By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
March 10, 2015-Congratulations to Frank and Shari Conestabile who are being honored by the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) as the Personalities of the Month. This is the first time that more than one person has been named as Personality of the Month since Eastern New York started this award last September.
The married couple from Lee Center became involved with youth soccer as adults when they both coached their sons Frank II and Jordan in AYSO. Frank could draw on his experience as a player with Rome Free Academy High School and Shari had played the game a bit as a teenager but was never on a formal team.
Looking to increase the opportunities for player participation and development in Central New York, Frank and Shari co-founded the Rising Stars Soccer Club in 1999. They are also founders and developers, along with others, of the Rising Stars Sports Center in Westmoreland, which hosts Eastern New York’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) tryouts every year.
“Rising Stars is currently working on the development of a training academy providing college level training that will be open to all ages,” Shari said. “This training begins with our Future Stars Program, which services over 100 kids from age three and up. All of this is made possible because of our dedicated group of volunteers.”
Frank serves as the President of the Rising Stars Soccer Club plus handles the scheduling of all league games and has been a coach since co-founding the club in 1999.
Shari serves as the Registrar for Rising Stars, also orders for the concession stand at their Sports Center and handles payroll as well as taking care of all field rental requests, the development of programs and other offerings.
If that was not enough, they both serve as registrars for the youth portion of the Central New York State Soccer League (CNYSSL). They register CNYSSL’s 650 youth players––375 girls and 275 boys––through SportsSignup. They also review and approve all rosters, stamp and distribute all 650 player passes and handle all transactions from CNYSSL with Eastern New York.
Frank and Shari said that their greatest satisfaction from youth soccer comes from watching the kids participate and develop their skills and confidence, learning how to be part of a team plus knowing that they are a part of making the local school soccer teams stronger and more competitive.
When asked what the particular challenges youth soccer in Central New York State faces, Shari’s answer is not different from the rest of the American youth soccer landscape. “It is sometimes difficult to keep the older kids, ages 16 and up, active in soccer because of academic responsibilities and their participation in multiple sports. “
All this volunteering in youth soccer is around Frank’s “real job” as Director of Employee Relations and District Services for the Rome City School District and Shari’s as a busy homemaker. Congratulations to Frank and Shari Conestabile, Eastern New York’s Personalities of the Month for March.
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 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.