Rob D

Lexi Zisselman

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

January 23, 2014-Lexi Zisselman and the Albertson Soccer Club, a member of both the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), are very happy to host a new charity event this winter. Lexi, a 12-year old New Hyde Park resident, plays for the Albertson Fury ‘01 and is organizing this fundraiser for her bat mitvah project.

Kick for a Cure will be held at the Hofstra Bubble on their campus in Hempstead on Saturday, February 22 from 2:30 to 4:00 pm. Kids ages 6 to 19 are urged to participate and the donation is $10 for two penalty kicks.

Prizes include a 32” flat screen TV, iPad Mini, a pizza party for 20 people plus all participants receive a raffle ticket and a Puma soccer ball (subject to availability). All proceeds benefit the Multiple Myeloma Foundation.

Lexi’s father, Marc Zisselman, a member of the Albertson Board of Directors, started volunteering for the Multiple Myeloma Foundation after his father Isaac was diagnosed with the disease in 2004. Isaac died a year later at the age of 63, when Lexi was three years old. Over the past decade, Marc has helped raise money with an annual fundraising event for myeloma research called Laugh for Life, featuring comedians. Last May, “Laugh for Life” raised $900,000 at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan.

Sponsors of Kick for a Cure include Five Corners Auto Salon, Showcase Kitchens, Mr. Jay Appliances, Angelina’s Pizzeria and Restaurant, Puma and the Paul Riley Soccer School. For more information, please contact Lexi and Marc at mzisselman@yahoo.com

The application to enter is below.

“I am very excited to raise money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation in memory of my grandfather,” Lexi said. “He died too young so I hope we can eventually find a cure for multiple myeloma.”

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

June 16, 2015-Morgan Santoro, who plays for Central Connecticut State University, scored a hat trick to pace the Massapequa Stars to an emphatic 5-0 win over the Brentwood/Farmingdale Freedom on June 13 at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview in a final between two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams. Amanda Garriti, from Marist College, and Erica Modena, of Manhattan College, completed the scoring for Massapequa.

As Girls-Under-19 champs, Massapequa wins the new Barbara Rodriguez Cup. Barbara is a Hall of Fame inductee of both the LIJSL and Eastern New York who volunteered as Chairperson of the State Cup for 23 years, from 1992 to 2014.

“We had a lot of injuries, as did Brentwood/Farmingdale, and we won today because of our high fitness level,” explained Massapequa coach Michael Bernieri. “Our keeper was hurt so we used a fill-in keeper, Tori Antonino, who did amazing in goal.”

The new champs received a $2,000 check from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) to defray their costs during the National Championship Series. They will be playing in the Regionals from June 26 to 30 in Barboursville, West Virginia.

Massapequa also received the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award for the Fair Play they demonstrated on the field. Now retired, Mr. Rubenstein was seemingly involved in every facet of New York soccer for decades and is a member of the Halls of Fame of Eastern New York, the US Amateur Soccer Association and the LIJSL.

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

I was somewhat amazed at the National Convention held last January when Sam Snow, the Technical Director for US Youth Soccer, explained to the 55 Directors of Coaching from across the country that only a total of 6% of the youth of America currently play soccer. It struck me that if all the coaches and trainers involved in the game spent as much time promoting its merits as they do fighting over players for teams, then 6% could easily be 12% and then 18% and so on. The problem is that far too many people involved in the game who claim to have its best interests at heart do nothing at all to promote it or even treat those within it in a manner which may mean that any future kids they have may wish to one day play the beautiful game.

I have been delighted that World Cup seems to have truly caught the imagination of all generations of Americans. The atmosphere in hundreds of local bars and restaurants as our US Men’s National Team fought through to the playoff rounds was really tremendous and great to see. This enthusiasm for the game gives all within it another opportunity to grow the game, to talk loudly and intelligently about the world's game and that many benefits it has for youth players. It’s time that we paid it forward!

Soccer is the world’s game for the following reasons:

1. At the most basic level it is easy for all to play, kicking a spherical object ( sometimes an orange, tennis ball etc.) is easy for all to do
2. You do not need lots of equipment (helmets, sticks, skates etc.) to join in the FUN.
3. Any space that is relatively flat is good for a game ( often not grass in parts of the world)
4. Because of 1, 2 and 3 above it is cheap and not just for the wealthy.
5. The fitness piece in both the aerobic and anaerobic areas is tremendous.
6. You can play with any numbers 1v1, 2v2, 3v2, 3v3 in street soccer around the world any numbers work.

It is the player’s game and should be a safe haven for all parents that wish their children to be involved in a sport where their kids get to think, make decisions and yes mistakes. A game in which they do not simply follow the latest command from a loud coach.

At the foundation of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association's recent trainer pass program was a desire to help grow and protect the game. It seems quite a number of the training organizations within Eastern New York were offended that anyone suggest that those teaching the games to our youth players maintain and acquire a minimum standard of education. I can’t help but think that they really should have had a minimum standard without anyone insisting upon it. Perhaps the first thing any parent searching for a potential training organization should ask is how qualified are the staff (as opposed to how many games did they win?). I am certain the second question should be what do you do to help grow the game?

Back row, from left to right: Coach Phil Bannister, David Targett, Riley Sullivan, Dominic Ferranola, Kyle Honor, Spencer Manus, James Mincone, Mike Sclafani
Front row, from left to right: Kurt Wesch, Dimitri Mendrinos, Matt Tidona, Jimmy Contino, Brian Flynn, Taylor Kaczynski, Chris Gruver, Chris McAuliff, Stephen Lauria
Kneeling: Josh Levine

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
 
July 13, 2016-The Dix Hills Elite of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) are heading to Frisco, Texas to play for the national championship from July 25 to 31 as the wildcard team from Region 1 after losing a hard-fought battle to Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley United 2-1 in the Regional Championship finals on July 5 in West Virginia. Dix Hills had made it to Regionals by beating that very same Lehigh Valley team, 2-1, in the Region 1 Champions League finals on May 8.

This will be the third trip to Nationals in the past four years for the now Boys-Under-18 team. In 2013 as a Boys-Under-15 side, Dix Hills lost in the national championship final in overtime to California’s Santa Barbara SC White on a penalty kick. The following year at Boys-Under-16, the boys came close again, losing in overtime in the semifinals to eventual national champion Baltimore Celtic.

Dix Hills played in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) State Open Cup finals for five consecutive years from 2011 to 2015, winning the state championship in the odd-numbered years (2011, 2013, 2015).

Dix Hills also competed in the National League for the past four years. In 2014, they became the first National League team not to give up a goal in league play. They finished with a 6-0-1 record, with 14 goals scored and seven consecutive shutouts, playing an amazing 560 minutes of soccer against nationally-ranked opponents without conceding a goal.

The boys are looking forward to going to Texas to seek the national championship that has eluded them and Eastern New York will be making a donation to help with their costs. While working around high school graduation parties and graduation trips, Dix Hills will be training several days a week and scrimmage the Boys-Under-19 Smithtown Arsenal, who are also regional champions and preparing for Nationals.

“This resilient bunch never gives up,” commented Dix Hills team manager Howard Manus.

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.

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

September 29, 2016-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Scott Westgate of the Town of Poughkeepsie Soccer Club, a longtime member of the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL), is being honored as our 2016 Boys Recreational Coach of the Year and he will receive his award at Eastern New York's Holiday Party on Sunday, December 4 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.

Team parent Rheam Deans wrote, “I can't say enough good things about him. We have a very culturally diverse team with parents who struggle with English, and several students with medical and physical limitations, and Coach Westgate not only accommodates the environment for them, but he also emphasizes their abilities while drawing out their very best and empowering the kids with special needs. He also shows interest and cultural sensitivity to students of diverse backgrounds and is incredibly respectful. Coach Westgate is the best role model my son Aiden could have. Not only does he set a perfect example for the students regarding sportsmanship, he is a perfect example of good citizenship, respect and cultural appreciation.“

“In addition, my incredibly shy and self-conscience son, who didn't speak in public until he was six years old because of an articulation delay, is really blossoming and is obsessed with soccer, wearing only soccer-related paraphernalia every single day. He has grown exponentially as an outstanding soccer player both in skill and technique, but what pleases me more is how he has grown as a kind, understanding and appreciative human being. I am so honored, proud, and grateful that Aiden has the best possible coach, who is one in a million.“

Congratulations to Scott Westgate, the 2016 Boys Recreational Coach of the Year 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.