Press Release

Becoming a Ref Could Be One of the Best Decisions You Ever Make

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

June 24, 2025-The Soccer Mom rolled down her car window as she and her daughter were leaving the soccer complex.

“Thank you, ref!” she said. “I know it’s a thankless job.”

“Not really,” I countered. “99% of the people are great!”

Maybe 99% is an exaggeration but at least 95% understand that youth soccer features kids playing a game and they, their coaches and the refs make mistakes, although never on purpose. Very few treat the game like the World Cup final.

I should know as I’ve refereed in six different decades, starting as a teen when Jimmy Carter was President. And the vast majority of people have treated me great and I heartily expect that will continue.

There are many great things that happen when you referee as you meet new people, learn leadership skills, learn to manage people, learn to remain calm at all times, you are your own boss and go directly to the customer, you expand yourself by leaving your comfort zone plus you get (or stay) fit, all while earning money on the side.

Becoming a soccer referee was one of the best decisions I ever made and that could be the same for you! The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is seeking new referees to be in the middle and/or on the line as assistant referees in youth soccer games throughout the state. The minimum age is 14 years old to become certified. You manage your availability so officiating works with all the rest that you do!

For more information, log on to https://enysreferee.org/how-to-become-a-referee/. If you have any questions, e-mail questions@enysreferee.org

Michael Blackton photo of Randy Vogt refereeing the South Shore Bulldogs

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 10 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 US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log onto http://www.enysoccer.com/

Liberty Cup to Reboot With a Tournament This Summer on Long Island

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

May 12, 2025-The Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), the largest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), has announced plans to expand the league’s slate of competitions with a summer tournament. Liberty Cup Long Island will be played on Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27 at Brentwood Soccer Park.

“We are confident that the Liberty Cup will become a mainstay of the Long Island soccer calendar,” LIJSL President Andrew Seabury said.

The event will be for the Under-9 to Under-12 age groups with brackets for both boys and girls. The competition will have a guarantee of three games and the ability to reach a final. All games will be 50 minutes long as the Under-9 and Under-10 age groups compete 7v7, while Under-11 and Under-12 compete 9v9.

“We’re continuously looking for initiatives for our LIJSL clubs and players,” LIJSL Sporting Director John Fitzgerald explained. “The Liberty Cup was a top-flight event that we ran in the past, and in its return is one such initiative. We’re excited to host this local competition, and also hope to attract teams from beyond Long Island.”

Along with bolstering league-wide programming to benefit all membership, the tournament provides a local platform for the LIJSL Academy East and West programs to showcase each team’s hard work over the coming months.

“I’m excited to be part of bringing the Liberty Cup back to Long Island,” LIJSL Technical Director Ronan Wiseman said. “It will provide our Academy East and West teams with a great opportunity for some good competition close to home and it will re-establish the tournament we first started back in the 90s.”

The upcoming tournament is a reboot of the Liberty Cup in the 1990s that featured competing teams from around the United States and the world. Sister tournaments were Liberty Cup Moscow, Liberty Cup Italy and Liberty Cup Ireland.

The Eastern Pennsylvania ODP team (along with their families) that played in Liberty Cup Moscow. In the front row, Jon Busch is second from the left and Ben Olsen is third from the right (in the orange cap). Coach Len Bilous is on the far right in the back row.

Scores of youth soccer players who would move on to the professional ranks played in the Liberty Cup. Eastern Pennsylvania Olympic Development Program (ODP) players Ben Olsen (now the Houston Dynamo coach) and Jon Busch (now goalkeeper coach for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds) had long professional playing careers and played in both Liberty Cup USA and Liberty Cup Moscow. In Moscow, they were eyewitnesses to history as the August 1991 military coup was defeated and Liberty Cup Moscow truly earned its name.

ENYYSA Public Relations Director Randy Vogt purposely wearing the ironic color of red as Communism was defeated when the August 1991 military coup ended. He’s standing in front of the Russian Parliament Building just after the coup was over. Notice the barricades in the background that were protecting Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

The LIJSL then established an exchange program with soccer clubs in the former Soviet Union and the league purchased flags of the newly independent nations carved out of the USSR. In 1992, a Zenit St. Petersburg youth team was arriving at Kennedy Airport two days earlier than expected, the LIJSL had less than 24 hours notice plus the LIJSL Select Team scheduled to host them was playing in a tournament in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. So LIJSL volunteers scrambled, picking up the team at Kennedy Airport, found host homes that weekend for all the players and provided summer uniforms for the boys as their long-sleeve wool jerseys were too hot for the summer heat.

Commack United players surrounding Juventus goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi in 1994.

Commack United, coached by Ray Anderson, made it to the Liberty Cup Italy Boys-Under-16 final in Turin in 1994. Two Commack United players, Carlo Acquista (Fordham) and Mike Mordocco (LIU), are now NCAA Division 1 men’s college coaches.

Registration for the 2025 Liberty Cup is now open and interested teams can apply here.

Commack Crushes Their Way to the IberCup in Portugal

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

May 8, 2025-The Commack Crush went undefeated in qualifying against Dix Hills, Rockville Centre and Smithtown to reserve a spot in the 2025 IberCup, being played from July 1 to 6 in Estoril, Portugal. Commack qualified through the Elite Clubs Alliance League (ECAL), which is organized by the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) to earn free entry in the IberCup.

Under the coaching of former Long Island Rough Rider Jim Walther, Commack has done well, being champions of their EDP division and the East Meadow Tournament in 2024 plus reaching the championship game of the East Islip Fall Classic and SUSA Spring Kickoff. This solid Girls-Under-11 team is currently playing up a year in EDP Southeast 2 to prepare for the IberCup.

“The Crush is a very good team because the players are close, love and play for one another,” Coach Walther stated.

In the LIJSL’s agreement with the IberCup, squads that qualify through ECAL such as Commack receive free accommodation during the trip as well as three meals per day. Transport to and from the airport in Portugal as well as to and from the tournament venues is provided. Yet there is need for the girls to fundraise to help decrease the cost for their families for the trip to Portugal. Anybody who would like to help out can contact coach Jim Walther at jwalther827@gmail.com

Four Staten Island Teams Play on the Red Bulls’ Pitch

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

April 30, 2025-The Staten Island Youth Soccer League (SIYSL), the southernmost league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), held a special event with the Red Bulls at Sports Illustrated Stadium last Saturday, April 26 during the Red Bulls’ 1-0 win over CF Montreal.

Four SIYSL teams that sold the most tickets were invited by the Red Bulls to play on their field at halftime.

Congrats to the Great Kills Tornados (in yellow), Richmondtown Knights (blue and white), St. Charles Cobras (red) and Staten Island SC Inter (navy blue). A great time was had by all!

The American Soccer Club to Debut in May

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

April 29, 2025-Think of the American Soccer Club of New York as being red, white and new. Chock full of players who grew up in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) team kicks off its inaugural season on May 4 at Hofstra University’s Captains Field.

Led in the executive suite by Hicksville Americans Soccer Club alumnus Kevin Reardon and Massapequa Soccer Club graduate Jim Kilmeade, who served as the first General Manager of the Long Island Rough Riders in the mid-1990’s. The Rough Riders were also filled with local players such as Chris Armas, Giovanni Savarese, Tony Meola and many other noteworthies and won the United Soccer Leagues (USL) national championship in 1995. As this was a year before Major League Soccer (MLS) kicked off, the Rough Riders were arguably the best team in all of the United States that year. They had a great slogan of “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Kick” as they attracted SRO crowds to Mitchel Athletic Complex.

30 years later, the pro soccer landscape has changed as many professional teams dot the landscape. The NPSL is in the fourth division of American soccer, one level above the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) which has nine teams on Long Island. The NPSL was founded in 2003 and now has over 90 clubs across the United States. Its Managing Director is Cindy Spera, who played for the Rough Riders women’s team, then named the Long Island Lady Riders, three decades ago.

The American Soccer Club looks to fill Captains Field for their five home dates:

Sunday, May 4 vs. Osner’s FC. Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Night
Saturday, May 10 vs. New York Shockers. Eastern New York ODP Night.
Saturday, May 31 vs. New Haven United
Tuesday, June 24 vs. Hartford City
Saturday, July 5 vs. New Haven United
All home games at 7:00 pm.

The local ties continue as the American Soccer Club coach is John Fitzgerald, the LIJSL Sporting Director who grew up playing for the Hicksville Americans Soccer Club.

“US Men’s National Team player Joe Scally is the prototype for why we are doing this,” Kilmeade concluded. “With all the soccer and all the people here, we believe there is more than one Joe Scally on Long Island.”

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 10 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 US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/

The Quest For the State Cup Championship Ends on May 31

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

May 1, 2025-The State Cup kicked off on Saturday, March 1 on fields across the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and concludes with 23 championship games on Saturday, May 31 at the Blue Sky Sports Complex, a 249-acre grass venue in Middletown. This is the first time that the State Cup finals have been played in Orange County. For over decade, the championship games were played at Stringham Park in LaGrange in Dutchess County, east of the Hudson River, but have moved west of the Hudson in 2025. Both venues are centrally-located in Eastern New York.

The State Open Cup is for the top teams and it’s part of the National Championship Series. The Challenge Cup is for all teams at Under-10 and Under-11 as there is not a State Open Cup in those age groups. For Under-12 to Under-16, it’s for mid- to lower-tier squads.

The preliminary rounds were played in March and April from the East End of Long Island to north of Albany. The quarterfinals will be played this Saturday, May 3 with the semis on Saturday, May 17.

The exception is the Under-18/19 State Open Cup that starts in May as some players in that age group are away at college. Those games kick off on Friday night, May 2.

For more info about the State Open Cup or Challenge Cup, please phone the ENYYSA office at 516-766-0849.

Apply For an ODP College Scholarship

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

April 17, 2025-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for the ODP College Scholarship Program. One boy and one girl will receive a scholarship. The criteria are:

Must be a high school senior.
Must be a current Eastern New York ODP player or have played Eastern New York ODP.
Must have a B average or higher.
Must plan on attending a school of higher education after high school graduation.
Must submit a 200-word essay on why you deserve this scholarship. (Essay must include name, address, phone number and e-mail address)

The application is linked here.

The entry deadline is June 30. ODP is the highest level of play in each state association and Eastern New York would particularly like to thank the Cortlandt Soccer Club for funding the scholarships.

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 10 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/

State Cup Finals to Be Played in Orange County For the First Time

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

April 9, 2025-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that the State Cup Finals will be played in Orange County for the first time. The State Open Cup finals as well as the Challenge Cup finals will be played at the Blue Sky Sports Complex in Middletown on Saturday, May 31. And rather than a weekend of championship soccer as Eastern New York has done for decades, Blue Sky is large enough to have all 23 final games to be played on one day as it’s a 249-acre sports complex centrally-located in Eastern New York.

The State Open Cup is for the top teams and it’s the pathway to Nationals. The Challenge Cup is for all teams at Under-10 and Under-11 as there is not a State Open Cup in those age groups. For Under-12 to Under-16, it’s for mid- to lower-tier squads.

The games kicked off with the first round on Saturday, March 1 and the preliminary rounds were played last month from the East End of Long Island to north of Albany. The quarterfinals will be played on Saturday, May 3 with the semis on Saturday, May 17.

The exception is the Under-18/19 State Open Cup that starts in May as some players in that age group are away at college.

All games will be played at a club’s home field except the championship games on May 31 at Blue Sky.

For more info about the State Open Cup or Challenge Cup, please phone the ENYYSA office at 516-766-0849.

The Pat McComiskey Father’s Day Weekend Tournament Has Been a Massapequa Tradition For the Past 53 Years

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

April 10, 2025-The Massapequa Soccer Club, in partnership with US Youth Soccer’s League America and the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), is pleased to present the 53rd Annual Pat McComiskey Father’s Day Weekend Tournament.

Pat McComiskey co-founded the Massapequa Soccer Club in 1970 along with Hank Oustecky, long before most other Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) clubs were founded, and the Massapequa duo helped start the youth soccer boom of the 1970’s.

“The Massapequa Soccer Club Tournament Event Series has, on the whole, continued to grow over the past three years. As a legacy event, perhaps the Pat McComiskey Father’s Day Weekend Tournament does not receive the publicity that it used to. Partnering with Eastern New York as a US Youth League America Festivals-presented event should help us in that regard,” explained Massapequa Soccer Club Chief Club Administrator Steve Padaetz. “This is in-line with the legacy of the Pat McComiskey Tournament and its dedication to and focus on the intramural and recreational player for more than 50 years.”

The fun begins on Friday night, June 13 from 5 to 10 pm as Under-9 and Under-10 travel teams, both boys and girls, play 7 vs. 7. Under-6 to Under-12 intramural players, both boys and girls, take the field all day on Saturday, June 14. The Under-6 and Under-7 age groups play 4 vs. 4 with no goalkeeper, Under-8 plays 5 vs. 5 and Under-9 to Under-12 play 7 vs. 7. The teams will play four 25-minute mini-games. 77 teams played in the Pat McComiskey Tournament last year.

For more information and to register, click here.

For questions, e-mail tournamentdirector@massapequasc.com

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 10 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/

Ideas On Non-Competitive Games For Players, Referees and Coaches

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

April 1, 2025-In the close to 50 years that I have been refereeing, I’ve seen a minority of games where one team is clearly overmatched. Everybody (or nearly everybody) at the field feels compassion for the overmatched squad and wants to avoid the score getting out of hand. Some coaches of the winning team have even come up to me at halftime seeking ideas on what to do to avoid a lopsided score so here are some ideas for players, refs and coaches:

Players on Overmatched Squads

The temptation is to hang your head and stop trying when the other team is much better and keeps scoring but that will only make the score worse. My suggestion is to understand they are better, not get frustrated and the only way to get to their level one day is to keep trying and practicing.

I took French for eight years in high school and college and after graduating in 1984, had little opportunity to practice French as the immigration patterns changed. But I was able to maintain some conversational French by watching videos and speaking it whenever the few chances arrived. Two years ago, I joined the Centereach French Club and we meet every week. My French level is not at the level of most of the others as they are native French speakers, French teachers or both. Rather than get frustrated, I understand they’re better, keep trying and I’m happy to say that I can participate more two years later as my French has improved.

Referees

The temptation is to ref according to the score. But to not whistle a penalty kick for the team leading 7-0 for the trip in the penalty area could lead to retaliation. Referees treat both teams equally, no matter the score and especially need to be on the lookout for deliberate fouls by frustrated players in non-competitive games.

Coaches of Winning Teams

Coaches try a variety of methods to keep the score down. I find that these four things work best:
• Move the top forward(s) on the team to defense or goal and vice versa
• Play low-pressure and let the overmatched team get some confidence with the ball and do not pressure them until the ball is near the halfway line
• Take shots only from outside the penalty area
• Upon getting possession of the ball, play back to the goalkeeper. This spreads the field and gives the keeper an opportunity to be involved in the game.

In a recent Boys-Under-12 game, one team was up 5-0 at halftime and the winning coach asked me what he should do to not run up the score. I told him, “You have two very good forwards up top who are much bigger and quicker than the players on the other team. You could put them back on defense.”

The coach did exactly that and the final score was 9-3. The other team got some confidence back as they moved the ball and a girl on the other team scored two goals at the end of the match, once dribbling past three players en route to scoring. After that goal, she was so happy that she ran all the way to her bench on the other side of the field to celebrate with her teammates. As the players were shaking hands after the game, a father from the other team walked across the pitch and said to her, “You played awesome!”, while giving her a high five. The good feelings after the match would not have been there if the winning coach did not feel compassion for the other team and the final score was 10-0 instead.

I would like to hear your ideas on how to limit the score so please e-mail me. Thanks!