Casey, Anthony Curmi, Peter Meyer
By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 21, 2015-With 1,500 travel teams in Suffolk, Nassau and Queens, the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) is the largest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). The LIJSL has a scholarship program as does sister leagues Capital District Youth Soccer League, Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League, the East Hudson Youth Soccer League, the Staten Island Youth Soccer League as well as Eastern New York itself.
The LIJSL’s scholarship program began in the early 1980’s when one boy and one girl each received a scholarship and it has grown just as soccer continues to grow in the United States. Over three decades later, the LIJSL under the direction of Scholarship Committee Chairperson Lynn Scarpati, awards college scholarships to its players based on academic and athletic achievement as well as community service. 25 LIJSL players received scholarships at the LIJSL Scholarship Breakfast on Sunday, July 17 at the Huntington Hilton in Melville. Three of the 25 winners unfortunately could not attend the ceremony as they had college preparation or military service commitments.
“The LIJSL has wonderful students and the Scholarship Committee received wonderful scholarship applications,” Chairperson Scarpati stated, “I would like to exhort all the recipients to seize opportunities, make great friends and great choices while in college. And most importantly, don’t forget the LIJSL and the values you learned on the soccer field.”
Congratulations to all the LIJSL Scholarship recipients:
• Kristie Roth attending Marywood University, Pat Grecco Scholarship
• Hunter Casey attending Wake Technical Community College, Eurosport Scholarship
• Cameron Beale attending Brockport College, Bobbi Marks Memorial Scholarship
• Brittany Lewis attending the University of Florida, Bobbi Marks Memorial Scholarship
• Gabrielle Ramirez attending the University of Pennsylvania, Bobbi Marks Memorial Scholarship
• Mackenzie Nyitray attending St. Joseph College, Eileen Frazita Memorial Scholarship
• Alexis Richer attending Syracuse University, Joseph Lombardo Memorial Scholarship
• Megan Ricci attending the University of St. Joseph in Connecticut, Michael Scarpati Memorial Scholarship
• Nicholas Ticali attending Wesleyan University in Connecticut, Michael Scarpati Memorial Scholarship
• John Behr attending Arcadia University, Matthew Scarpati Memorial Scholarship
• Sydney Corda attending Binghamton University, Miles For Matt Foundation Scholarship
• Peter Meyer attending the United States Military Academy, Miles For Matt Foundation Scholarship
• Olivia Rohrecker attending SUNY New Paltz, Carolyn Page Memorial Scholarship
• Rebecca Root attending Quinnipiac University, Sandra Atlas Bass Scholarship
• Luciana Lombardo attending Stony Brook University, Dalia Morelli Memorial Scholarship
• Frank Pepe attending St. John’s University, Frank Gorman Memorial Scholarship
• Matthew McDonnell attending Boston University, Peter C. Collins Presidential Scholarship
• Jack Heiser attending the University of Buffalo, Addie Mattei-Iaia Presidential Scholarship
• Taylor Pizzimenti attending Quinnipiac University, John Pinezich Memorial Scholarship
• Nicholas Flaim attending Stony Brook University, Michael Secko Memorial Scholarship
• Nicholas Triano attending Cooper Union, Jonathan Marc Serota Memorial Scholarship
• Anthony Curmi attending Binghamton University, Modell’s Scholarship
• Morgan Weber attending the University of Buffalo, Modell’s TOPSoccer Volunteer Scholarship
• Matthew DiLuccio attending Boston College, George Hoffman TOPSoccer Volunteer Scholarship
• Gina Melone attending Fairfield University, George Hoffman TOPSoccer Volunteer Scholarship
As the LIJSL celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016, the previous three LIJSL Presidents, who led the league for four decades––Dick Frazita, Peter C. Collins and Addie Mattei-Iaia––were in attendance and handed out scholarships.
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.