News

Allan Emmanuel is Quickly Moving Up the Ref Ladder Through Natural Ability and Hard Work

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

November 3, 2024-Happy Birthday to up-and-coming referee Allan Emmanuel, who turns 25 today.

The Crown Heights resident grew up playing soccer in Haiti and moved with his family to Florida 14 years ago, then to Brooklyn the next year. He took up the whistle as a referee in September 2018.

Allan explained, “I love refereeing! I have always loved soccer and like the fact that you have to make quick decisions as a ref and that each game is different.”

Allan Emmanuel is second from the right.

Allan recently graduated as a Computer Science major at Brooklyn College and the attributes that he has learned as a referee–leading others, remaining calm at all times and that it’s about others rather than yourself–should serve him well as he launches his work career. He volunteers as Secretary of the New York Soccer Referees Association (NYSRA).

With firm game control and exquisite positioning, he’s climbed up the ladder quickly, refereeing the Youth and Adult Regionals this year and being selected to ref the Boys-Under-15 Regional Final. Allan was also chosen to referee US Youth Soccer’s Nationals in 2024 as well as officiating US Open Cup games and eight local adult championship games in the past three years. He started officiating college soccer as well this year.

“My goal is to become a MLS referee and possible FIFA referee one day,” he added.

Would you like to join Allan as a soccer referee? The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is seeking new referees to be in the middle and/or on the line as assistant referees in youth soccer games throughout the state. The minimum age is 14 years old to become certified. The certification class consists of both online and classroom learning.

For more information, log on to https://enysreferee.org/how-to-become-a-referee/. If you have any questions, e-mail questions@enysreferee.org

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 Association. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/

Marianne Volpe 5K and Pumpkin Fun Run is on October 26 in Baldwin

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

October 10, 2024-Even though it’s precariously close to Halloween, we’re hoping that 13 is a lucky number as the 13th Annual Marianne Volpe 5K and Pumpkin Fun Run takes place on Saturday, October 26 at Baldwin Harbor Park.

Blood cancer support is important to the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) because of the life of Marianne Volpe. The Baldwin resident was 56 years old when she died of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), an aggressive form of blood cancer, leaving behind her husband Jim, daughters Chelsea and Shaun, three brothers, five sisters and countless friends. There are many stories of extraordinary people like Marianne whose lives are cut tragically short by this horrible disease.

Marianne Volpe

Jim is a Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Hall of Famer and Chairperson of the Eastern New York Olympic Development Program (ODP) for the last decade-plus. Both Chelsea and Shaun grew up playing in the LIJSL, then played for Manhattan College and are still involved in the game today. The family started the Marianne Volpe 5K and Pumpkin Fun Run the day before Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and both the soccer and running communities have been helping out ever since.

More than $285,000 has been raised with the goal to go over $300,000 this year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), which has helped advance 55 of the 65 blood cancer treatment options approved by the FDA since 2017. It’s the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding research towards cures for blood cancers. Since its inception in 1949, the Society has provided more than $1.2 billion to research specifically targeting blood cancers and its mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.

Shaun, Jim and Chelsea Volpe

On Saturday, October 26, the kids’ run dubbed the Pumpkin Fun Run (for ages 10 and younger) is at 9:00 am with the Marianne Volpe 5K starting at 9:30 am.

Click here to register for the run.

Click here to make a donation.

In addition to utilizing the website, you can also send a donation check made payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma’s Society to: LLS Northeast Territory, LLS – PO Box 22470, New York, NY 10087-2470

For more information about the Marianne Volpe 5K and Pumpkin Fun Run, please contact Jim Volpe at 516-805-3765.

Deadline Fast Approaching to Honor Your Best and Hardest-Working Members

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

September 10, 2024-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is asking that each member, club and league turn their attention inwards to their volunteers in an effort to acknowledge those whose contributions have truly made a difference.

We’re seeking nominations for a variety of awards to demonstrate our appreciation for the hours of devotion these valued individuals donate to our players.

Eastern New York will select a person in each category who will receive our recognition at the Hall of Fame Banquet next winter and will also be forwarded as our candidate for additional recognition at the National level. Last year, we received a nomination in nearly every category because our members took the time to nominate somebody.

The entries MUST be on a specific form and be completed as comprehensively as possible or they cannot be considered. These forms are attached below.

Awards will be presented in the following categories:

Girls Competitive Coach of the Year

Boys Competitive Coach of the Year

Girls Recreational Coach of the Year

Boys Recreational Coach of the Year

Volunteer of the Year

Administrator of the Year

TOPSoccer Coach of the Year

TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year

Young Female Referee of the Year

Young Male Referee of the Year

Nominations for the above awards must be received at the Eastern New York office on or before September 27, 2024 to be considered. The address is Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association, 167 Nassau Boulevard, Garden City South, NY 11530 or the material can be e-mailed to Randy Vogt at enypublicrelations@enysoccer.com

As with everything else, your nominees have to be in it to win it! Please take the opportunity to recognize the best and brightest through this great awards program.

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/

There is a College Soccer Program For Every Travel Team Player

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

September 10, 2024-Every travel team player in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), from the East End of Long Island to the Canadian border, has the skills to play college soccer. Yet most of our families believe only the most-skilled can play college soccer. While it is true that Division 1 programs are looking for the best and sometimes the tallest players, Eastern New York and Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Hall of Famer Pat Grecco, CEO of the College-Bound Athlete Scholarship Service, says there is a college soccer program for you!

“I have been placing student-athletes, mostly soccer players, into colleges for the past 30 years. There are multiple options regarding college soccer programs at various levels, many of which would be a good fit for travel team players,” Pat explained. “Sometimes ego gets in the way of players and parents who feel they have devoted lots of time and money into soccer and they should be playing at the highest level, D1. Do not have tunnel vision! There are many outstanding colleges in the various conferences. Not everyone goes to college at Harvard, Princeton or Yale but that does not mean you can’t go to college and receive a degree.”

For men and women in Division 1, there are 500 plus programs, there are over 400 D2 programs and Division 3, almost 1,000 programs, all which are NCAA-affiliated. Junior college includes over 400 soccer programs. There are other affiliations outside the NCAA including the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with over 400 member schools, United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) with nearly 100 schools and, lastly, National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) with 100+ programs and growing.

Pat says that she places colleges and universities based on the following in importance:
1) Intended major
2) Soccer level
3) Academic standing
4) Distance from home, climate and other factors
5) Available athletic and academic scholarship opportunities

“Maybe you play competitive club soccer and you’re a very good student, then you should be looking at highly competitive academic schools like Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Chicago where your soccer can help open that heavy door to Admissions,” Pat stated. “Another situation might be that you struggle a bit in school, then perhaps your best opportunities lie with two-year junior college programs and then after two years with improved grades, you could transfer to a four-year school with an athletic or academic scholarship. Either way, there is a college soccer program for you!”

For more information, please log on to www.collegeboundathlete.com or contact Pat directly at soccervol@aol.com

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/

Remembering the Remarkable Jim Eleftherion

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

September 1, 2024-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is mourning the loss of longtime volunteer Jim Eleftherion, who passed away on August 29 at the age of 70.

The Mahopac resident first became involved in youth soccer when he started coaching three decades ago and he also served as a referee for two years. Jim then started volunteering with what is now the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League (HVYSL) in the mid-1990’s and did that for over two decades.

Jim moved up the HVYSL ladder in many diverse roles, eventually becoming First Vice President and Games Chairperson. With his professional background in insurance as a guide, he created the league’s Risk Management Program, making it the benchmark in child protection throughout the state association. He also chaired or served on the office management, supervisory, appeals and Premier League committees. Jim also served as Director of the Hudson Invitational Tournament (HIT) for four years, improving the quality of the tournament and helping make it the premier HVYSL summer event it is today.

Former HVYSL President Ken Gulmi said of his longtime friend, “Jim was successful in everything he took on and was one of the smartest people that I ever met.”

Jim also volunteered as President of the Mahopac Sports Association Soccer Club two decades ago. He oversaw the financial restructuring of Mahopac, grew registrations by 25% in only three years, created a TOPSoccer program for the physically-challenged, renovated town fields and promoted a culture of coaching education where little had existed before him.

With Jim again leading the way and agreeing to serve as President, the Greater Hudson Valley Soccer League served as a competition for Under-23 male and female players from 2009 to 2013.

Jim volunteered for ENYYSA in many wonderful ways for over a decade until 2016. He served as the elected Treasurer while also serving on the Insurance and Olympic Development Program Scholarship Committees, in addition to being the Chairperson of the Budget and Risk Management Committees. It’s his work in the last role that saw him appointed to the Risk Management Committee of US Youth Soccer, which continued until his passing.

Jim was an acknowledged leader in establishing programs to protect children, serving first as a founding member and then becoming Chairperson 16 years ago of Eastern New York’s Risk Management Program. To protect our players, Eastern New York conducts background checks on coaches and referees before they participate in our games in addition to license certification they also must pass. They must pass this background check every two years to continue to be involved in our competitions as well as pass Safe Sport testing every year and watch Heads-Up Awareness videos on head injuries every two years.

In his five years as Treasurer, Jim did an incredible job in completely restructuring ENYYSA’s financial controls and reporting systems, moving to both a very sound financial footing and also to iron-clad auditability. This required that he add to his already considerable volunteer workload but he gladly did it for the good of our non-profit organization.

“Somehow, Jim always found the time to make a difference to soccer in so many ways,” commented ENYYSA President Richard Christiano.

For all this volunteering, Jim was inducted into the HVYSL Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Eastern New York Hall of Fame in 2013.

The Brooklyn native became involved with organized soccer over 30 years ago but his friendship with another prominent member of the local soccer community lasted even longer. Jim met Steve Padaetz, now the Massapequa Soccer Club’s Chief Club Administrator, when Jim was in his early twenties and Steve was 17. They played street, deck and floor hockey together in the Brooklyn Iceless Hockey Association (BIHA) for nearly a decade, then volunteered decades later on Eastern New York’s Risk Management Committee.

Steve said, “As a young man, Jim had a tough street-wise exterior but his hard exterior belied his kindness and his passion. He was an extremely loyal person and that showed in how he played.”

Visitation is this Wednesday, September 4 from 4-8 pm at the Joseph J. Smith Funeral Home at 692 US-6, Mahopac, NY 10541. The funeral will be held on Thursday, September 5, 11 am at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 30 Clapboard Road, Danbury, CT 06811.

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/

LIJSL Teams Donate to Breast Cancer Research Through the Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival

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

August 15, 2024-Four Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams in the Girls-Under-12 and Girls-Under-13 age groups played friendly games against one another on Sunday, August 11 on fields marked with pink lines at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview. Baymen United, Mount Sinai Galaxy, Northport/Cow Harbor Panthers and Plainedge X-Treme all had fun in the 18th Annual Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival. Additionally, four adult coed teams made up of Estée Lauder employees from their offices on Long Island and in New York City were part of the action as well.

“We’re so appreciative of all the people here today. Many thanks to Stephanie Hernandez and the LIJSL staff who schedule the event. Big thanks to the amazing referees who donate their precious time every year to make the games official and so much fun,” said event coordinator and Estée Lauder employee Carlos Ospina. “Love the spirit from the players, coaches, parents and refs as they wear their pink!”

Carlos, the Lynbook/East Rockaway Soccer Club President, formerly coached LIJSL teams Lynbrook/East Rockaway Lizards (boys) and Lynbrook/East Rockaway Landsharks (girls) before they graduated from youth soccer and now coaches the Lynbrook/East Rockaway TOPSoccer Program.

Through player entry fees, breast cancer support merchandise sales and raffle tickets, over $4,000 was raised for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, founded by Evelyn Lauder in 1992. A particularly coveted item during the raffle were US Soccer balls signed by the United States Women’s National Team players who had just won the Gold Medal at the Paris Olympics.

Refs from the Long Island Soccer Referee Association (LISRA) donated their time in officiating from 9 am to 2 pm.

The LIJSL, through its partnership with the Estée Lauder Companies and Breast Cancer Research Foundation, has donated the use of the Peter Collins Soccer Park since the inaugural Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival in 2004. This wonderful event took a break from 2020 to 2022 because of the pandemic.

Teams from the LIJSL, the largest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), are also encouraged to wear pink and play with pink soccer balls throughout October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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/

ODP Tryouts Kick Off in August

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

August 7, 2024-The Olympic Development Program (ODP) is the highest level of play in each state association. The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Associaton (ENYYSA) has a particularly strong ODP as our teams have won recent national titles plus US Women’s National Team players Sam Coffey and Crystal Dunn grew up competing in Eastern New York’s ODP.

Under the direction of Jim Volpe, Eastern New York ODP is split into North and South programs due to the large geographic footprint of the eastern portion of the Empire State. ODP players are selected on Technique, Tactical Ability, Fitness/Athleticism and Attitude. The online registration fee is $45 and onsite registration is $65.

Volpe recently announced tryout schedules for both boys and girls born in 2011, 2012 and 2013:

North Program

Boys:

Sunday, August 18, 9:00 am to 10:30 am at Capelli Sports Complex in Chester

Sunday, August 18, 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm at Afrim’s Sports Park in Colonie

Girls:

Sunday, August 18, 10:45 am to 12:15 pm at Capelli Sports Complex in Chester

Sunday, August 18, 5:45 pm to 7:15 pm at Afrim’s Sports Park in Colonie

South Program

Boys:

Monday, September 9, Boys born in 2013, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Cantiague Park in Hicksville

Monday, September 9, Boys born in 2012, 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm at Cantiague Park in Hicksville

Monday, September 9, Boys born in 2011, 8:30 pm to 10:00 pm at Cantiague Park in Hicksville

Girls:

Monday, September 16, Girls born in 2013, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Cantiague Park in Hicksville

Monday, September 16, Girls born in 2012, 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm at Cantiague Park in Hicksville

Monday, September 16, Girls born in 2011, 8:30 pm to 10:00 pm at Cantiague Park in Hicksville

To register, please log on to https://www.enysoccer.com/what-is-olympic-development-program/tryouts/

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/

Mike Finnegan Honored as Life Member by the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

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

August 8, 2024-At the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Associaton (ENYYSA) Annual General Meeting on August 3 at the Sonesta Hotel in White Plains, Eastern New York’s youth leagues unanimously gave Life Member status to longtime volunteer Mike Finnegan. The Life Member award in local youth soccer is equivalent to the Lifetime Achievement Award designation used by other groups.

“A reason that the vote was unanimous is Mike’s steady personality is so deserving for Life Member status and he has volunteered in youth soccer for nearly 50 years plus continues volunteering today,” stated ENYYSA President Richard Christiano.

Mike began his soccer journey like many other American adults, after his daughter Noreen registered for youth soccer. He started coaching Noreen in intramurals in 1977 in the Rockville Centre Soccer Club, coaching her Rockville Centre Cardinals travel team up to the Under-23 division, for the next 15 years. Mike’s other daughters, Sharon and Veronica, also played soccer but he did not coach them.

Mike also coached St. Agnes High School (just before it became Kellenberg High School) in 1986 for one year and arguably his greatest accomplishment in his brief time there was getting the Private School Girls players included in the Exceptional Senior Games that were organized by the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL).

Mike’s volunteering increased substantially when he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Rockville Centre Soccer Club in the 1980’s, helping lead a period of great growth in the club, and he served as Intramural Chairperson, Travel Chairperson, Secretary, Vice President and President.

The longtime Rockville Centre resident was elected ENYYSA Treasurer in 1986 and performed this important role for over two decades. He became a member of the East Region Olympic Development Program (ODP) in 1986 and served as camp director and team administrator for the next 30 years until 2016.

Awards include being inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002 and honored as Volunteer of the Year by the East Region in 2005.

Now in his eighties, Mike has not been slowing down as he has volunteered as the ENYYSA Scholarship Chairperson since after the turn of the millennium and as Appeals Chairperson for more than a decade.

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/

The New York Connections of the US Women’s National Team

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

August 10, 2024-Congratulations to the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT), which won all six of its matches at the Paris Olympics, outscoring their opponents, 12-2, en route to the Gold Medal. Two USWNT players and the new head coach have New York connections.

Sam Coffey was born in Manhattan and grew up in Sleepy Hollow. Sam developed her wonderful talent in Eastern New York’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) as well as for clubs Match Fit Academy and the New York Soccer Club. It was then on to Boston College and Penn State while also competing for the United States National Youth Teams in the Girls-Under-18, Girls-Under-19 and Girls-Under-20 age brackets. She has played for the Portland Thorns for the past three years, helping them win the NWSL championship in 2022.

Crystal Dunn grew up in Rockville Centre, Long Island and spent her formative years in the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), playing for the Rockville Centre Power, Rockville Centre Tornadoes and Albertson Fury ‘91. Crystal also played in Eastern New York ODP for six years, and used it as a springboard to represent the USA internationally.

Crystal Dunn in the gray dress surrounded by her adoring fans at the Rockville Centre Sports Complex. Photo courtesy of Crystal Dunn.

“From the age of nine, Crystal displayed a tremendous desire to learn about the game. Her drive and desire to understand all the things you teach a developing youth player were incredible. Crystal’s energy and courage for her size were as impressive as her desire to learn,” commented Tim Bradbury, who coached Crystal on her two Rockville Centre youth teams and is the longtime Director of Coaching for the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA).

As a junior at the University of North Carolina, she won the Hermann Trophy as college soccer’s best player, scoring five goals in leading the Tar Heels to the 2012 NCAA championship. Crystal and her USA teams won the 2012 Under-20 Women’s World Cup, the 2019 Women’s World Cup plus a Bronze Medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She has played for the Washington Spirit, North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and currently plays for Gotham FC. In the 2017-18 season, she played for Chelsea of the Women’s Super League, where her coach was Emma Hayes, who is now her coach with the USWNT and got her start as a 25-year-old coach in New York.

Emma Hayes giving a clinic at the 2002 LIJSL Convention. Photo courtesy of Kim Wyant.

Emma coached a top women’s team, the Long Island Lady Riders in 2002, receiving the W-League Coach of the Year Award. She then coached the Iona College women’s team from 2003 to 2005 before embarking on a professional career in both England and the United States.

Emma told NBC News, “I was lucky to be born in England but made in the USA.“

Emma Hayes coaching the Long Island Lady Riders at Michael Tully Park. Photo courtesy of Kim Wyant.

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-Female Ref Crews Officiate the WPSL East Regional Final Four

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

July 17, 2024-Over 3,000 certified referees officiate the 100,000-plus players of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). But while females make up nearly 50% of our players, the percentage of female referees to overall refs is much smaller. Eastern New York’s referee shortage would be over if the number of female refs increased to nearly 50%, just like our players.

From left to right: Tatjana Budesheim, Cheryl Aronson, Stephanie Overton and Ashley Prevet before Clarkstown’s 4-1 win over Niagara 1812 in the WPSL East Regional Semifinal.

Our top young female refs were in the spotlight as three all-female referee crews were assigned by Brendan Mullarkey and Brian Baer for the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) East Regional Finals played at SUSA’s Orlin & Cohen Sports Complex in Central Islip on July 13 and 14.

Mullarkey stated, “Everything went very smoothly and the refs did very well.”

From left to right: Stephanie Loehr, Tatjana Budesheim, Stephanie Overton and Cheryl Aronson before Reading United’s 2-1 victory over SUSA in the WPSL East Regional Semifinal.

There are many reasons to become a referee and/or assistant referee, from staying involved with the game, getting exercise, meeting new people, earning money, etc. Plus you are your own boss and decide when you are available to ref. The reasons for reffing are as diverse as the people who make up our referee ranks.

Eastern New York seeks new Grassroots Referees and the certification class consists of both online and classroom learning. For more information, log on to https://enysreferee.org/how-to-become-a-referee/. If you have any questions, e-mail questions@enysreferee.org

From left to right: Ashley Prevet, Stephanie Overton, Jennifer Dumaine, Stephanie Loehr and WPSL Associate Commissioner-East Shelley Dougherty before Clarkstown’s 4-2 win past Reading United in the WPSL East Regional Championship Game.

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/

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