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By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

July 7, 2016-In July, the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) celebrates the husband-and-wife team of Joe and Ann Licata as our Personalities of the Month. They were both born in Italy and their families emigrated to the United States. Joe, who had played soccer in his native country, was playing in Brooklyn for Fiorentina of the now Cosmopolitan Soccer League (CSL) and officiating games when they met and a love affair was born.

They married and founded the St. Patrick’s Soccer Club on Staten Island in 1976. Before that, the only soccer club on the island was Silver Lake of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL).

Word quickly spread at St. Patrick’s and 100 boys showed up to play that first year. While Joe did the coaching and training, Ann did the paperwork and for the next 13 years, this dynamic duo helped grow the club from two teams to 27 with over 300 players. So popular had soccer become at St. Patrick’s that no games could be played at 10 am on Sundays anymore as people were going to games at Miller Field rather than attending Mass.

Joe, along with Sal Davilo and Sal Parello, founded the Staten Island Youth Soccer League (SIYSL) in 1978 as a CYO-based youth soccer league and it joined the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). Joe served as the First Vice President of the SIYSL while Ann’s administrative skills were quickly recognized. She assumed the role of the first league secretary, providing order and organization to the mountain of paperwork thrust upon the fledgling league.

Ann, while actively involved with St. Patrick’s School, would recruit boys for the teams and organized the girls as cheerleaders, who would root for the teams at Miller Field. Soon the cry was, “Mrs. L, we want to play too!” and by 1982, Ann was coaching the first girls team on Staten Island, the St. Patrick’s Wildcats. In 1983, the Wildcats were competing against boys teams in the SIYSL and other girls teams followed so the SIYSL Girls Division was born.

The St. Patrick’s Soccer Club became the Richmondtown Soccer Club a quarter-century ago while the St. Patrick’s Soccer Club that now plays in the SIYSL is affiliated with the school by the same name.

The highlight of the Licatas' soccer volunteering occurred in 2002 when they used their Wall Street contacts and their fluency in Italian to fulfill an invitation by the Italian government for a Staten Island Boys-Under-17 team to play in a tournament in Agirigento named the World in Sicily. The New Yorkers turned heads by finishing in second place and Joe received a Humanitarian Award. The Licatas also took youth soccer teams to tournaments in Canada and across the United States and they were the first husband-and-wife team to be inducted into the SIYSL Hall of Fame.

“I'm honored to know Joe and Ann and they are always a phone call away when I need to go back in the history of the Staten Island Youth Soccer League,“ explained SIYSL President Bill Smith. “Joe sometime tells me what I'm doing right or wrong like a second Dad. Ann is like a second Mom to me as she listens and always gives me good advice. They are all about soccer and the youth of Staten Island.“

The Oakwood residents, married for 48 years, have two children––John and Laura––and four grandchildren. Joe refereed games up to two years ago, but they are now both semi-retired from soccer, although they have travelled to watch their grandchildren play soccer in the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL).

Congratulations to Joe and Ann Licata, Personalities 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.

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

February 6, 2018-Over 100,000 kids, both boys and girls, from the East End of Long Island to the Canadian border are part of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). They obviously play soccer, not Cupid, but our non-profit organization is so large that many have a name or nickname that makes the upcoming Valentine’s Day special to them:

Four boys and two girls in Eastern New York have Valentine as a first name and 70 kids have Valentine as a last name.

Two boys in Eastern New York have Valentino as a first name and 78 kids use it as their surname.

52 girls have Valentina as a first name and two players have Valentina as a surname.

98 players definitely agree that “Love will find a way.” After all, four use Love as their first name while 94 have it as their last name.

If you said, “That’s Amore,” 13 players in Eastern New York would turn around as three players have it as part of their first name and 10 use Amore as their surname.

Seven players are named after the Roman goddess of love. Two have Venus as a first name while five have it as their last name.

Nobody has Cupid, the god of love in classic mythology, as a first name. But one of our players has the last name of Cupidore.

There are 133 kids in Eastern New York named Rose and 112 named Rosa and they are used as both a first name and last name.

24 players have Flowers as their last name and two list it as their nickname.

53 players has Sweet as their last name and six list it as their nickname including those nicknamed Sweet Loo, Sweet Cheeks, Sweet Pea and Sweet Baby James.

Perhaps one of these hundreds of players with a name associated with Valentine’s Day will become as famous as another New Yorker with a Valentine’s Day-themed name, Rudolph Valentino. Born in Italy, he emigrated to the U.S. and starred in top silent films such as “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” and “The Sheik.” Valentino died in 1926 at the age of 31 because of severe pleuritis. Scores of despondent women attended his funeral at St. Malachy’s Catholic Church in Times Square as an estimated 100,000 in Manhattan that day paid their final respects to one of the top actors of the 1920s.

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.

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association 

November 11, 2021-The US Men’s National team has called up 18-year-old Joe Scally for important World Cup qualifiers starting tomorrow night in Cincinnati against Mexico. The Lake Grove resident currently plays for Borussia Moenchengladbach of the Bundesliga after signing as a 15-year-old with NYCFC of Major League Soccer.

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

December 24, 2018-New York City is a wonderful melting pot as is the sport of soccer so many of the most diverse sports events in the USA are New York City soccer games. Managing games between rival ethnic groups is not for the faint of heart and it’s been the role of the New York Soccer Referee Association (NYSRA) since its inception 80 years ago back in 1938. 

From left to right: Referee of the Year Mike Reydler with NYSRA President Vito Rizzi. Gold Whistle recipient Mario Orlando with NYSRA Treasurer Francesco Rizzi. NYSRA Secretary Kambiz Riazi with Silver Whistle winner Nikolay Popov.

NYSRA honored seven of its top refs at its Holiday Party on December 20 at the VFW Hall in Franklin Square. Brooklyn was front and center as the Referee of the Year, Gold Whistle and Silver Whistle award winners all live in New York City’s most populated borough.

Mike Reydler was named the Referee of the Year. NYSRA President Vito Rizzi explained, “Mike is always on time, is a positive person and accepts games anywhere.”

The Gold Whistle award, for the experienced ref still serving the association in many ways including on the field, went to Mario Orlando. The Silver Whistle for a top young, upcoming ref was given to a very surprised Nikolay Popov.

Service awards were handed out to Sal Abbate and Raul Maturana (both 15 years), Cono Mazzo (25 years) and Carlos Linares (30 years).

A wonderful buffet dinner was enjoyed by the nearly 100 referees in attendance. The NYSRA would like to thank its friends at the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL), New York City originals since 1933, for paying for the dinner. 

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 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 Association. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
 
July 31, 2014-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Massapequa’s Nicholas Cestaro is receiving a Livio D’Arpino Scholarship. D’Arpino was an Eastern New York Vice President who was involved in seemingly every level of local soccer before his untimely passing in 2002.
 
Our honoree played an entire decade for the Massapequa Arsenal of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), 2011 and 2013 State Open Cup champions. He served as team captain the past three years and also received a LIJSL Scholarship.

Nick was very active as a volunteer with the Massapequa Soccer Club’s TOPSoccer Special Children Program, the coat and food drives at St. Rose of Lima Church, soup kitchen volunteer at Our Holy Redeemer Church, Cystic Fibrosis Bike Ride Fundraiser and Autism Walk. He had the time to do all this volunteering in addition to helping his family, whose home was destroyed two years ago during Hurricane Sandy.

Nick, recognized as one of the top student/athletes on Long Island, maintained an amazing 4.0 GPA at St. Anthony’s High School, was a member of SALT (St. Anthony’s Leadership Team) and received the Don Scotus Academic Award for all of his four years there while leading the Friars to the state championship in 2013. Soccer coach Don Corrao wrote that “I have watched Nick grow as a person for four years and I have come to know him and his family very well. Among the adjectives that describe Nick best are smart, solid, intuitive, caring, inquisitive, dedicated and fiercely competitive.”

Nick also served Eastern New York as a Grade 8 referee. His dream to play Division 1 college soccer will be realized this fall at Holy Cross.

With 123,843 youth soccer players––68,587 boys and 55,256 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 12 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 Special Children. 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.

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

October 6, 2016-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Azzedine Layachi of the Valley Stream Soccer Club is being honored as our 2016 TOPSoccer Coach of the Year.

TOPSoccer is a soccer program for children with special needs. The roots of this wonderful program can be traced back to Eastern New York and its largest league, the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), when the Huntington Boys Club and Massapequa Soccer Club separately started programs in 1978, an era when children with special needs playing sports is not as accepted as it is today.

Today, there are 26 LIJSL clubs with TOPSoccer Programs. Azzedine, who has a son with special needs, took him to a neighboring LIJSL club to play soccer. Acquiring knowledge how to run a program for these children, he helped start Valley Stream’s TOPSoccer Program in 2014.

Valley Stream Soccer Club President Tim Graham nominated Azzedine and wrote, “At the kick-off event, we had nearly 25 participants come down. Each child received a T-shirt and a soccer ball and the event was a huge success. The program meets every Saturday, even in the winter. Azzedine plans all the activities and continuously promotes the program by going to schools to distribute information.“

“Azzedine puts 110% in everything he does a a Board member and also by coaching multiple teams for the Valley Stream Soccer Club…Our TOPSoccer program has been a tremendous success with him in charge. We look forward to building the program and having more children succeed. With Azzedine helping to guide them, we know our children are in the best hands!“

He will be formally honored by Eastern New York at our Holiday Party on Sunday, December 4 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx. Congratulations to Azzedine Layachi, Eastern New York’s 2016 TOPSoccer Coach of the Year.

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.

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

March 18, 2019-The non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Miguel Castro has joined our team at our office in Rockville Centre. He is our new Communications Associate.

Miguel is working part-time with us until he graduates from SUNY-Old Westbury this May. The Elmont resident is Media Communications Associate at the college, working for OWWR (Old Westbury Web Radio) and The Catalyst newspaper.

Born in Colombia and speaking both English and Spanish fluently, Miguel has a soccer background, having played every position except goalkeeper with the Franklin Square Raiders of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL). When he was 16 years old, he realized that he was not going to be the next Messi so he decided to devote himself to the media part of the sport.

Additionally, Miguel is a big fan of Liverpool and the United States Men’s National Team.

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 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 Association. For more information, please log onto http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.