News

Local Soccer Events Raise Money For Breast Cancer Support

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

August 25, 2026-While October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, August is an important month on the soccer calendar for this worthy cause as two local soccer events organized by dozens of volunteers are utilized to raise money for breast cancer support.

The 19th Annual Goals For Hope Tournament, featuring many alumni from the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League (HVYSL) and other Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) leagues, was played on Sunday, August 2 at Stringham Park in LaGrange. Six men’s teams and 15 women’s squads competed on a cloudy day in the Hudson Valley.

Through tournament sponsorships, donations and raffles, including donations from US Men’s National Team player Tyler Adams of Poughkeepsie, money was raised for the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation. This wonderful non-profit organization supports and provides services, financial aid and resources for those affected by breast cancer in the nine counties of the Hudson Valley. Since its founding in 2004, Miles of Hope has raised over $4 million.

Refs from the Hudson Valley Soccer Referees Association (HVSRA) donated their services to the tournament.

The 20th Annual Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival, organized by the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) and Estée Lauder, was played on Saturday, August 8 at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview. 25 LIJSL teams played 3v3 and four coed teams from Estée Lauder had fun in small-sided games on a sunny day on Long Island.

“It was a wonderfully pink day at the park,” LIJSL League Programs and Events Manager Stephanie Hernandez said. “No scores, no standings, just lots of fun raising money for a good cause. Our partnership with Estée Lauder has turned into years of friendship that continues to grow.”

Through player entry fees, breast cancer support merchandise sales and raffle tickets, $5,438 was raised for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, founded by Evelyn Lauder in 1992.

Refs from the Long Island Soccer Officials (LISO) donated their time in refereeing.

Juan Castillo, Estée Lauder’s Executive Director of Quality Assurance at the Melville office, explained, “The energy from work is here. What the volunteers do is the backbone of the tournament. We have mothers, sisters, wives who are all impacted. Because of you, they are not alone.”

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/

ENYYSA Teams Can Receive a Free Sideline Camera and Subscription

August 20, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is proud to announce Trace as its new Official Sideline Video partner.

Trace, established in 2011, is revolutionizing the use of video by leveraging AI technology to seamlessly identify, follow and spotlight each player on the field, automatically delivering a personalized playlist of individual highlights for every player after each game.

Additionally, Trace cameras are specifically designed to provide an enhanced viewing experience, allowing parents, coaches, and scouts to zoom in and follow a player throughout the match. Account users can also rewatch their plays, use video to develop their skills and share highlight playlists with friends, family, and recruiters.

Under the partnership, every team registered with an ENYYSA member club, from recreational to premier, can claim a complimentary sideline camera and PlayerFocus™ Pro subscription, bringing automated game film to sidelines across all ten of Eastern New York’s member leagues. Each team claims its own equipment directly at the partner checkout page, with instructions provided throughout the process.

“Every one of our member clubs, from our biggest programs to our smallest grassroots leagues, now has access to the same video technology top programs pay thousands for. Partnering with Trace means our coaches spend less time worrying about who’s filming the game, and our families have access to every highlight without lifting a finger,” said Tom Frambach, Director of Marketing & Membership Programs, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association.

“Eastern New York is one of the largest, most established youth soccer associations in the country, with ten leagues and more than 100,000 players across the region. Giving every one of their member teams a free camera and access to automatic highlights is exactly the kind of value we want partnerships like this to deliver. We can’t wait to see cameras on sidelines across all ten of their member leagues,” stated Gentry Contreras, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Trace.

Teams interested in requesting their free Trace camera and PlayerFocus™ Pro subscription should visit traceup.com/partner/eastern-new-york-youth-soccer to begin. Use code ENYFREE at checkout. Must be redeemed at checkout with a new camera.

Remembering the Dedicated Joe Danbusky

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

August 15, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is mourning the loss of longtime referee, instructor, mentor and assessor Joseph Danbusky, who passed away peacefully at home on August 12 after a long battle with cancer. The New Hyde Park resident was 80 years old.

Joe’s “real job” was working as a courier for FedEx for many years before retiring but he found his passion in the Beautiful Game. He was a referee at the youth, adult, high school and college levels and as the years went on, he became a dedicated instructor, becoming Eastern New York’s Director of Instruction. He also served for over a decade on the Board of Directors of the New York Metro Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NYMISOA). In the twilight of his life, Joe still showed up to help at Eastern New York ref clinics in-between his chemotherapy treatments.

The Long Island Soccer Referees Association (LISRA) stated, “Joe found tremendous joy in devoting himself to teaching, mentoring and preparing the next generation of soccer officials. He approached the game with the same qualities he brought to everything in his life: discipline, fairness, attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to doing things the right way.”

Visitation is Monday, August 17 from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm at the New Hyde Park Funeral Home, 506 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park, NY. Funeral Mass on Tuesday, August 18 at 10:45 am at Notre Dame Church, 5 Mayfair Road, New Hyde Park.

We have lost a very good man! May he rest in peace.

Ellida Earnhart Receives a Cortlandt ODP Scholarship From Eastern New York

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

August 14, 2026-Congratulations to Ellida Earnhart who is receiving a scholarship through the Cortlandt ODP Scholarship Program from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). ODP, short for the Olympic Development Program (ODP), is the highest level of play in every state association and players are guaranteed to be seen by national and regional coaches. Eastern New York would particularly like to thank the Cortlandt Soccer Club for funding this scholarship. Ellida has played for Eastern New York ODP for the past two years. The Philmont resident wrote in her essay:

Playing sports while balancing your education is hard. The long nights, tired mornings and exhausting days can feel like they last forever. But at the end of the day, at the end of the week, at the end of the marking period or the end of a game, when you score a goal, make an amazing tackle or receive an “A” on an assignment ,it makes it all worth it.

For me, I strive to be the best I can be. Whether that’s my career in sports, on the soccer field, or in every honors and college class I take, I choose the hard path. I chose to take the honors classes, complete the extra assignments and try out for the ODP team. My time here and now matter. I plan to make an impact. I plan on graduating summa cum laude, playing soccer in college and becoming an environmental lawyer. I am chasing my dreams, and will take every chance and opportunity I can to make them a reality.

Ellida is in the top 10% of her class at Taconic Hills High School, has maintained this status since the eight grade and recently received awards in Chemistry and Spanish.

Sean Mahoney Receives a Cortlandt ODP Scholarship From Eastern New York

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

August 13, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is pleased to announce that Sean Mahoney is receiving a scholarship through the Cortlandt ODP College Scholarship Program. ODP, short for the Olympic Development Program (ODP), is a high-level supplementary soccer program and players are guaranteed to be scouted by national and regional coaches. Eastern New York would particularly like to thank the Cortlandt Soccer Club for funding this scholarship.

Sean has played for Eastern New York ODP for seven years, represented the East Region three times and was the East Region team’s captain this past year. Additionally, he played for the ODP National Team in both 2025 and ’26.

From his midfield position, the Baldwin resident helped lead New York Hota Bavarian 2008 Blue to the State Cup and Regional championship last year as well as the semifinals of Nationals and to the State Cup title this year.

Sean was on the honor roll at Oceanside High School where he was a 3-year varsity starter. He captained the Sailors last fall to the Conference AAA championship and was named Class AAA Player of the Year, All-County, All-State, All-Region while leading Class AAA with 17 assists.

Sean wrote in his essay that “I made lifelong friends through ODP, both players and coaches at the state, regional and national levels. I’m proud of the trust my coaches put in me to be a leader and I hope that I lived up to their expectations. My favorite moment was playing Juventus in Italy in front of 1,000 people. ODP was a great experience that I would not change for the world!”

We wish Sean the best studying and playing soccer at Cortland State this fall.

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/

Soccer Forward Helping Keep Girls in the Game

July 29, 2026-During the World Cup, Soccer Forward hosted a workshop at the Central Park FIFA Arena on July 16 to spotlight one of the most pressing issues in youth sports: keeping girls in the game and equipping the coaches who can make it happen.

The numbers are striking. Up to 51% of girls drop out of sports by age 17, with the sharpest decline occurring around puberty. Yet the benefits of staying in sports are profound. Girls who participate report 1.5 times higher levels of meaning and purpose than those who never play. Soccer offers far more than physical activity, it creates space for belonging, friendship, confidence and identity during some of the most formative years of a young person’s life. We also know the environment matters enormously. Inadequate coaching and a lack of female role models are consistently cited as two of the leading drivers of dropout, which the workshop addressed.

Developed with support from Soccer Forward’s Kang Women’s Institute, the workshop brought together coaches from partner organizations in the local area such as the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) to explore how to get girls in the game, keep them in the game and support them through it.

Tim Bradbury Selected to Coach the 2011 Boys ODP National Team

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

July 28, 2026-Congratulations to our very own Tim Bradbury, who has been selected to coach the 2011 Boys ODP (Olympic Development Program) National Team. Tim will be scouting players next winter, then training the team for the IberCup in Portugal in spring 2027.

“It’s a short process as I’ll be scouting the players in Florida that the Regional coaches selected, then gathering together the team in Florida for four days of training,” Tim explained. “The challenge will be getting them all on the same page to play in a coherent manner in such a short period of time.”

Tim has served as the Director of Coaching of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) since 2011. He is the leader of an Educator team of 16+ coaches who provide US Soccer license courses from Grassroots to the “B” to Club Technical Leadership. Those who read his monthly coaching articles or come to his coaching courses know that he is a strong advocate of players making decisions on the field without interference from coaches or parents.

Tim is one of 20 US Soccer educator developers across the country and these are the coaches who teach people how to teach coaching courses. Anybody who teaches the Club Technical Leader 1 course has been taught by Tim.

Additionally, Tim just passed the course in Atlanta to become a FIFA educator developer so he can now teach FIFA courses as well.

The Stoke-On Trent, England native is a London University graduate who captained the British Colleges soccer team for four years and played semi-pro soccer while pursuing a master’s degree in sociology and education. Tim, a center midfielder, played for various youth clubs such as Trentham Romans, Staffordshire County Team, North of England Under-18 and Borough Road plus semi-pro soccer with Hounslow FC.

He left England in 1989 after he was offered a full-time education with Long Island Soccer Camp, which became the cornerstone of his soccer education. Shortly thereafter, Tim was hired to lead the York College men’s soccer squad where he was a two-time City University of New York (CUNY) Coach of the Year and his Cardinals won the very first CUNY men’s championship game, a 2-1 victory over John Jay College on October 27, 1990.

After four successful years at York, Tim went on to become the technical director of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Select Program in 1996, head coach of the Eastern New York ODP Girls Program from 2003 to ’05, head coach of the Long Island Rough Riders Super Y-League teams from 2003 to 2006 and was a member of the US Soccer Grass Roots Design Group from 2014 to 2016. While some coaches specialize in coaching one gender, Tim has been equally successful coaching both boys and girls.

The Smithtown resident holds the US Soccer “A” License, a United Soccer Coaches Master Coach Diploma and a US Youth National Coaching License. Tim coached former US Women’s National Team player Crystal Dunn on the Rockville Centre Power, Rockville Centre Tornadoes and Eastern New York ODP.

Crystal Dunn to Be Honored For Her Lengthy International Playing Career

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

July 30, 2026-Crystal Dunn will be recognized for her extraordinary career with the US Women’s National Team during a pregame ceremony before the United States faces Spain on October 10 at Audi Field in Washington, DC. The game will feature the two best women’s national teams in the world as Spain is #1 with the USA right behind at #2 in the latest rankings as Spain are the defending Women’s World Cup champions and the USA are the Olympic gold medalists.

The ceremony will celebrate Crystal’s retirement from international soccer and honor one of the most versatile players in US women’s soccer history. US Soccer also announced that the first 2,000 fans entering the stadium will receive a commemorative Crystal Dunn bobblehead.

Crystal surrounded by some of her adoring fans in her hometown of Rockville Centre, Long Island.

The honor is another milestone in a journey that began on the fields of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). Crystal played for the Eastern New York Olympic Development Program (ODP) growing up as well as the Rockville Centre and Albertson youth soccer clubs. She led South Side High School to three state championships and went on to star at the University of North Carolina, where she won the 2012 NCAA championship and the Hermann Trophy as the nation’s top collegiate player.

Her professional career included starring roles with the Washington Spirit, North Carolina Courage, Portland Thorns, Gotham FC, Chelsea (England) and Paris Saint-Germain (France). She was the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot winner for top scorer in 2015 after being left off the USA roster for that year’s Women’s World Cup, a disappointment she spoke about to local youth soccer players in encouraging them to persevere.

Crystal went on to earn 160 caps for the United States from 2013 through 2025, helping the red, white and blue win the 2019 Women’s World Cup, an Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo in 2020 and Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Games. Equally comfortable as a defender, midfielder or forward, Crystal became known for her versatility, relentless work ethic and leadership on and off the field.

Shawn Tarquinio Is All-In as a Soccer Ref

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

July 30, 2026-Shawn Tarquinio never does anything halfway. He was a top player growing up in the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), then became an “A” licensed coach with US Soccer. His coaching resume includes leading club teams, the St. Peter’s College women and he is well-regarded in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) as he was an Olympic Development Program (ODP) coach and administrator for many years.

Shawn, whose “real job” is being a Salesman at United Fabrics based in Pennsauken, New Jersey, decided to become a referee two years ago.

“I wanted to stay connected to the game and earn some extra money so I became a ref as it was time for a new challenge,” Shawn explained. “I figured refereeing was a good way to continue to grow the game by seeing what’s happening up close on soccer fields. My experience could help young coaches and players.”

The 55-year-old East Islip resident has stayed busy on weekends as a referee and assistant ref on Suffolk County soccer fields.

Eastern New York Hall of Famer Jim Volpe has known Shawn since he was a boy, coaching him on the Oceanside Aztecs and said, “Shawn is all-in. He was with ODP and he wanted to become a referee so he resigned to concentrate on being a ref. No matter what he does, he’s always looking to improve and wants to be the best ref he can be.”

Thinking about being close to all the action and becoming a ref just like Shawn did? Eastern New York is seeking new referees to be in the middle and/or on the line as assistant referees in youth soccer games. The minimum age is 14 years old to become certified. You manage your availability so officiating works with all the rest that you do!

For more information, click here. If you have any questions, e-mail questions@enysreferee.org

Against All Odds, the Long Island Futsal Academy Wins a Second Consecutive National Championship

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

July 20, 2026-Congratulations to the Long Island Futsal Academy (LIFA), who won their second consecutive US Youth Futsal national championship in the Girls HS Division on July 6 in Richmond, Virginia.

“LIFA planned to defend our national title with largely the same group who won it in 2025,” commented coach Chris Sanders. “But three of our players––Gracie Sanders, Leila Racines-Ramero and goalkeeper Anna Torres Martinez––were selected by US Futsal to represent the USA at the 2026 World University Futsal Championship in Warsaw, Poland, taking place the same week. So, we considered withdrawing from Nationals but instead reached out to players throughout the Northeast and Gold Star Futsal from Springfield, Massachusetts, partnered with us so we could field a complete team.”

Key additions included goalkeeper Kinley Logsdon, from the Albany area who trained with LIFA during the past two years because of limited futsal opportunities near home, and field player Taylor Collins.

From left to right: Coach Jaytoe Teh, coach Paige Palazzolo, Taylor Bartosz, Rylan Waskiewicz, Charlotte Tran, Caroline Wintz, Taylor Collins, Kiera During, Mila Dillard, Kinley Logsdon, coach Brent Dillard and coach Craig Caravan.

Coached mainly by Sanders and Paige Palazollo, LIFA finished second in their group by winning over Pittsburgh’s Dragons Futsal, 8-5, plus tying the Canton/Akron Vipers, 4-4, and CSA Futsal of North Carolina, 2-2. They defeated the Vipers, 2-1, in the national championship game.

“We were able to win a second consecutive national championship by being very resilient despite losing key players, collaborating with other teams and building team chemistry through shared training experiences,” Coach Sanders added.

Some of the core players competed in the Boys HS and Girls HS divisions of the Long Island Futsal League last winter when they were not playing in Regionals against other girls’ teams.

“Playing against boys increased the team’s quickness by forcing us to make faster decisions,” Coach Sanders explained. “It also increased our transition awareness as we had to keep up with the boys’ speed and natural desire to push the pace.”