Affiliate Leagues

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association 

March 12, 2024-In 1997, Luis Montoya founded the Big Apple Youth Soccer League (BAYSL) to serve the growing Latino population of New York City. The Eastern New York Hall of Famer was an enthusiastic supporter of local soccer and volunteered as BAYSL President from the founding of the league to his passing in 2021. Additionally, Luis served as a member of the diversity committee for U.S. Soccer under four presidents: Alan Rothenberg, Dr. Bob Contiguglia, Sunil Gulati and Carlos Cordeiro.

The BAYSL hosted the 26th Annual Luis Montoya Indoor Tournament at the Elmcor Gym and PS Q211 in Queens from January 6 to March 2.  56 squads from Under-8 to Under-15 competed.

“Everything went well,” stated BAYSL President Carlos Vergara. “All the games were on time and there was very good work by the referees. We played most of the games at Elmcor, our winter home for the past 26 years.”

A recap of the divisions:

Under-8: Club Madrid, JJV Academy, New York Kids, New York Talentos, Ramos Soccer International and Real Corona all received trophies

Under-9: New York Kids won the championship and La Colonia finished in second place

Under-10: JJV Academy won the title with New York Talentos as runners-up

Under-11: Gunners SK won the championship and Real Bronx finished in second place

Under-12: New York Talentos were first with Barboncito in second

Under-13: Slammers Boys Black won the championship and Real Bronx finished in second place

Under-14: Slammers Boys Black defeated Slammers Boys Gray in an All-Slammers final game

Under-15: Slammers Boys Black won the title with Gunners SK as runners-up

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/

All photos courtesy of the Big Apple Youth Soccer League

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

January 4, 2024-South Bronx United, the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL) club that utilizes soccer as a vehicle for social change, is pleased to announce the opening of the Clubhouse Café on Monday, January 8. The cafe is a coffee shop dedicated to providing real-world job training to young adults. The Clubhouse Café is located at 812 River Avenue, just one block from Yankee Stadium, and will be one of the only coffee shops in the South Bronx’s Concourse neighborhood. 

The cafe will expand upon South Bronx United’s programs that engage children and young people through soccer while offering academic enrichment, college prep programs, mentoring, immigration legal services and other family supports. South Bronx United’s impact is felt through the thousands of children who have participated in its community programs and through graduates of the SBU Academy, where 100% of its high school seniors since 2011 have graduated high school and 94% have matriculated into college.

In order to expand its community impact, the organization has partnered with local New York City Colombian coffee roaster Devoción. The roaster sells the “freshest coffee” available in the USA at its five locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, going from farm-to-cup in as little as 10 days. 

“Devoción is thrilled to work with South Bronx United in providing job training and career opportunities to the next generation while making the Clubhouse Café our first partner in the Bronx. South Bronx United already delivers crucial programs to youth and families in the Bronx, so there was no better organization to work with on this,” explained Devoción CEO Steven Sutton, who launched the company in 2006.

Another key partner in the project is Harney & Sons, a family-led fine tea brand with an international reputation and shop in the Manhattan section of SoHo. Sweets and pastries are sourced from South Bronx bakeries Mottley Kitchen and Sully & Vanilla. 

The opening of the Clubhouse Café enables South Bronx United to strengthen its college and career success services through a new workforce development program for underemployed young people, ages 16-24. The program will help participants build job skills, cultivate a potential career and secure long-term employment through weekly workshops and on-the-job training. During a six-month cohort, program fellows are employed in the Café Fellowship as baristas and food/hospitality staff or on the soccer field as coaches and mentors through the Coaching Corps. Ultimately, the program aims to help fellows gain full-time employment either in food service and hospitality or sports, transition into employment or a training program for another career of interest or pursue a full-time college degree.  

“We are excited to finally open our doors at the Clubhouse Café,” stated South Bronx United Executive Director Andrew So, the 2020 Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and East Region Administrator of the Year. “This area has long lacked a spot with a neighborhood feel for residents, workers and even tourists and fans to stop in for a coffee or tea, for a meet-up or a quick workspace. Now they can do so while also supporting an important cause. With every cup and every purchase, guests will be giving our young adults something they’ve been asking for job training, professional skills and a potential entrance into a career.”

The first employment cohort launched in July with 12 young women and men, including seven who participated in the Café Fellowship. They completed barista training at Devoción’s state-of-the-art education lab in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Please drop into the Clubhouse Café to meet the Fellows behind the counter and continue their training. 

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/

By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association 

November 20, 2023-In 1974, the West-Put Youth Soccer League was founded. It originally served just Westchester and Putnam counties. But the league quickly expanded its geographic footprint and has been known as the East Hudson Youth Soccer League for most of the 49 years of its existence.

As the league prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024, it has rebranded into the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League (HVYSL) as that name better reflects their nearly 15,000 registered youth players both east and west of the Hudson River. The league brings together clubs from Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties in New York plus Pike County in Pennsylvania.

The HVYSL logo is representative of the Hudson River that formed the Hudson Valley as well as the Catskills and the Gunks that rise high above. The symbolism of the bridge was to “connect” the clubs from the entire Hudson Valley region and the logo does not depict one particular bridge that spans the Hudson.

Logo design by Media Solstice with the input of HVYSL volunteers. Media Solstice, based in Port Jervis, does a great deal of branding in the Hudson Valley.

In addition to changing its name and logo, HVYSL also recognized that it was necessary to expand its Academy Program offering for its clubs. The Academy is a supplemental training program from November through July and culminates with summer tournaments. 

Three years ago, the league began its Premier program. Many boys and girls play on club travel teams and would like to challenge themselves at the Premier League level. HVYSL Premier teams train once a week and play their games on Saturdays. The understanding for all of these players is that they also should play with their local club teams on Sundays as they cannot just do HVYSL Premier.  

Also new from HVYSL is the T3 Program, a skill-based program that focuses on the 3T’s: Technical, Tactical and Thought. HVYSL has indoor and outdoor training options for all travel team and recreation players from HVYSL clubs. The home training complex is the Hudson Valley Sports Dome in Milton, New York.

For more information about the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League, please contact the league office at 845-765-2864.

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 United States Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/