By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 8, 2018-Four goals from Kiere Dashnow and a goal by Kaleigh West led Alleycats 2005 of the Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL) to a 5-0 victory over the Smithtown Ambush of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL). This Girls-Under-13 State Open Cup final was played on June 2 at Stringham Park in LaGrange.
“Our experience made the difference,” explained Alleycats coach Skip Dawson. “The other team got tired in the second half and I thought both goalkeepers were outstanding.”
Victoria Rollins had the shutout in goal for the Alleycats.
Alleycats is also taking the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award, as determined by the game officials, back to Albany. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died in 2016, started the LIJSL Sportsmanship Program in 1980 and it spread to Eastern New York, nationally and then to China and Ireland, and in the process, made soccer games kinder and gentler.
Alleycats will represent the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) at the Regionals from June 29 to July 3 in Spotsylvania, Virginia as part of the National Championship Series.
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 onto http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.