By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 14, 2021-It was obvious that a team with the word “Academy” in its name would win the Boys-Under-14 State Open Cup as the final on June 5 in LaGrange featured Barca Academy NY Pro and B/W Gottschee Pre-Academy. Off a late winning goal by Dylan Thomas, Barca prevailed, 3-2, to take the Howard Rubenstein Cup back to Long Island.
Now living in Kentucky, 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 Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL).
Barca will represent Eastern New York at the East Regionals from June 25 to July 1 in Hammonton, New Jersey as part of the National Championship Series.
Barca also received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award, as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died five years ago, started the
LIJSL
Sportsmanship Program in 1980 and it spread to Eastern New York, nationally and then to China and Ireland, and in the process, made soccer games kinder and gentler.
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/