By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
June 3, 2026-It was fitting that two teams from Nassau County would play for the Joanne Roth Cup as she lived in that county as well. The Rockville Centre Red Devils defeated the Glen Cove Cheetahs in a game between two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) squads, 2-0, on Saturday, May 30 at the Blue Sky Sports Complex in Middletown to win the Girls-Under-12 State Cup Championship.
The cup’s namesake, Joanne Roth, was a beloved and smiling presence at the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) office until her untimely passing from ALS in 2019.
Felicity Brown and Kiera Endy scored Rockville Centre’s goals while goalkeeper Risa Maccione had the shutout in net.
Rockville Centre coach Alejandro Bueno said, “Felicity was our MVP today. The refereeing was very good as well.”
Rockville Centre also received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a US Soccer Life Member who died a decade ago, started the LIJSL Sportsmanship Program in 1980 and it spread to Eastern New York, nationally and then to China and Ireland, and in the process, made soccer games kinder and gentler.
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/