By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 8, 2024-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Nesconset’s Diego Flores is receiving a Livio D’Arpino Scholarship.
Diego wrote is his essay that “I have seen that by leading by example and living your values first-hand allows you to impact the lives of so many people. As an incoming college athlete and aspiring nurse, I’m excited to find my role in society and put myself in a position to bring about change, serve the needs of others and implement the same trust, respect and accountability that I was lucky to have been provided by my community and my peers.”
At Smithtown East High School, Diego was a member of the Math Honor Society, Science Honor Society and French Honor Society while maintaining a weighted GPA of 4.28. He has been the Bulls’ starting goalkeeper since 2021 and was honored three times as both All-Conference and All-County, named Long Island Boys Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year, received the News 12 Long Island Scholar-Athlete Award and also was a Ray Perez Scholarship Recipient.
Diego has played for Eastern New York’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) since 2019 and been a member of the National ODP Team since 2022, playing in the Dallas Cup’s Boys-Under-17 final in 2023.
The scholarship’s namesake, Livio D’Arpino, was a beloved Eastern New York Vice President who was seemingly involved in every level of local soccer before his untimely passing in 2002. The award is based on success in high school as well as community service.
We wish Diego the best pursuing a nursing degree and playing soccer at Southern Connecticut State University starting this fall.
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/