By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
December 29, 2025-Congratulations to the LIJSL Academy, which has won the Girls-Under-15 USL Youth League national championship. Made up of players from the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), the largest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), the squad won three games and tied one in Tampa earlier this month.
LIJSL Academy qualified for Nationals by virtue of having the best record in the North Atlantic Division last summer with 6 wins, 0 losses and 2 ties, scoring 28 goals and conceding just 3.
Bottom row, left to right: Emily Landa, Braelin Fernandes, Makayla Friedrich, Ava Manfredi, Izzy Hercules. Camera shy: Abigail Smith
The Girls-Under-15 Nationals was round-robin play with four games to determine the national champion. On December 11, LIJSL Academy scored in the dying seconds of the first match on a goal by two players named Emily as Emily Landa scored with Emily Belpanno providing the assist to tie Maryland United, 1-1.
The next day, LIJSL Academy defeated Michigan DBSS, 5-1. Coach Salma Tarik commented, “We were flying on all cylinders as this game was hands-down the best match I have seen this team play in a year-and-a-half as our style of play, attitude, effort, desire and mentality all came together.”
On December 13, LIJSL Academy played another team from Michigan, the Portage Soccer Club, topping them 2-1. Coach Tarik explained, “I would say this was our hardest game. Their attacking line was something we didn’t face yet in the tournament and they were very athletic and physical. Our goalkeeper, Makayla Friedrich, made the best save of the tournament in stopping a breakaway.”
Led by tournament MVP Ava Manfredi, LIJSL Academy secured the national championship with a 4-0 victory over Ironbound from Newark, New Jersey on December 15.
“Resilience, grit, motivation, hard work and confidence led us to the national title. We knew what we were there to do and having missed out on attending last year, we wanted to make a statement and do something this club has never done which was win a national championship,” Coach Tarik continued. “I told this group over and over, you believe in what you can do against any opponent and this is the best team I have ever coached and it is our time to make a statement, and we did just that!”
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, east of Route 81. ENYYSA encourages 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 US Soccer and US Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/