Anthony Maresco on left with successor Andrew Seabury
By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
December 23, 2020-Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) President Anthony Maresco announced his retirement from soccer to an assemblage of club Presidents during the League’s recent (virtual) General Meeting on December 8.
“I take this opportunity to advise you that I have retired from soccer. The Board and I have put together a succession plan to ensure a smooth transition. I am pleased to announce that Andrew Seabury will assume the President’s position. I am confident that Andrew and the Board will continue to move the league forward,” Maresco stated in his opening remarks. “I want to thank all of you for the support of the league. I also want to personally thank the Board of Directors, the office staff and my family for all of their support.”
With his retirement from the League, as well as the Board of Directors of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYYSA), Maresco encapsulates a 28-year volunteer calling, compiling an impressive resume at the club, league and state levels. He was inducted into the LIJSL Hall of Fame in 2010 and Eastern New York Hall of Fame in 2018.
The South Setauket resident began volunteering for the Terryville Soccer Club in 1993. He went on to serve on the club’s Executive Board for 15 years, and as President from 2000 through 2009. In 2007, he was an assistant coach on the Terryville Fire, winners of the US Youth Soccer Boys-Under-18 national championship.
After volunteering at the league level, including League Games Chairperson, Long Island Cup Girls Chairperson, as well as serving on the Supervisory, Rules and Arbitration committees, Maresco joined the League Board as a Trustee in 2010. He was subsequently elected Treasurer, First Vice President and then became President in 2015.
However, it is his stewardship as League President over the past six years that is arguably his most indelible mark.
“He’s been a really calm voice amongst the loud noise in our game of soccer,” remarked Seabury, Maresco’s successor as LIJSL President. “Leader on our board, state board, most importantly for the whole soccer community on Long Island on a whole. Under his leadership we’ve seen the LIJSL move from an organization, to be fair that didn’t understand the modern game and its needs, to a league that now looks to lead and provide solutions and flexibility to our membership.”
“Anthony was successful in fostering a much more customer-centric culture, while also creating a greater level of transparency to our membership,” commented LIJSL Managing Director, Steve Padaetz. “His eagerness to promote ‘pilot programs,‘ as well as to facilitate rule changes, benefited our membership infinitely.”
“They say the measure of a person is in his or her actions, not their words. Anthony had looked to retire and discussed leaving the board maybe by the spring and wanted to create a plan to begin a transition,” Seabury noted. “However, faced with obviously the most difficult time our league and membership has encountered (referring to the virus canceling the Spring Season), instead of just walking away, he choose to stay alongside the Board, providing the leadership so that collectively we as a soccer community could survive and get through these times.”
With approximately 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 nine 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. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.