Eastern NY Youth Soccer Association

SECOND TOP LOGO (THE ONE ON THE RIGHT)

News

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

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

August 15, 2025-The Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival continues to gain momentum on the Long Island soccer calendar.

Eight Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams played friendly games against one another in the 19th Annual Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival on Saturday, August 9 at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview. The Saturday date was new this year as the previous editions were played on Sunday.

LIJSL Academy 2017, Albertson, Lynbrook/East Rockaway and Massapequa all had fun in the Girls-Under-9 and 10 age group while LIJSL Academy 2015, Islandia, Northport/Cow Harbor and Wantagh/Seaford did the same in the Girls-Under-11 and 12 age group. 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.

Also new this year was Juan Castillo, Estée Lauder’s Executive Director of Quality Assurance at the Melville office, was organizing the event on the Estée Lauder side as Carlos Ospina has retired from the firm. Yet Carlos is still very much involved in playing at the Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival as well as volunteering as the Lynbook/East Rockaway Soccer Club President and coaching the Lynbrook/East Rockaway TOPSoccer Program.

Carlos said, “This tournament just keeps getting better! The energy at the Collins Soccer Park was amazing with Estée Lauder players on one side of the park and young girls wearing pink on the other side. All having a blast doing their part for such a great cause! As always, it’s such an honor to be part of it.”

Through player entry fees, breast cancer support merchandise sales and raffle tickets, over $5,000 was raised for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, founded by Evelyn Lauder in 1992. A huge thanks to sponsors American Challenge Soccer Store, HiC ERG, Refurbco Inc, NextDine Café and Trio Packaging Corp.

Refs from the Long Island Soccer Officials (LISO) donated their time in officiating from 9 am to 2 pm and a special thanks to assignor Anthony Desimone (not pictured as he was busy taking the above photo). 

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.

“The LIJSL is honored to part of this special event and the relationship between LIJSL and Estée Lauder continues to grow year after year together supporting Breast Cancer Research Foundation,” LIJSL Events Manager Stephanie Hernandez stated. ”It is so rewarding having so many players participating and bringing awareness at such a young age. We thank all the coaches, players and families for all their support.”

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/

Alexandra Maniscalco Receives Eastern New York’s Cortlandt ODP College Scholarship

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

August 4, 2025-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is pleased to announce that Alexandra Maniscalco of Rye Brook is receiving a scholarship through the Cortlandt ODP College Scholarship Program. ODP, short for the Olympic Development Program (ODP), is a high-level supplementary program where players are guaranteed to be seen by national and regional coaches. 

Alex graduated from Blind Brook High School and played club soccer for Connecticut FC in addition to ODP.

Alex wrote in her essay that “those who know me best would say I have a disproportionally high amount of empathy compared to my peers. I best exemplified this quality when I was recovering from my ACL and meniscus tears during my freshman year of high school.

During my multiple weekly physical therapy sessions, I learned that it was likely that I suffered this injury due to a predisposition that can be predicted by assessing certain physical characteristics. Upon understanding this, I knew instantly that I wanted to find a way to help others avoid suffering the same fate as me.

I located the patient outreach coordinator at the Hospital for Special Surgery and found that they offered a free preventive screening program. I then worked over several weeks to convince our high school Athletic Director to bring this program to our school. We met throughout the spring and summer and ultimately, each student was offered the opportunity to be screened for free for preventable injury as part of the fall sports enrollment process…

If I was able to help even one person, it was time well-spent.”

We wish Alex the best studying computer science at Boston College plus playing club soccer and other sports.

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/

Andrew Lowenhar Receives Eastern New York’s Cortlandt ODP College Scholarship

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

August 5, 2025-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is pleased to announce that Greenlawn’s Andrew Lowenhar is receiving a scholarship through the Cortlandt ODP College Scholarship Program. ODP, short for the Olympic Development Program (ODP), is a high-level supplementary program where players are guaranteed to be seen by national and regional coaches. 

Andrew played for Huntington Inter and the Amityville Soccer Club in youth soccer.

Andrew wrote in his essay, “The day the ODP Regional Camp list was released, my heart sank as my name wasn’t on it. I had played well at sub-regional tournaments, and my coaches and teammates had shown confidence in me. Yet my name was missing. I congratulated my teammates, hiding my disappointment.

Determined, I spoke with my coaches who pointed out that the other goalkeeper had played more decisively. I vowed that next year, there would be no doubt as I would work harder than ever. The off-season became my training ground of daily workouts, game film reviews and drills to improve my decision-making.

The following year, coaches noticed my progress but just before the second tournament, I injured my knee. I feared my season was over. Yet when the final list came out, my name was there. I had earned a spot at the Regional Camp and was later chosen for the Interregional Team and was named captain!

The year ended with my selection for the ODP National Team, a life-changing trip to Costa Rica and a lesson in perseverance.” 

We know that Andrew will do well studying and playing soccer at Connecticut College 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. 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/

Liberty Cup Reboots With a New Tournament on Long Island

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

July 31, 2025-The Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) has gone Back to the Future!

The largest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) organized the Liberty Cup on Long Island from 1990 to 1996. Sister tournaments that spawned were Liberty Cup Ireland, Liberty Cup Italy and Liberty Cup Moscow, which truly earned its name when it was played during the aborted August 1991 Soviet military coup. Eventually, the cultural exchanges ended and what was left of the Liberty Cup were friendships restored through social media.

“The Liberty Cup began in the LIJSL, and it fast became a popular and diverse event,” LIJSL Sporting Director John Fitzgerald explained. “Almost 30 years after it ended its run on Long Island, it’s still a tournament that people talk about. LIJSL Technical Director Ronan Wiseman thought it would be a great idea to reignite the tournament, and it was met with a good deal of enthusiasm. This year was a great start, and we hope to grow it even more over the next few years.”

46 teams, both boys and girls squads from Under-9 to Under-12, had fun on July 26 and 27 at Brentwood State Park in Liberty Cup 2.0. It was the second tournament event of the summer for the LIJSL Academy East and West squads.

“It was great to see the Liberty Cup return,” LIJSL Technical Director Ronan Wiseman said. “It brought out some good teams and provided some exciting games. I’m looking forward to a bigger and better event next year.”

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/

CJSL to Enter a Men’s Team in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League This Fall

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

July 30, 2025-The Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL), the oldest youth soccer league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and all of American youth soccer, is proud to announce the formation of its first-ever men’s team—the New York Cosmopolitans—set to debut in the Second Division of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League (CSL) this fall.

This moment marks a powerful return to the league’s roots. Founded in 1933, the CJSL was originally established as the youth division of the CSL, which launched in 1923 as the German-American Soccer League. The CJSL is reuniting its youth legacy with the senior game, creating a dedicated amateur and semi-professional pathway for New York City’s top soccer talent. Additionally, a 2024 CJSL survey of coaches and administrators found that 70% of youth players in the Five Boroughs do not plan on playing college soccer. This new men’s team will serve those who want to continue playing competitively without going the college route.

“The launch of the New York Cosmopolitans is about building a sustainable pathway that connects the dreams of youth soccer players to the realities of the adult game,” said CJSL President Paul Kontonis. “We are proud to be more than a league, a platform for lifelong soccer development in New York City.”

“Bringing the men’s and youth programs together under one banner reaffirms our purpose and history,” stated Mike Fitzgerald, President of the CSL. “This is the evolution of the original vision behind the CJSL and CSL. We are excited to unite the past, present, and future of New York City soccer in one community.”

The New York Cosmopolitans will be composed of players ages 18 and up, with priority given to CJSL alumni. All players who have played a minimum of three years in the CJSL will be eligible to register for free. Non-CJSL players may register for a fee of $250 for the combined Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 CSL seasons.

The team’s official shield will be the current CJSL logo, reinforcing the direct connection between the league’s historic foundation and its future in adult amateur competition.

Tryouts will take place in early August, with all alumni players invited to attend. In an unprecedented effort to connect talent across leagues, clubs from the CSL, APSL, NPSL and USL systems will be invited to attend the trials to scout players for potential upward movement. The CJSL is committed to helping players rise through the ranks by creating visibility and access to higher-level clubs and opportunities.

The initiative is supported by the New York Pancyprian Freedoms, 2024 National Amateur Cup Champions, who are folding their reserve program into the CJSL men’s team to build a stronger player pipeline. The CJSL will soon announce coaching and back-office staff, as well as home field, training schedules and the official uniform reveal.

The New York Cosmopolitans will also feature mentor players—experienced senior-level athletes who will help guide and elevate the younger players as they adapt to the demands of men’s competition. Off the field, players will gain access to real-world professional development through CJSL programs focused on media, operations, internships and career growth.

The debut of the New York Cosmopolitans solidifies CJSL’s role as a complete soccer ecosystem in New York City, offering a full-circle development model from grassroots to adult amateur play and beyond.

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/

Long Island Futsal Academy Win the National Championship

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

July 25, 2025-Congratulations to the Long Island Futsal Academy (LIFA), who won the US Youth Futsal national championship in the Girls HS Division on July 21 in New Century, Kansas. They won all four games, outscoring their opponents 16-3 and won the final over Dragons Futsal from Pittsburgh, 4-1.

“Our biggest strength is our defense and team structure,” commented LIFA coach Chris Sanders. “We defend as a unit with the five players on the pitch and rely on our ability to force teams into low percentage shots toward our goal. We might not light up the scoreboard but we’re hard to score against. I think our advantage at Nationals is we have players who understand their role and responsibilities.”

Back row, left to right: Coach Chris Sanders, Leila Romero, Amelia Fort, Elleigh Newcombe, Izzy Rohr
Front row, left to right: Gracie Sanders, Brooke Delzatto, Taylor Gray
Additionally, Carolyn Rowe, Samantha Gemmo and Vanessa Frangiadakis helped qualify the team for Nationals but could not attend the competition.

This caps a trophy-filled year for the team that wears New York’s colors of blue and orange as LIFA won the US Youth Futsal Mid-Atlantic Regionals in Richmond, Virginia in January and the US Futsal Northeast Regionals in Atlantic City, New Jersey in February. The Nationals for both competitions was the same weekend and they opted to go to the US Youth Futsal version since they will age out of US Youth Futsal but can play US Futsal as adults for years to come.

The team competed in the Boys HS Division 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.”

LIFA seeks players to follow in the footsteps of its national championship team that plays out of the All Star Arena in Coram. For more info about registration for all youth age groups, please contact Chris Sanders at futsalacademy@optonline.net or 631-914-2778.

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/

NYCFC Win the Girls-Under-13 Regional Championship

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

July 19, 2025-NYCFC won the Girls-Under-13 Regional Championship, winning four games with no losses and tying one, two weeks ago in Loudon County, Virginia. 

“The team brought a real hunger, desire and togetherness to fight for every ball at Regionals,” NYCFC coach Stuart Smith explained. “Our defense and goalkeepers played a near perfect tournament on both sides of the ball and our attackers created and scored freely in every game. The energy and tenacity the players brought to and maintained throughout each game despite the heat was incredible to see.”


Back row, left to right: Coach Stuart Smith, Julie Mothner, Adeline Morris, Brooks Hallihan Noiman, Paola Gonzalez, Iliana Munoz, Clara Power, Samantha Velaquez, Saide Ortega-Galvan
Front row, left to right: Lucianna Lopez, Francesca Galluzzo, Sabrina Matsuda, Leyla Naspud, Gaby Vasquez, Aria Addeo, Mable Gilmer, Karen Barrera, Madeline Shyu

The Regional final on July 3 was between two teams from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) as NYCFC took on Dix Hills Angel City.

“Losing to Dix Hills in the State Cup final and the semifinal of our own Memorial Day Weekend tournament gave our team the best possible motivation going into Regionals,” Coach Smith stated. “We were determined to make those results right and that was evident in the way we started the game, going up by three goals in the first 25 minutes. Having played Dix Hills three times recently, we knew they are a great team but we also knew a lot about them which enabled us to head into the Regional final with a strong game plan to overcome their strengths.”

After defeating Dix Hills, 4-2, in the Regional final, NYCFC will represent Eastern New York in playing for the national championship in Orlando from July 22 to 27.

“After giving our team some time to recover as Regionals was a tough week both physically and mentally, we are now back to training and it’s all about refocusing the group, working on some tactical situations that we feel we can improve and getting the group used to playing in extreme temperatures again. We expect stiff competition in Orlando but the team is excited and ready for the challenge,” Coach Smith concluded.

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/

New York Hota Capture the Boys-Under-17 Regional Championship

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

July 17, 2025-New York Hota won the Boys-Under-17 Regional Championship, winning four games with no losses and tying one. They won the Regional title with an emphatic 6-0 win over Torpedoes Red from New Jersey on July 3 in Loudon County, Virginia.

Back row, left to right: Coach Dan Fisher, Jack Costa, Will Gleason, Lorenzo Riccuiti, Austin Sheehan, Jack Gunn, Yanni Kapetanis, Dylan Fisher, Coach Danny Diliberti 
Front row, left to right: James Martino, Jack Darlington, Otto Alvarez, Frankie Torres, Gavin Joyce, Will Forgerty, Drew Lennon, Sean Mahoney, Robbie Malave, Noah Romero, Kosta Plioutas 

“Our team persevered. One of the biggest challenges we faced was the extreme heat. In group play we had 90+ degrees on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and playing tough competition three days in a row is really tough,” New York Hota coach Danny Diliberti explained. “I decided to take the team to Elite Wellness in Ashburn, Virginia. The owner, McKenna Smet, is a former college soccer player at Towson University. She was fantastic in helping the team. We used the center for recovery doing a cryo freeze and compression boots for the players. This method helped the players recover and prevented injuries.”

New York Hota will represent the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) in playing for the national championship in Orlando from July 22 to 27.

“We will go over tactics and situational play before traveling to Florida. We will try to keep our fitness up and maintain focus,” Coach Diliberti stated.

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/

Five Outstanding Teenagers Receive CJSL Scholarships

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

June 26, 2025-The Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL), the oldest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and in all of American youth soccer, has announced the recipients of the 2025 Emil Cohill Scholarship, an annual honor awarded to top student-athletes who have demonstrated excellence both on the field and in the classroom while also giving back to their communities.

This year’s scholarship recipients are:

  • Caoimhe Crowe – SC Gjøa
  • Brandon Codallos – Eastern Queens FC
  • Isaiah Harrison – SC Gjøa
  • Alec McDonald – Manhattan Kickers Soccer Club
  • Carlos Munoz Tamay – Eleftheria Pancyprian

Each of these outstanding individuals has been awarded a $4,000 scholarship, distributed as $1,000 per year over four years of college enrollment.

The Emil Cohill Scholarship is named in memory of the Eastern New York Hall of Famer and league leader who dedicated his life to youth development and education through soccer. This year, the CJSL received a record number of applications, each one reflecting the passion, discipline and heart that defines the league.

The five teenagers represent the very best of what the CJSL strives to foster: Well-rounded individuals prepared for success in life and sport.

“The Emil Cohill Scholarship is recognition of character, resilience and potential,” said Dimitrie Draguca, CJSL League Director. “We are proud of this year’s recipients, who exemplify the values of the CJSL both on and off the field. They are great players and they are leaders in the making.”

Each scholarship is renewable annually. To receive their yearly installment, recipients must provide a copy of their college transcript along with a brief academic progress update.

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/