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The Sports Bra Project is Helping Female Athletes Around the World

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

March 18, 2021-Sarah Dwyer-Shick, the Beacon resident who is a longtime coach in both the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL) and Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), founded the Sports Bra Project in 2018 and it was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in February 2020. The Sports Bra Project, supporting access and athletes in all sports, has its roots in Sarah's experiences working in soccer in the US and abroad.

Local coach Eric Cielenou giving a donation to Sports Bra Project founder Sarah Dwyer-Shick

Sarah said that ”having the opportunity to travel and experience soccer in different communities, it became clear that many girls and women are still faced with obstacles to sports participation. Cultural expectations, financial constraints and logistical concerns all play a role.”

This was hit home when first in Africa, where Sarah discovered that the small collection of sports bras she'd brought as gifts for young soccer players in rural Namibia were also eagerly accepted by older players living near the capital city, Windhoek. Many members of the Namibian National Women's Soccer Team did not have easy access to something as simple and essential as a sports bra. It was as result of this that the Sports Bra Project was born.

”While the obstacles in New York City look different from those in Africa or rural communities, the need for a sports bra is a universal one. To have the lack of this basic piece of equipment be another potential barrier to sports participation struck me as ridiculous, and something that could be addressed,” Sarah explained, ”At a practical level, sports bras provide more support and coverage than other bras and are needed once a girl begins to go through puberty. Too many girls leave sports between the ages of 11 and 14 so normalizing their experiences and needs are steps to addressing this.”

Through a growing network of coaches and players who collect and distribute new sports bras in the United States and throughout the world, the Sports Bra Project ensures that the equipment goes to its intended location. To date, more than 50 teams and organizations have hosted sports bra drives. Within the US, the sports bras are usually shipped, when going to international non-profit organizations they are often hand-delivered by individuals and organizations. 4,500 have been distributed since the non-profit’s founding in 2018 with plans to double that number this year.

Sporting Omaha FC youth soccer players from Nebraska with their donations

The Sports Bra Project's mission is threefold:

• Meeting a need and addressing a physical barrier to sports participation.

• Normalizing the conversation of women in sports, their needs and experiences.

• Providing an opportunity for athletes to engage with their community and support other aspiring athletes by hosting a drive that they can take a leadership role in.

The Sports Bra Project donors are often able to attach a personal message to the bra. In this way, the girl or woman who receives it knows that she is not just receiving the bra from an organization but from another female athlete who can relate to her on a personal level.

A sports bra in Haiti

For more info on the Sports Bra Project, please log on to https://www.thesportsbraproject.org, Instagram@sportsbraproject or contact Sarah Dwyer-Shick at Info@thesportsbraproject.org

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/

OVERPLAYING, REST AND THE AMERICAN PROBLEM

I must admit that I was a little shocked when I first heard Sam Snow talk about the American problem. As Sam continued the lecture on Jean Piaget which is part of the National Youth License it became clear to me that the statement was not an attack rather a very honest comment on what Piaget perceived as a real issue.

At the heart of the "American Problem" as defined by Piaget is the belief that we feel we can accelerate through a cognitive, physical and social development that is a natural process which takes years. In pure soccer terms it is like saying the 5 year olds can play the 11v11 game, lunacy at best.

I think we have another American problem that I wish to address in this article. For the sake of this discussion I will use the phrase unrealistic expectations.( It was the most sensitive I could come up with).

As I have discussed in earlier articles we have unrealistic and ridiculous ideas about what the human body can do. Whether it be the 12 year old who runs from a Soccer game, to a Lax game, to a Basket ball game in the same day; with a granola bar in the car to sustain them or a High School player who practices for seven days with no rest. We need to wake up.

During the "E" license we spend time as instructors introducing the concept of PERIODIZATION. This idea is about planning and at the E level we help candidates understand the cycle of planning a week. How they should structure practices, so that by game time maximum effort and performance can be assured. Even at the E level we discuss how difficult this weekly planning is, when the player may be involved in three competitive sports, all with different game days, and therefore training peaks and troughs.

I have managed to crystallize my thoughts on this and now realize that we need to talk about the importance of rest and that every parent of a competitive athlete needs to come up with their own cycle for a year. All to often coaches either do not get it or turn a blind eye. I have been amazed and disturbed this summer when players have shared with me their summer High School training schedules. The SAS must be in town, with 3 mile 6:15 am runs and two games a week and then of course their youth teams playing in four college showcases during the same time period. All this in preparation for September when they will practice 5 days a week and play games for a minimum of 7 weeks.

I asked a group of 17 year old boys the most days rest they had in the time period September 1 through to the following June 20. In a ten month period the most days rest ( not injury induced was 3). The boys play on a highly competitive youth team and all played High School soccer.

Outside of the High School craziness and to all the ADs reading this, I thought we had rules to protect the players, there is an ever increasing group of youth trainers who love to go to 5/6/7/8 tournaments a summer. (Of course they do they get paid for each one.)

Tournaments were once an opportunity for high level teams to be able to compete against each other. An opportunity that League Play could not provide. The game has evolved and there are a large number of premier leagues that teams can enter ( more lunacy as many of these play 2 games a day) to play in highly competitive games in a league basis. Tournaments are highly profitable ventures that place players in unrealistic and perhaps dangerous environments where they play to many games in a ridiculously short window of time. There is a reason why the rest of the world play 1 game a day or at the most 2 games in three days and it is not that they don’t enjoy playing.

I implore all coaches reading this to try to do the following

1. Ensure that all your players get at least 4 weeks rest a year. Yes they can swim and jog on their own if they want to. But insist on 4 weeks at least with no formal coaching.

2. Research and understand the importance of rest. Their bodies need time to recharge so they can fulfil their potential.

3. Go to one less tournament next year.

I further believe that all parents of competitive athletes need to take out a calendar and plan with your child how much quality rest they can get and when it will be. Once your plan is made try and adhere to it without reservation.

Tim Bradbury

Director of Coaching Instruction

Eastern New York Looks Back at 100 Years of Progress as We Celebrate Our Centennial in 2013

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

July 23, 2013-Skyscrapers, comic books and many other items all started in New York. Many staples of American soccer originated in New York as well. The United States Soccer Federation was founded in Manhattan a century ago at the Astor House Hotel on April 5, 1913. The hotel closed the next month but soccer in the United States started to grow.

The Southern New York State Soccer Association was founded that same year. Although kids were playing soccer back then, they did it under the auspices of the seniors.

When youth soccer started to grow exponentially, George Donnelly and Enzo Magnozzi founded the Southern New York Youth Soccer Association in 1972 and Tony Perez became the first President.

As new leagues were created, both the senior and youth association started admitting clubs from Albany and north of the state capital so "Southern New York" was no longer appropriate. In 1982, our organizations changed names to "Eastern New York."

We continue to thrive while charting new directions that resonate with local, state and national opportunities, as well as challenges. Special children’s soccer, sportsmanship programs, soccer conventions and showcases that college coaches scout all originated in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and were spread by youth soccer programs across the United States.

We are very proud of both our soccer legacy and phenomenal growth as millions of kids have played soccer in Eastern New York. Although some have gone on to play professional soccer plus in the World Cup and Olympics, all have learned the value of teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship and getting along with others through the life lessons they have learned on our soccer fields. They have also received the physical benefits of participating in a wonderful cardiovascular activity.

"They could not have done it without the tens of thousands who have volunteered for the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association," commented the organization’s President, Richard Christiano. "Here’s to the many volunteers who line fields and put up nets, organize car pools, slice oranges, balance check books and phone referees. For all that you do for Eastern New York, I thank you!"

As we look to our future, the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association is proud to announce that we will be participating in the Soccer As the Beautiful Game international conference being held at Hofstra University on Long Island from April 10 to 12, 2014.

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. Eastern New York 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. Eastern New York 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.

LaGrange TOPSoccer Provides Opportunities to Play Soccer For Children With Special Needs

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

August 8, 2017-Children with special needs playing soccer started in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) in 1978. This was a decade after the Special Olympics was founded yet it was an era when children with special needs playing sports was not as widely accepted as it is today.

Today, many Eastern New York clubs have TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer), a community-based training program for these kids, organized by volunteers.

One of the largest TOPSoccer programs in Eastern New York is run by the LaGrange Soccer Club, a proud member of the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL). The program has been around for the past two decades and has seen impressive growth during the last three years under the direction of Andrew Moroney. His son Callan is 10 years old, he was born with Down’s Syndrome and is part of this growing program which gives children with special needs the same opportunity to play soccer as other kids.

Andrew grew up playing in the EHYSL for the East Fishkill Soccer Club, then played for Assumption College in Massachusetts and now coaches 30 kids, from ages 5 to 18, in TOPSoccer every Saturday morning from 10:00 to 11:15 am at Stringham Park during the spring and fall. Helping teach the kids are two different LaGrange travel teams every Saturday who volunteer their time.

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“I enjoy being out there with the kids on Saturday mornings,” Coach Moroney said. “Our kids look forward to pairing up with the travel teams who support us each week. It's very nice to see the smiles and laughs shared between our kids and their helpers.”

Should you live in the LaGrange area and would like to register your child for TOPSoccer this fall, please contact Andrew at 845-489-8684 or amoroney22@verizon.net

Should you not live in southern Dutchess County but want to register your child for TOPSoccer in one of the other EHYSL TOPSoccer programs, please contact the league office at 845-621-0112.

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.

Eastern New York Advocating Badly Needed Repairs at Big Bush Park

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

May 24, 2022-Every child in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) deserves a safe field to play on and the great majority of our players have one. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Metrokids playing at Big Bush Park in Woodside.

The Metrokids Youth Soccer League was founded in 1998 and is currently made up of 1,000 youth soccer players from 24 clubs. A large number of Metrokids games are played from 9 am to 4 pm on Saturdays at Big Bush Park. New York City Parks & Recreation’s website describes the park as a “hub of recreation for Woodside families, and a delightful play space for kids. The park features a large synthetic turf ballfield for soccer and other sports.”

The turf field at Big Bush Park is not the state-of-the-art Field Turf and Sprinturf that has been the most popular forms of turf for the past two decades since it resembles natural grass. Big Bush’s surface is Astroturf.

When the many repairs needed to be made to the surface during the past few years, the field was patched up. Unfortunately, the surface is now very worn and the remaining turf has divots, a danger to the many players who run up and down on the field.

Metrokids manager Juan Alvarado wrote to Queensborough government which had Parks & Recreation look at the field. A parks representative wrote back that, “To date, I have heard no update on if repairs to the field will be conducted. The repairs needed are quite extensive and I believe would require capital funding. Over the last few years, Parks has done temporary repairs but they are not holding up any more.”

Without funding right now from the government, Metrokids has started a Go Fund Me page to raise $50,000 to help repair the field so everyone can safely play there:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-renovate-big-bush-soccer-field

Eastern New York Gives $1 Back For Every Registered Soccer Player

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

December 2, 2015-It’s the holiday season so families are getting set for decorating Christmas trees, menorahs, shopping, caroling plus receiving mail from non-profit organizations looking for donations. But the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is that rare non-profit group not looking for money and is actually giving it back during the holidays.

Eastern New York gave a dollar back for every registered player to each respective league to use it as they saw fit for the benefit of their players. So the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) received a check for $58,614 for their 58,614 players, the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL) received a check for $16,946, etc.

“I stated that when I became President in 2010, we would bring fiscal responsibility to Eastern New York and I believe that our Board of Directors has done exactly that,” commented Eastern New York President Richard Christiano. “Our fiscal responsibility has now allowed us to give a rebate back for every player.”

“This rebate further demonstrates the commitment of our Eastern New York state association to its member leagues,” commented LIJSL President Anthony Maresco.

“East Hudson was very pleased that the Eastern New York Board of Directors, when deciding how best to use its considerable assets, thought to share it with its members via a rebate,” offered EHYSL President Jim Purdy. “The Eastern New York leadership is to be commended for taking this action and our hope is that as long as the state’s financial status remains positive, this will become an annual event.”

Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL) President Tim Owens, whose league received a check for $10,035, added, “The CDYSL is very grateful and appreciative to Eastern New York for this money. We look forward to reinvesting these funds back into the soccer community.”

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.

Predators FC Take the Boys-Under-14 ENYPL Championship

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

May 22, 2018-Predators FC 04 won the Boys-Under-14 Eastern New York Premier League (ENYPL) title this spring with a 7-0-1 record, scoring 19 goals and giving up only 4.

“We are a young and small club, less than two years old but with the desire to continue growing and for us it is with great pride to be able to win this championship,” explained coach Alberto Entivero. “Our unity and camaraderie are very important, that we all have the same goal to prepare ourselves physically and mentally for the challenges of the ENYPL competition. We all work as a team to push the boys to be the best they can be.”

Predators won the MIRSL titles in Fall 2016 and Spring 2017, won Pennsylvania’s FC Europa Turf Cup and the Washingtonville Harvest Cup last year plus became champs earlier this year of the Metrokids Indoor Tournament and the HonduBronx Indoor Tournament.

Coach Entiveri added, “Support is also very important, not just from the coaching staff but from the team families as a whole. We are not just a team, but a family and that is a big key to our success.”

The ENYPL is the oldest continuous Premier League in the United States and is playing in its 18th year in 2018. Under the direction of ENYPL Chairperson Andreas Touros, teams from eight member leagues from all over the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) formed the ENYPL for the 2018 Spring Season.

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.

Eastern New York’s Operations Administrator, Cathy O’Brien, Honored as the Woman of the Year

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From left to right: Maria Marinho, Hilda Wolfe, Jim Eleftherion, Woman of the Year Cathy O'Brien, Lisa Salvino, Tim Bradbury, Erin O'Hare and Lynne Thibdeau, all from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

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

February 6, 2014-In what could be a first, an Italian-American organization named a woman who is 100% Irish-American its Woman of the Year. The Italian-American Soccer League of New York (IASL) honored Cathy O’Brien as the Woman of the Year at its 10th Annual Dinner Dance on January 26 at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach.

Cathy, the Operations Administrator of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), was honored for her support and enthusiastic commitment to the Olympic Development Program (ODP) trips to Italy. Eastern New York’s Boys-Under-13 ODP returned last month from Sicily where they made the semifinals of the 27th Annual Trofeo Costa Gaia and were the subject of articles in two Italian newspapers. In 2012, our then Boys-Under-13 ODP team became the first foreign squad to make the semifinals of this prestigious tournament.

The West Babylon resident is now planning the Italian trips of our Boys-Under-14 and Girls-Under-14 ODP teams to the City of Agropoli Tournament in April and our Boys-Under-15 ODP squad to the Lazio Cup in May. Our then Girls-Under-14 ODP team won the City of Agropoli Tournament last year with a perfect 6-0-0 record in outscoring opponents 17-0.

“We are very pleased to honor Cathy O’Brien as our Woman of the Year,” commented IASL Treasurer Joe Luongo. “Cathy has done a great job in making certain that the trips of Eastern New York’s ODP teams to Italy were an absolutely wonderful experience for all players and parents.”

The IASL’s Man of the Year was Consalvo Turchi, the Eastern New York Hall of Famer who serves as a referee and assessor plus was previously State Referee Administrator and assignor as well as IASL President during a lifetime spent on soccer fields.

Gaetano Messina won the IASL’s Sportsmanship Award. Gaetano has a connection to the Woman of the Year as they studied at St. Francis College in Brooklyn at the same time in the late 1970's––he played soccer while she played hoops.

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.

Oceanside United’s 90-Year-Old Matriarch, Bessie Lamonica, Honored as Personality of the Month in Eastern New York

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

June 2, 2017-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Bessie Lamonica has been selected as our Personality of the Month for June.

Bessie was born in West Virginia but grew up in Biella, Italy, a short corner kick from Milan. After World War II, she emigrated back to the United States in 1948 by herself, living in Oceanside. She was able to have the rest of her family join her during the next two years in emigrating to the United States.

She soon met Phil, living in neighboring Rockville Centre, through his sister and they were married in 1953.

The Oceanside United Soccer Club was co-founded in 1962 by Ian McDougall and Joe Goldberg and kicked off as a single team of 15 boys. Bessie and Phil started volunteering for Oceanside United 55 years ago when their son Rudy Lamonica began playing on that team. As the first Nassau County youth soccer program, the club chose the orange and blue colors of Nassau County that Oceanside teams still wear to this day.

Rudy scored more than half of Oceanside High School’s goals during 1968 and 1969 in leading the Sailors to consecutive Long Island championships. One year later, bone cancer was discovered and doctors amputated Rudy’s right leg, hoping to stop the spread of the disease. Through all the pain and turmoil, he kept his spirits high. Rudy passed away at the age of 17 during the closing days of the 1970 Fall Season after volunteering as Oceanside High School’s assistant coach. Shortly before his death, he received a get-well letter from President Nixon and his wife, Pat.

“Losing a child is the worst thing that can happen to you,” Bessie explained. “My son lived a short life, but he lived a full life, every moment, and his spirit stuck to me because he wanted to promote soccer in this country.”

Despite this tragedy regarding their only son, Bessie and Phil founded Oceanside United girls soccer two years later in 1972, a decade after the boys started playing, so girls would have the same opportunities to play soccer as the boys. Just as Rudy played on the first boys team, their daughter Donna played on that very first girls team, the Oceanside Gumbies, which joined the growing Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL). Phil and Bessie served as the team’s coaches as the Gumbies played against the few Long Island towns with girl’s programs at that time, such as Garden City, Massapequa, Northport and Rockville Centre. Oceanside United’s slogan is “From tiny acorns, mighty oaks can grow” and today, as many girls play soccer in Oceanside as boys.

Bessie has been volunteering at the oldest youth indoor soccer tournament in the United States since its inception in 1968, which was named after her son upon his passing. The Rudy Lamonica Indoor Tournament celebrated its 50th anniversary last winter and Bessie, now 90 years old, was there once again to hand out trophies. She also was in charge of the tournament journal for decades.

For all this volunteering, Bessie and Phil were inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame in 2001. Donna became a coach when her children, Taylor and Austin, began to play soccer for Oceanside United and both Bessie and Phil particularly enjoyed watching their games. Although Phil died a decade ago in 2007, Bessie continues volunteering.

Every June, Oceanside United gives scholarships funded by the indoor tourney and also through money raised by Bessie in honor of Rudy. The two Rudy Lamonica Memorial MVP Scholarships are awarded to one boy and girl who are chosen MVPs of the Oceanside High School teams as voted by the players. The Rudy Lamonica Memorial Scholarship is also given to deserving Oceanside United players. More than 50 players have had their college education partially funded by scholarships in Rudy’s name.

Steve Padaetz, the LIJSL Director of Marketing and Member Services, has known Bessie for over a quarter-century. He commented, “Hundreds of players, coaches, administrators and the greater Oceanside community owe a great deal of gratitude to Bessie and her family for all they have done for soccer.”

Congratulations to Bessie Lamonica, Eastern New York’s Personality of the Month.

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.

Three From Eastern New York Tabbed For Regional Honors

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

December 1, 2020-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that three of our “Of the Year” Award winners have been also selected by the East Region as their award winners. Two Andrews and one Bella are being honored:

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East Region Girls Competitive Coach of the Year Andrew Werner was nominated by Ballston Spa Soccer Club President Rob Smarz as well the parents of two of his players. Andrew’s Girls-Under-12 team plays in the Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL). Club President Smarz wrote that “I’ve never seen a volunteer youth coach put in what Andrew puts in to his team. He lives and breathes his job as a detective with the New York State Troopers and does the same with his daughter’s soccer team, for all the right reasons.”

Soccer parents Justin and Leigh Delgado wrote that “we had no idea what our daughter’s future as a soccer player would be when we signed her up for the Ballston Spa Soccer Club. At the time, we were hoping she’d gain some athletic skills, learn to be part of a team and gain some personal confidence. She got so much more and so did we! As a coach, Andrew is tough, consistent, reliable but most importantly, he is a constant champion for his team and every girl on it. His players feel a sense of pride when they walk off the field to a high-five from Coach Andrew because they played well, tried a new skill, made a new move or simply gave it their all.”

Soccer parents Jason and Joanne Wheaton wrote that “we knew from the first practice that Andrew was not just your regular parent-coach. His knowledge and love for the game was immediately apparent and his continued patience ensured that every child was both engaged and inspired…Andrew is a coach who seems to do everything right, always. His values that he has learned in life and clearly through the New York State Police shine daily and are consistently communicated to both his players and their parents, who are always encouraged to be respectful of opponents and the game…Andrew actually created a field in his neighborhood to encourage pick-up soccer for all, including the kids who are not on his team.”

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East Region Administrator of the Year Andrew So was nominated by ENYYSA President Richard Christiano. Andrew co-founded the non-profit South Bronx United in 2009 to build leaders and scholars through soccer and it is now the largest club in the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL). Fields and funding are particular challenges and South Bronx United must raise over 95% of its budget to offer programs. The cost to families to participate is no more than $100 per child annually and it’s waived for many families who face immense financial hardship. South Bronx United programs include academic enrichment, college prep, tutoring, mentoring, leadership development, immigration legal services and other social services in the poorest Congressional District in the United States. Through the SBU Academy, the organization provides a pathway from middle school to high school to college for the kids of the South Bronx. It’s working as 100% of SBU Academy players since 2012 have graduated high school, compared to 56% of public school students in the South Bronx.

Last winter, South Bronx United received the prestigious Laureus Sport for Good Award in Berlin, German. The Laureus World Sports Academy stated that South Bronx United has used sport to “reduce the impact of violence, conflict and discrimination, to enhance social and emotional development, to inspire healthy behavior change and to increase educational achievements and employability skills.”

Additionally, South Bronx United started a petition on Change.org to New York City Parks in August to return field permits to organized leagues. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the field permits were being returned to the leagues from diverse sports, including youth soccer, after 8,957 signatures in one week.

East Region TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year Bella Pepe was nominated by four people, including her own uncle, Louis Pepe, who founded the East Islip Soccer Club’s TOPSoccer Program, named Just For Kicks, a dozen years ago in the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL). Louis wrote “she goes above and beyond to show the TOPSoccer players that they belong on the field and she makes them feel special by acknowledging them. While at Just For Kicks, she has been instrumental in building the confidence of one special player who wanted no part of soccer…Bella is the epitome of everything and more of the type of young adult you want representing this prestigious award. She is an extraordinary person and it is hard to believe that she is only 15. 15!!…I was not blessed to have a daughter but if I had, I would only describe what I would want in a daughter to be like Bella as she is such a caring, giving and selfless person.”

Bea Huste-Petersen wrote “her leadership trickles down to others her age as she leads and others follow her lead. Organized, thoughtful and on target are some of her strongest attributes, a wonderful recipe for success. She works hard and, quite simply, gets the job done!”

Gal

Soccer Mom Nancy Villa wrote that “Bella has been a wonderful support and guidance for my son William, who is an 11-year-old autistic child. She is an altruistic young girl who has been incredibly patient, compassionate and inspiring in every practice at the soccer field. I have witnessed her extraordinary dedication to my son and all the kids who are within the spectrum of autism, facing challenging behavioral issues in which Bella has done a great job beyond her years, just being unconditionally loving and kind. Bella is clearly the change we all want to see in this world.”

East Islip’s Director of Referees, Patricia Graydon, wrote that “it’s very hard to recall a time when there wasn’t a smile on Bella’s face and that is reassuring to the children. She has a very caring way about her that makes the players feel very at ease…She is positive in her instruction and tireless with her enthusiasm. I hope to have many more years working with this extraordinary young lady.”

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

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