By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 12, 2019-In a final between two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams, the New Hyde Park Leopards beat the Plainedge Heat, 4-1, on June 1 at Stringham Park in LaGrange. This Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) championship game was for the Boys-Under-10 Arch Cup Gold title.
“We kicked the ball very hard and were able to outrun the other team,” said New Hyde Park coach George Lopez.
Anthony Gianola netted two goals plus Anthony Matesic and Michael Zang each scored one to give New Hyde Park the title.
Plainedge received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. The namesake of the award, who died in 2016, was inducted into the Halls of Fame of the LIJSL and Eastern New York plus was honored as a Life Member by U.S. Soccer. Amoroso started the LIJSL Sportsmanship Program in 1980, it has since been copied around the world and he spoke about the benefits of Fair Play across the United States.
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.