By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
May 6, 2026-It’s very simple, only one team can win a soccer game but both squads should be having fun. Especially on the youth level.
Lately, a few people have forgotten this, or that the children and teenagers are there to play a game and have fun, the coaches are there to coach, the refs are there to officiate and the spectators are there to cheer. Unsavory incidents receive headlines while there are many wonderful expressions of sportsmanship that do not garner the same attention. In the games I have officiated, I’ve seen:
• Kids helping up opposing players who have fallen to the ground
• Kids asking opposing players, “Are you all right?”, after fouling them
• Teams routinely kicking the ball out of play when a player is injured and the other squad throws the ball to the other team when play resumes.
• Coaches not fielding 11 players, just the same number of players as the other team until everybody shows up.
• Teams switching player positions, playing the ball back to their keeper upon getting possession, trying to score only on headers, etc., when playing against overmatched opponents so that the score does not get out of hand.
• Opposing players and coaches shaking hands after games. There are approximately 25 million handshakes after Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) matches annually.
In a 2025 Project Play survey of youth soccer players in the New York City metro area, 48% of kids said playing with their friends, 46% replied having fun and 45% said learning or improving skills were their reasons for playing youth soccer. Only 23% cited winning as the reason.
Our Zero Tolerance Policy has very stringent penalties but we would prefer that everybody behaves appropriately. As we continue the Spring Season, let’s not lose sight of why we are involved.
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/