By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
January 30, 2024-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is pleased to announce that Dimitri Giatrakis was inducted into the Eastern New York Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place at the Eastern New York Hall of Fame Banquet on January 27 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.
From left to right: ENYYSA President Richard Christiano, Dimitri Giatrakis, Hall of Fame Committee Chairperson Ken Gulmi
Dimitri began his coaching career approximately 30 years ago in Clarkstown. In fact, Matt Turner, our current US National Team goalkeeper, played his youth soccer there under Coach Dimitri all the way through to college. And they are still in touch with one another! Committed to achieving excellence as a coach, he completed licensing courses until he achieved the highest level: The US Soccer National A license. One of very few to do so at that time. He was so highly regarded that the National Coaching Staff added him as an instructor in the Federation’s National C course and he was one of only three in New York State.
In the early days of the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL) Academy, Dimitri assumed the position of League Technical Director for several years and authored full-season lesson plans for every single age group from Under-10 through Under-19 including objectives, coaching strategies, practice sessions, etc. These lesson plans gave those early days a consistent and well-structured developmental program from youth soccer entry to aging out.
For over 20 years, Dimitri has coached teams from Mahopac, Yorktown, Shrub Oak and the Town of Cortlandt and is still coaching to this day in what is now known as the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League (HVYSL). He served six years as Technical Director for Boys ODP North and added Girls ODP North as well for the last two, building a coaching staff that set a record for the number of players placed in the Region 1 player pool. Furthermore, his own team made it to the national finals before losing in a shootout. At present, his love of coaching has led him to return to the Eastern New York Olympic Development Program (ODP), accepting a coaching position on the current staff.
As if all this coaching was not enough, Dimitri is also a US Soccer-certified referee for the past two decades and is still refereeing.
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/