By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
August 10, 2023-Four Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Girls-Under-14 teams played friendly games against one another on Sunday, August 6 on fields marked with pink lines at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview. The East Islip Stars, Lindenhurst Sparks, Plainedge Rockets and VOB Wolfpack/Cosmos all had fun in the 17th Annual Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival. Additionally, four adult coed teams made up of Estée Lauder employees from their offices on Long Island and in New York City were part of the action as well.
Through player entry fees, breast cancer support merchandise sales and raffle tickets, over $3,000 was raised for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, founded by Evelyn Lauder in 1992. Refs from the Long Island Soccer Referees Association (LISRA) donated their time in officiating from 9 am to 2 pm.
“I thank the LIJSL for their generosity and cooperation in helping us put on an event like this,” said event coordinator and Estée Lauder employee Carlos Ospina. “The leadership of the league understands the importance of this fight and continues to support us. It is so good to see the players, coaches and refs come out and support the cause at a time of year when others may not yet be thinking about it.”
Carlos formerly coached LIJSL teams Lynbrook/East Rockaway Lizards (boys) and Lynbrook/East Rockaway Landsharks (girls) before they graduated from youth soccer.
The LIJSL, through its partnership with the Estée Lauder Companies and Breast Cancer Research Foundation, has donated the use of the Peter Collins Soccer Park since the inaugural Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival in 2004. This wonderful event took a break from 2020 to 2022 because of the pandemic but is happy to return this year. Before kicking off the games at 9 am, a moment of silence was held for Michael Clarke, the Eastern New York and LIJSL Hall of Famer who passed away in June and was a big supporter of the event as Director of the Peter Collins Soccer Park.
Teams from the LIJSL, the largest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), are also encouraged to wear pink and play with pink soccer balls throughout October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness 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 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 Association. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/