By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
April 29, 2025-Think of the American Soccer Club of New York as being red, white and new. Chock full of players who grew up in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) team kicks off its inaugural season on May 4 at Hofstra University’s Captains Field.
Led in the executive suite by Hicksville Americans Soccer Club alumnus Kevin Reardon and Massapequa Soccer Club graduate Jim Kilmeade, who served as the first General Manager of the Long Island Rough Riders in the mid-1990’s. The Rough Riders were also filled with local players such as Chris Armas, Giovanni Savarese, Tony Meola and many other noteworthies and won the United Soccer Leagues (USL) national championship in 1995. As this was a year before Major League Soccer (MLS) kicked off, the Rough Riders were arguably the best team in all of the United States that year. They had a great slogan of “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Kick” as they attracted SRO crowds to Mitchel Athletic Complex.
30 years later, the pro soccer landscape has changed as many professional teams dot the landscape. The NPSL is in the fourth division of American soccer, one level above the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) which has nine teams on Long Island. The NPSL was founded in 2003 and now has over 90 clubs across the United States. Its Managing Director is Cindy Spera, who played for the Rough Riders women’s team, then named the Long Island Lady Riders, three decades ago.
The American Soccer Club looks to fill Captains Field for their five home dates:
Sunday, May 4 vs. Osner’s FC. Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Night
Saturday, May 10 vs. New York Shockers. Eastern New York ODP Night.
Saturday, May 31 vs. New Haven United
Tuesday, June 24 vs. Hartford City
Saturday, July 5 vs. New Haven United
All home games at 7:00 pm.
The local ties continue as the American Soccer Club coach is John Fitzgerald, the LIJSL Sporting Director who grew up playing for the Hicksville Americans Soccer Club.
“US Men’s National Team player Joe Scally is the prototype for why we are doing this,” Kilmeade concluded. “With all the soccer and all the people here, we believe there is more than one Joe Scally on Long Island.”
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/