By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 2, 2016-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to honor Big Apple Youth Soccer League (BAYSL) President Luis Montoya as our Personality of the Month for June. He founded this New York City league in 1997 to serve the growing Latino community and is the only President that the BAYSL has ever known in the 20 years of its existence. 62 boys teams and seven girls squads from Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx currently play in the league.
Montoya has spent much of his life making certain that all children in the United States have the opportunity to play the world’s most popular sport. He has served as a member of the Diversity Committee for US Soccer under three Presidents––Alan Rothenberg, Dr. Bob Contiguglia and currently under Sunil Gulati.
The Astoria, Queens resident has had two tours of duty as Trustee of ENYYSA––previously, when Barry Salter was President of Eastern New York and the last two years as Trustee serving the Presidency of Richard Christiano.
“Congratulations to Luis on being honored as Mr. June,” commented President Christiano. “Luis provides our Board with innovative ideas and continues to make certain that all children in Eastern New York are well-represented by our organization.”
With Eastern New York, Montoya chairs the Soccer Start/Inner City Committee and also volunteers as a member on the Appeals, Tournament Control and Publicity Committees. He is a native of Lima, Peru who emigrated to the United States in 1970. During the Copa America Centenario, which starts tomorrow and will be played across the US, he will be rooting for the United States since “I have lived most of my life here.“
Montoya has also volunteered as Games Chairperson for the Hellenic-American Soccer League and was on the Board of Directors for that league for seven years as well as serving as Trustee for a few years in the Eastern New York State Adult Soccer Association. Additionally, for nearly two decades, he promoted and coordinated C, D, E and F coaching courses in New York City with Alfonso Mondelo, Arnold Ramirez, John Ramirez, Howard Rubenstein and Nick Zlatar.
Montoya has five adult children. His sons Oschta and Paschco were given Peruvian Indian names and live in Florida. Paschco plays soccer in the Sunshine State. Luis’ daughter Monica also lives there, while his other daughters Carrine and Katie live on Long Island. Carrine’s children, Michael and Madison, play for Oceanside United of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL).
When he is not found volunteering on the soccer field, Montoya works as a tele-communications technician with Verizon and is very happy the strike at his “real job” is over.
Congratulations to Luis Montoya, the Personality of the Month in Eastern New York.
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.