By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
February 24, 2017-It’s always nice to receive a pat on the back and some of the top soccer volunteers and players on Long Island will receive some very nice accolades during the 35th Annual Long Island Junior Soccer League Convention on March 3, 4 and 5 at the Huntington Hilton. With 1,600 travel and premier teams, the LIJSL is the largest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and its convention is one of the world’s largest soccer conventions with 10,000 expected to come again this year.
The fun kicks off at 7 pm on Friday night, March 3 with the Annual Awards Dinner as the Volunteer of the Year from each LIJSL club will be honored. Oceanside United’s Michael D’Ambrosio, John Deutsch of the East Islip Soccer Club, Cora Fitzgerald of the Terryville Soccer Club plus the Plainedge Soccer Club’s Joe Karam will be inducted into the LIJSL Hall of Fame that evening.
At 7:30 pm on Saturday, March 4, the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame will honor the Long Island Lady Rough Riders national championship teams of 1995 and 1997. This year's inductees are Caitlin Connolly, Kim Conway, Dina Grossman-Case, Laura Martin, Tracy Sofsian, Gina Tucker and Christie Welsh. To register for the dinner, log on to http://lijslsoccer.siplay.com/site/
Although there is a fee for attending both dinners, admission to the rest of the LIJSL Convention is absolutely free. Being honored on Saturday, March 4 and on Sunday morning, March 5 are all the teams who won the LIJSL Sportsmanship Award during the 2016 Fall Season. Over 100 teams will be honored as the award is given to the most sporting team per division, determined by the ratings of the referee after every game.
Also throughout the day on March 4 and the morning of March 5, there will be meetings for club presidents, coaches and volunteers plus coaches and referee clinics as thousands of people purchase soccer items from vendors who have come from around the world. Highlights include:
• A bilingual College Forum (English/Spanish) for high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors. The expert panel will talk about what every parent and player needs to know, including NCAA requirements, financial aid packages plus picking the college that’s right for you!
• American Red Cross CPR/AED Training. Click here for registration: http://www.lijsoccer.com/configure/uploads/1485440061CPRregistration.pdf
• NSCAA 4v4 Course, a three-hour course designed for those who will be coaching youth soccer players from 4 to 10 years of age. Click here for registration: http://www.lijsoccer.com/configure/uploads/1485443110NSCAACourseregistration.pdf
• NSCAA Goalkeeper Level 1 Diploma Course which will explore some of the myths and mystiques surrounding the last line of defense. Click here for registration: http://www.lijsoccer.com/configure/uploads/1485443070GKCourseRegistration.pdf
• Soccer Cleat, Balls and Uniform Collection for needy children
• Soccer Games free-of-charge for Under-9 to Under-12 LIJSL teams all weekend (weather-permitting) in the NewYork Cosmos Inflatable Soccer Field, outside on the tennis court. To register: http://www.lijsoccer.com/configure/uploads/1485444701Blowupfieldgames.pdf
To view the entire LIJSL Convention schedule, go to http://www.lijsoccer.com/configure/uploads/1486133775Webschedule.pdf
For more information about the 35th Annual LIJSL Convention, please contact the league at 631-648-9020.
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.