By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
September 26, 2024-It was a very special day! The Special Olympics’ Fall Games returned to Cantiague Park in Hicksville on Saturday, September 21 under beautiful, sunny skies after being rained out last year.
The Special Olympics offer 30+ individual and team sports for people with intellectual challenges in over 170 countries. It was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the first event was held at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 20, 1968, just six weeks after her brother Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated.
A decade later in 1978, two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) clubs, the Huntington Boys Club (HBC) and Massapequa Soccer Club, separately started programs for Children With Special Needs. That was the beginning of what is now known as TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer), a US Youth Soccer initiative that gives the opportunity to play soccer to those who are differently-abled.
While both the Special Olympics and TOPSoccer focus on participation, fun and fundamentals, no standings are kept in TOPSoccer while the Special Olympics gives out gold, silver and bronze medals. One HBC TOPSoccer player, Craig Ludin, has won so many medals in diverse sports at the Special Olympics that he was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Over 400 athletes participated in the Special Olympics’ Fall Games in soccer, softball, cross country, bocce and golf. Players from the athletic programs of nearby Holy Trinity High School and SUNY-Old Westbury College added to the scores of volunteers and made the day even more festive.
Eight teams from Long Island and New York City participated in the soccer competition, the largest number ever, including one Unified Team (consisting of those differently-abled and not) for the first time. Many players at the Special Olympics were from TOPSoccer programs of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA).
A good time was had by all, including with the refs from the Long Island Soccer Referee Association (LISRA) who officiated the Fall Games just as they have been doing for the past 25 years.
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 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 US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/