By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
August 7, 2026-Sue Ryan, Girls South Olympic Development Program (ODP) Director of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), was a panelist at the “From Grassroots to Pro Panel” that Gotham FC held last month with Eastern New York at CitiField in conjunction with their Queens Classic game against the Washington Spirit, which welcomed a large crowd of over 40,000.
The moderator of the panel was Soccer Forward Foundation Executive Director Lex Chalat and the other panelists were Yael Averbuch West (Gotham FC President of Soccer Operations), Pierre Soubrier (Gotham FC Director of Path to Pro) and Yanique Newman (Unique Ballers Founder).
Sue stated that “development and winning are not mutually exclusive. By developing players and making each one better, you win games.” She exhorted the audience that “if you picked 18 players, then play all of them during the game. What crushes your team culture is kids who are always on the bench and their parents become angry about that.”
Sue is a former member of United Soccer Coaches’ board of directors, chair of the Advocacy Council and academy staff instructor. She was honored with the association’s Women’s Soccer Award of Excellence in 2011, its Letter of Commendation in 2016 and its Charlotte Moran Long-Term Service Award For Youth Soccer earlier this year. Sue’s other honors include US Youth Soccer Youth Coach of the Year, Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame and Distinguished Educator, SUNY Cortland Alumni.
As a Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Select Team coach, Sue suggested Phallon Tullis-Joyce transition from field player to goalkeeper and two decades later, she is now keeper for Manchester United and the US Women’s National Team.
Sue explained that the players who continue to improve rather than plateau are the ones who “experience great joy in playing. It’s important for the player to have joy with the ball. The kids who move on to the next level play street soccer with their family and friends. Continuing to improve is much more than structured practice with a coach.”
The Stony Brook resident concluded her remarks by saying, “You have to let your children steer the course. Kids ultimately need to make their own decisions about which team to play on, such as the community team with their friends rather than the higher-level team. Would they rather go to that party they were invited to rather than another practice?”
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, east of Route 81. ENYYSA encourages 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 US Soccer and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/