enypr

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

All of my life, I have been something of a poetic dreamer. Those of you who know me are no doubt doubled over with laughter as the image of a gruff Tim jumps to mind. The core reason I started to coach was simple: I wanted to impact as many youth players as I could in a holistic way. Encourage them to work hard, battle against setbacks with integrity, treat others with respect, find time when things were going tough to help those around them and be trustworthy. In short, to be the type of people that everyone would want in their corner and on their team.

I still believe that sports and youth soccer can achieve all the wonderful things above. I also believe that as a byproduct of putting people first. you create excellency in performance. I have been greatly encouraged recently, as part of my work with US Soccer’s grass roots coaching group, our discussions have frequently turned to several key cultural issues that we believe must be address by effective youth coaches.

These key cultural issues are presented below:

1. We must work to change the perception of how players, parents and coaches treat mistakes. Mistakes must be seen simply as opportunities to learn, chances to grow and key moments when you identify areas for improvement.

2. We must strive to have all understand that there is a key time when learning, competing and trying is much more important than winning. That learning is a process and if we cripple the first steps of the learning journey with the pressure of win, win, win, we are stunting the growth of all our players.

3. We must move away from a culture of empty praise. Where good job is now meaningless as it is now shouted out loud whatever the action. We must recognize that empty praise and shouting "Good job" whatever the quality of the action is simply destroying standards and placing players in situations where they really do not know what type of effort and behavior really deserves praise. I can honestly say that in coaching kids of all ages 8 and up, they find empty praise both comical and confusing. Kids like to know where they are and appreciate honesty.

4. We must reinvent the meaning of team and get youth players to understand the meaning of sacrifice and hard work. That is not always convenient or easy to be part of a team. That often putting the needs of your team comes before your own selfish desires. Our youth players must understand the importance of being a team player.

Often when you talk with anyone about changing culture they look at you with disbelieving eyes. The “job is too big," “the task impossible." If we can’t change one parent's mind, how can we change a culture? I have to admit that at times the work is daunting. You hear or see one more screaming parent or coach at a Under-7 game and you think well, what’s the point?

I will tell you why I am encouraged, in teaching clinic after clinic to thousands of parent/coaches, every time I discuss the four issues above they get it. They all understand and see the issues discussed above each and every time they coach a game or run a practice. They are all concerned about the environments they see in youth sports.

To change a culture you need the following

1. People that care and have the same core values they wish to change.

2. Constant and effective communication between those who wish to inspire the change, how they will do it and what they will say.

3. An unwavering belief that what you are doing is for the good of the game.

4. A support network. When you try to create a cultural change (e.g. let’s focus on learning and skill development before results, people fight you!)

Just to state the obvious, any good youth club tied together with a philosophy and educated coaches already has an infrastructure that enables all four criteria above to be met. If your club is simply a collection of teams playing in the same color jersey, life is a little tougher.

I challenge all the true clubs out there, go ahead change the culture be the tipping point we need!

Photo of NYCFC defender Josh Williams with EHYSL youth soccer players

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

July 15, 2015-On July 7 and 8, the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL) held its annual Dinner of Champions, a tradition that extends back almost to the year of EHYSL’s founding in 1974 when it kicked off its inaugural season as the West Put Youth Soccer League and joined the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). The dinners over two nights were held at Anthony’s Pier 9 Restaurant in New Windsor.

All division winners, players, coaches and parents were invited for an evening devoted to recognizing the players, honoring the coaches and thanking the parents for their combined efforts to make soccer the popular sport it is. 38 champion teams from the 2014-15 season were introduced, and each coach praised his or her squad and introduced the players to a round of applause from the hundreds in attendance each night.

“I don’t know of any other leagues or organizations in youth soccer that hold a dinner such as this but I believe this to be vitally important, and this event will continue as long as I am President,” commented EHYSL President Jim Purdy.

The four EHYSL scholarship recipients were also honored: Davis Acevedo (Rensselaer Polytechnic University), Liam Kelly (New York University), Robyn Torregrosa (Rice University) and Monica Williams (Stevens Institute of Technology).

“These four scholarship recipients have exhibited excellence not only on the soccer field but in the classroom and the community as well,” President Purdy stated.

Adding to the festivities, New York City FC defenders RJ Allen and Josh Williams spoke to groups of players, posed for photographs and signed autographs. Scott Miller of the NYCFC Front Office discussed the plans of the expansion franchise to become the preferred MLS team in New York.

“Enjoy your summer and we will be looking forward to your efforts next year to return to this event,” added President Purdy.

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.

From left to right: EHYSL age group coordinator Randy Reed, EHYSL First Vice President Jim Eleftherion, NYCFC defender RJ Allen, EHYSL President Jim Purdy, EHYSL age group coordinator Dan Kelly

(For all youth soccer parents)

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

The car ride home
That was the time I felt so alone
Covered in mud bathed in sweat
Dreading the sentence I knew would come next

I loved to play, always gave it my all
Dreamt I was Pele at least 8 feet tall
Trained so hard
Got to work the game out
Found it easy without all the shouts

So many voices all raised to a scream
Building the pressure
It's now hard to breathe
Chasing the ball games just begun
Volume not started
My God this is fun

Now is my moment
About to control it and pass …
One great solution
My math’s is first class

Kick it , boot it, no don't do that
We don't want you thinking
There is no time for that
Simply follow our orders
And The loudest of screams
Stop all that thinking come out of the dream

Whistle just blew
Pea scraped on tin
Death march to car park
Hells drifting in

And so it begins
All the things I did wrong
What was I thinking
When I played that back pass
Or chose to dribble with 10 on my back
Minute 1 through 60
Not a foot right
No surprise that I got subbed
Coach had it right.

If only I listened to the orders he gave
the solutions the genius he offers for free
I'm so ungrateful how can that be ?

Tears on the inside
I won't let them see
Simply stay stoned face
As they crucify me

Only two more turns now
Cause We're nearly home
Journey felt like forever
Yes there's no hell like home

Last of my thoughts as I climb out the door
It's really a blessing that I'm not going to play anymore

For the 70% that quit sport by 13, please share with as many parents as you can.

Tim Bradbury

#TIMBDOCI

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

August 29, 2018-The Exceptional Senior Games, organized by the Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL), have become a Veteran’s Day tradition Upstate. 

The CDYSL’s original plans last November were to host this big event once again at DiCaprio Park, the home field for the Guilderland United Soccer Club. However, the weather forecast had a low of 21 degrees and a high of 45 for the day with the wind chill factor being much lower.  

Two days before the event, the CDYSL made the decision to notify all of the high school coaches, high school players and college coaches that the Exceptional Senior Games were being moved indoors to Afrim's Sports Dome in Latham. Afrim Nezaj was kind enough to clear his facility schedule to accommodate the event.

The schedule for the games were realigned in order to accommodate the four fields outdoors needed into one field by stretching the games earlier and later in the day.

The last set of girls games were being played when into the facility walked Tatiana Karmazyn, bundled up and very cold. The volunteers let her know the last game was being played and the players were on the field.  

Tatiana explained that she was supposed to have had a ride from her Mom but her mother was called into work at the last minute, so she took two buses from her home in Troy and walked over a mile in frigid weather in darkness from the bus stop to arrive at Afrim’s Sports Dome. The entire trip took her four hours. CDYSL President Tim Owens and the rest of the volunteers gave her the participation shirt and walked her out to the fields to see if she could play the remaining 15-20 minutes left in the game.

The high school coaches were able to get Tatiana on the field. At the end of the match, Tatiana was visibly upset as she didn't believe that she was able to perform to her best of her ability since she was struggling to get the feeling back in her hands and feet as they were still very cold.

The CDYSL was able to warm up Tatiana with popcorn chicken and hot chocolate, per her request. As they were doing so, Tatiana told the volunteers of her dream of being able to go to college to further her education and play soccer. A volunteer drove Tatiana home at the end of the event so she wouldn't have to stand out in the cold to catch two more buses back home.

CDYSL kept in touch with Tatiana over the season and found her a club to play with in the winter and spring, the Lansingburgh Soccer Club, to further her skills and helped guide her through the courses of SAT's and other items to apply to colleges. Lansingburgh coach Stacy Ward worked with the CDYSL staff to ensure that Tatiana was able to make the practices and games with her new team.

This story has a very happy ending as Tatiana accepted an offer from Tompkins Cortland Community College coach Robert Rice to study and play soccer at his junior college starting this fall. He had originally seen Tatiana play in the Exceptional Senior Games last November.

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.

NYCFC photo. From left to right, members of Joe’s family: sister Anna, father John, mother Margaret, Joe Scally and NYCFC coach Patrick Vieira

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

April 3, 2018-New York City FC signed Joe Scally, who turned 15 on New Year’s Eve, to his first pro contract. The right defender had spent much of the Major League Soccer preseason with the first team in Florida, California and Mexico and is one of the youngest ever to sign with MLS in its 23-year history.

Joe first registered in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) when he was six years old. He played for Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams Sachem Starburst, Sachem Falcons, Sachem Lynxes, Sachem Destroyers and the Mastic Destroyers. He also competed for the Eastern New York Olympic Development Program (ODP).

Joe’s mother, the former Margaret Peragine, also made news when she was 15 years old as she played on the LIJSL’s Sachem Tomahawks, who won the 1987 Patricia Louise Masotto Cup as Girls-Under-16 national champions.

Joe, who has also competed on the United States Boys-Under-17 Youth National Team, will finish out the school year at Sachem North High School before starting full-time training with the seniors in the summer.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” Joe said. “I’ve wanted to be a professional soccer player ever since I was a little kid and to get to do it right here at home in New York, at this club, makes it extra special. It was an easy decision, there are so many great professional coaches and players here who can help me improve every aspect of my game. I played other sports growing up but I always came back to soccer as I really love the sport.”

Joe has been playing three years up with the NYCFC's Under-18/19s. Six academy players spent parts of preseason with NYCFC’s first team.

“Joe has been one of the top performers in the academy for the past few seasons and represented US Soccer at U-15 and U-17 level,” explained NYCFC Sporting Director Claudio Reyna. “He has all of the attributes we look for in a right back: he’s strong in defense and can support in attack to help create chances from wide areas.”

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.