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

August 7, 2018-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that 71 of our Olympic Development Program (ODP) players––33 boys and 38 girls––tried out and made the Region 1 ODP Pool, which is made up of players from Maine to Virginia and West Virginia. These local players, enough to fill six soccer teams, come from all over the geographic area of Eastern New York.

Eastern New York ODP Chairperson Jim Volpe stated, “I’m very proud about placing 71 of our ODP players in the Regional Pool as Eastern New York continues to be one of the top sources of talent in the East Region.“

The players from Eastern New York in the Regional Pool:

ODP is considered the highest level of youth competition in each state association. Every year, players must be re-evaluated by the ODP professional staff of coaches for a position on each age-specific team. The identification process ends each summer with the most elite players within the East Region competing for a position on the regional team, which is what US Women’s National Team players Crystal Dunn and Allie Long had advanced to when they were teens playing in Eastern New York. Players are then identified by US Soccer staff coaches for possible entry to the national teams program. Yet even those players who do not make the regional or national teams often use ODP as a path to college scholarships and even on to professional soccer. 

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.

NWSL photo of the Washington Spirit's Crystal Dunn, in white, being marked by the Portland Thorns' Rachel Van Hollebeke

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
 
September 24, 2015-Washington Spirit forward Crystal Dunn, the last cut on the 2015 US Women's World Cup team, turned that snub into an opportunity to show off all her skills, finishing the 2015 regular season with a league-high 15 goals and winning the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Most Valuable Player award. Crystal is the third player in three years after Lauren Holiday in 2013 and Kim Little in 2014 to win both the Golden Boot, as the league’s leading scorer, and MVP award.

Crystal, 23, also becomes the youngest player in the three-year history of the NWSL to win these awards.

She set a new NWSL record with 0.75 goals-per-team-game. Her 15 goals rank second all-time in a single season, one behind Little's 16 goals in a 24-game regular season in 2014 as the 2015 season was reduced to 20 games. Crystal’s outstanding play this year has given her another opportunity with the US Women’s National Team as they play friendly games and train for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Crystal grew up a short corner kick from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) office in Rockville Centre and was selected first overall at the 2014 National Women’s Soccer League Draft. She spent her formative years in the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), playing for the Rockville Centre Power, Rockville Centre Tornadoes and Albertson Fury ‘91. Crystal also developed her wonderful talent with Eastern New York’s Olympic Development Program, competing in ODP for six years, and used it as a springboard to represent the USA internationally.

“From the age of nine, Crystal displayed a tremendous desire to learn about the game. Her drive and desire to understand all the things you teach a developing youth player were incredible. Crystal’s energy and courage for her size were as impressive as her desire to learn,” commented Tim Bradbury, who coached Crystal on her two Rockville Centre youth teams and is now Eastern New York’s Director of Coaching Instruction.

As a junior at the University of North Carolina, she won the Hermann Trophy as college soccer's best player, scoring five goals, in leading the Tar Heels to the 2012 NCAA championship. The versatile Crystal was named the 2010 and 2012 Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year plus the 2013 ACC Offensive Player of the Year while scoring 14 goals. She was the first player to be honored as ACC Player of the Year three times since Mia Hamm a generation ago, who also played for the University of North Carolina and the Spirit’s predecessor, the Washington Freedom.

Crystal is the second Eastern New York ODP and LIJSL alumnae to be honored by the NWSL in the past week as Michelle Betos of the Portland Thorns was previously named Goalkeeper 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 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
 
January 16, 2019-Jordan Fuentes had an idea. The midfielder/forward for the Uniondale Dragon decided to grow his hair to donate it to Wigs for Kids, a non-profit hair donation group that helps children suffering from hair loss as it can be very challenging for any person to lose their hair but can be particularly traumatic for a child. Wigs for Kids helps children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, alopecia, trichotillomania, burns and other medical issues.

Jordan grew his hair for two years and, after it reached shoulder-length, he was bullied by both other kids as well as adults and sometimes mistaken for a girl. The bullying became so bad that he had to transfer to another school yet despite all the taunts, Jordan continued to grow his hair.

“We are very proud of Jordan that he accomplished his goal of donating his hair to help other kids and did not give up despite all the adversity,” commented Dragon coach Angel Guzman. “He is a leader and an inspiration to us all!”

The Uniondale Dragon played in the Boys-Under-13 Premier Division of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) last fall, winning the LIJSL Sportsmanship Award while finishing with a 4-6-0 record.

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 Tim Bradbury, Director of Coaching Instruction, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

There is an enormous difference in watching a game where two teams have a defined style of play and vision of the game as opposed to a game where 22 players are all on their own page. To be blunt, the difference is as stark as driving along an open road by the coast watching a beautiful sunset or being stuck in bumper traffic on Interstate 95 watching the smoke stacks. Or to put it another way, it is like watching a game of tennis where the ball is simply served back and forth or watching Barcelona play the game the beautiful way.

I completely understand that the game is about opinions and that some may get excited by seeing players launch the ball towards an opponent’s goal and be appalled by the idea that any player may take more than one touch and go on a mazy dribble. I just am not built that way. In addition, I also believe in player development and that in the final analysis the following equation is true:

Players learn by touching the ball = possession based soccer leads to most touches = player development is accelerated in games where teams try and keep the ball and penetrate by combining with short passes.

I would add the following equation also for those coaches concerned with player development

Attack into space when you can = create numbers up situations and attack there is next option = be surgical and keep the ball as you create these two moments.

So with equations intact I recommend the following three coaching methods as appropriate ways to imprint a style of play on a team

Small sided games with restrictions

Play an enormous number of 3v3 and 4v4 games with the following restrictions

1. All players must touch the ball each time you have possession before your team can score.
2. Two ways to score – set number of passes (7) is a goal and so is scoring through the “goal."
3. A team can only score after a two player combination.

If you play enough small sided games with these guidelines, your team's DNA will be based upon the creed of “let’s not give the ball away needlessly.”

Full Field Shadow Play

Shadow play can be an enormously enjoyable and competitive way of imprinting a style of play on a team, or like most things done poorly, it can be a disaster. Any coach using this coaching tool must:

1. Have a clear vision of how they want the ball moved in the three thirds of the field.
2. Be able to communicate this well and quickly.
3. Be highly energetic and passionate about the vision they are selling.
4. Stay true to the principles of attack (old school – support, width, penetration, mobility and creativity)

Using full field shadow play, the coach plays a starting 11 against 1 (GK) – all balls initially start in the net with the GK with the ten players in front of them. I use the following guidelines to keep it fun and competitive

1. All players must touch the ball and all must move as each pass travels – you have 5 minutes to score 5 goals.
2. All players must touch the ball and you must switch the point of attack twice before you can score – 5 minutes to score 5 goals
3. To score, you must penetrate into the attacking half, reload through your GK's feet, build again create three two player combinations and score from a cross from an overlapping full back.

Using the above guidelines, I focus on showing a team how I wish them to build out of the back (3 options), patterns I would like to see in the midfield third (3 options) and lastly patterns in the final third (3 options).

After these initial stages I add pressure in thirds of the field so as an example if I was focused on building out of the back I might have 3 opponents in this third, two in the midfield third and 1 in the defensive third. (Assuming 18)

Phase Play

Phase play is a training method that involves training two units of a team as the ball moves from one unit and part of the field to another. Perhaps best understood by example, so in my favorite phase play session I play 4-2 (4 midfield players and 2 forwards against 1-4-4 a goalkeeper, back four and 4 midfielders). I focus on the actions of the team attacking the regular goal – the opposing team upon gaining possession typically attack counter attacking goals on the half way. The diagram below illustrates the idea clearly:

Obviously using the phase play coaching tool a coach can focus upon any two units they wish to.

When using phase play, I urge coaches to let the players play as much as possible and to keep it game-like. Coach in the flow or use individual reference and avoid freezing the play as much as possible. Avoid giving orders to the player on the ball. Rather ask How you can? questions of players away from the ball.

I realize that some of the techniques shown may be difficult for a novice coach but I encourage you to try them all out and make sure your teams have a good idea of how you want them to play.

Gary refereeing in Times Square

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

December 30, 2014-Eastern New York’s Young Referee of the Year for 2014 had his most memorable officiating moment on a makeshift field in Times Square a very short corner kick from the ball drop that will ring in 2015.

Congratulations to Gary Efraimov, the Young Referee of the Year in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and Eastern New York State Adult Soccer Association.

“In the summer of 2012, I volunteered as a referee for Street Soccer USA, whose mission is to end homelessness through playing soccer. So the final day of the three-day tournament was played in Times Square on a small makeshift court,” Gary stated. “I met great people who came up to me to shake my hand for my service. It really made me feel good and I was able to referee in a worldwide landmark and help people by doing what I love.”

The 19-year-old Brooklyn resident grew up playing soccer and serving as team captain for Dynamo, a team with Ukrainian-American kids who played in the Metrokids Soccer League. After suffering a torn ACL four years ago, Gary stayed in the game by taking up refereeing and discovered he had a natural ability.

Gary’s officiating experience includes games in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League and Long Island Junior Soccer League.

“Gary believes it is important to get to know the players,” commented New York Referee Association assignor Theresa Catalioti. “Before the game, he likes to talk to the players to gain their trust and respect. The same sportsmanship is exhibited when a foul is committed as the players trust that Gary has made the right decision when an infraction occurs.”

Gary volunteers as a boys soccer coach at Madison High School, his alma mater, when he is not concentrating on his studies at Brooklyn College or refereeing.

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 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 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

August 31, 2021-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to welcome Gina Coscia to our team as Administrative Assistant/Reception. The Garden City South resident has a very short commute as she lives just a few blocks from the ENYYSA office.