Press Release

Chris McDonald Honored as the Eastern New York Boys Recreational Coach of the Year

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

February 2, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Chris McDonald of the Wappinger United Soccer Club was honored as our 2025 Boys Recreational Coach of the Year at our Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday, January 24 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.

From left to right: US Youth Soccer Chairperson Tina Rincon, Chris McDonald, ENYYSA 2nd Vice President Bill Smith

The club wrote that “Chris represents everything that is right about recreational soccer. He leads with integrity, empathy and a deep belief in the power of the game to bring out the best in kids. Whether he’s coaching on the field, mentoring other volunteers or leading at the club level, Chris never loses sight what matters most: Creating a positive, inclusive environment where all players feel supported, challenged and inspired to grow. His steady presence and unwavering commitment make him a model coach and a trusted leader in our community…

A new player joined his team last year after previously participating only in TOPSoccer. This boy, who has autism, wanted to try and play on a mainstream rec team. Chris welcomed him without hesitation. He made thoughtful adjustments, set the right tone with teammates and ensured the player felt fully part of the group from day one. Because of Chris’ support, that boy had a tremendously positive season where he was able to build confidence, make friends and experience the game in a new way…

Chris exemplifies what youth soccer is truly all about.”

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/

Victoria Sherry Selected as the Eastern New York Girls Competitive Coach of the Year

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

February 1, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very proud to announce that the Niskayuna Soccer Club’s Victoria Sherry has been honored as our 2025 Girls Competitive Coach of the Year.

The ceremony took place at our Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday, January 24 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.

Tori is currently coaching two teams for Niskayuna, U13G Select and U15G Select, plus also serves as the Girls Director of Coaching.

Team parent Judith Fenlon stated, “Tori is a coach, a mom, a friend and an all-around good human being. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Coach Tori for the past six years when she started coaching my daughter at age 8. Over the years, I’ve witnessed the many ways how she encourages her players to be the best versions of themselves. While Coach Tori is a competitive and skilled technical coach, proven by her winning record, what I admire most about her is her dedication to the social and emotional growth of her players. She ensures that her players have respect for each person on the field from teammates to opposing players, coaches and officials. She does this in leading by example and valuing kindness, hard work and commitment over any single win.”

One of her players, Maddie Trant, explained, “Coach Tori always makes you feel so welcome at practices. She always knows what to say and is always there for us. She’s never missed a practice and has sacrificed many things in her life just to be here with us. Being a player on Coach Tori’s team is a huge part of my life.”

Alex Gunera Honored as the Eastern New York Boys Competitive Coach of the Year

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

January 30, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Alex Gunera of the Newburgh Puma FC Falcons has been honored as our 2025 Boys Competitive Coach of the Year. The ceremony took place at our Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday, January 24 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.

From left to right: US Youth Soccer Chairperson Tina Rincon, Alex Gunera, ENYYSA 2nd Vice President Bill Smith

Team manager Jessica Cardoso wrote, “Coach Gunera exemplifies everything a great coach should be as he is passionate, knowledgeable, dedicated and truly invested in the development of his players both on and off the field. Under his leadership, the team has not only achieved remarkable success in competitions but has also grown significantly in terms of discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship…

Players always come to Coach Gunera for advice, whether it be for improvement or just for their personal issues. He always has an open ear. Even parents ask Coach Gunera to speak to kids if they are misbehaving. The relationship between Coach Gunera, players and parents is just remarkable!”

Team parents Jose and Lisa Cardoso wrote, “Our son had little understanding of the sport and the importance of each player’s role but knew this was something he wanted to learn and grow into. Coach Alex accepted him on the team with this understanding and worked with him endlessly until he grasped the concept of soccer. He is extremely patient with not only our son but all players on his team.”

In the past 12 years of coaching, Coach Alex led the Condors and Revolution to first place in their division. With the Falcons, he has taken them from Division 3 to Division 1 in two years.

Alex was also honored as the 2025 Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League (HVYSL) Boys Competitive Coach of the Year on November 8, 2025.

Dusanka Marusic Inducted Into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame

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

January 27, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is proud to announce that longtime volunteer Dusanka Marusic was inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame at our Hall of Fame Banquet on January 24 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.

From left to right: US Youth Soccer Chairperson Tina Rincon, ENYYSA Hall of Fame Chairperson Ken Gulmi, Dusanka Marusic, ENYYSA 2nd Vice President Bill Smith

For over four decades, Dusanka has been a driving force in youth soccer. She began as a player for the West Hempstead Flames of the Long Island Ladies Soccer League (LILSL), serving for over a decade on the league’s Board of Directors.

Dusanka coached for over two decades with the Hewlett-Lawrence Soccer Club and Valley Stream Soccer Club of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) plus New York Croatia of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL). In the early 1990’s, she recognized the need for CJSL teams to have more competitive matches so she proposed that CJSL squads be allowed to play as guest teams, a groundbreaking idea at the time, in the LIJSL. It eventually was approved and elevated player development, stabilized clubs and supported long-term growth.

Dusanka also launched the Leonard D’Orazio College Showcase, which became a pathway for players to be seen by college coaches, plus she started new initiatives for female players in the CJSL. She represented the CJSL and later the LIJSL at ENYYSA meetings plus also served on the Long Beach Soccer Club Board of Directors.

For this lifetime of soccer, the Cuddebackville resident was inducted into the CJSL Hall of Fame in 2023 and now, the Eastern New York Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Dusanka!

Tony Padmore Inducted Into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame

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

January 28, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Tony Padmore has been inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place at our Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday, January 24 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.

From left to right: ENYYSA Hall of Fame Chairperson Ken Gulmi, Tony Padmore, US Youth Soccer Chairperson Tina Rincon, ENYYSA 2nd Vice President Bill Smith

Tony grew up in Trinidad and Tobago and after emigrating to New York in 1970, he started playing soccer in a league in Prospect Park. In 1986, he began coaching his children, Rhonda and Michael, in the Staten Island Youth Soccer League (SIYSL) when they took up soccer. From 1986 through 1996, Tony coached intramural teams at St. Rita’s. In 1994, when the club needed a new Director, Tony stepped up and ran the club for two years while also coaching.

In 1990, Tony also started coaching at Staten Island United, doing so for the next 14 years, plus serving as club Secretary in 1998 and 1999.

While this is all very impressive, Tony is best known today as a referee, which he has done with a passion for over three decades. He was President of the Staten Island Soccer Referees Association (SISRA) from 2003 to 2005, then has been the SIYSL assignor for the past two decades. He was inducted into the SIYSL Hall of Fame back in 2012.

Ann Marie Toth Inducted Into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame

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

January 29, 2026-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that longtime volunteer Ann Marie Toth has been inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place at our Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday, January 24 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.

Ann Marie has been Chairperson of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) TOPSoccer program since 1979. She has also been TOPSoccer Chairperson for her club, the Plainview/Old Bethpage Soccer Club, since 1979 as well. That’s an amazing 47 years that she has been in charge of TOPSoccer, The Outreach Program for Soccer for children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical challenges, all under the US Youth Soccer umbrella.

Under Ann Marie’s leadership, TOPSoccer has grown to 28 LIJSL clubs having programs and she is just as enthusiastic and at the fields every Saturday during the Spring and Fall Seasons today, even though she is now in her late 80’s. For all this volunteering, she was inducted into the LIJSL Hall of Fame back in 2005.

Ann Marie stated in her brief induction speech, “With a little patience and empathy, you can accomplish anything!”

Additionally, she was a member of the LIJSL’s well-respected Sportsmanship Committee and attended their very first meeting in 1980, served as a Plainview/Old Bethpage Soccer Club Trustee and was on the committee of the LIJSL Convention, which will be coming back this winter after being discontinued in 2020 because of Covid.

From left to right: ENYYSA Treasurer Andrew Seabury, Ann Marie Toth, Ann Marie’s husband and biggest supporter Kalman Toth, ENYYSA Registrar Mike D’Ambrosio

Ed Kobos Receives Lifetime Membership From the Mohawk Valley Soccer Referee Association

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

January 22, 2026-Congratulations to Ed Kobos, who was honored with Life Membership from the Mohawk Valley Soccer Referee Association (MVSRA) toward the end of last year. Lifetime Membership is the equivalent of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Ed founded MVSRA back in 2001 and has had a long and distinguished career of officiating plus serving soccer in the Mohawk Valley,” explained MVSRA President Christopher “Kit” Hutchinson.

Ed started officiating soccer with the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) in 1986 and as a high school ref in 1988 and moved quickly up the ladder, officiating the Section 3 Class D boys championship at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse and the high school state finals in Oneonta.

In 1996, Ed started to become very involved with the Oneonta Soccer Referees Association (OSRA) and refereed tournament games there at the National Hall of Fame Fields as the US Soccer Hall of Fame was in Oneonta at the time. In 2001, State Referee Administrator (SRA) Jose Vargas suggested that Utica should have its own ref organization, so Ed plus Art Durando founded MVSRA.

“For the first two years, we utilized instructors from Albany and Oneonta to teach our classes,” Ed explained.

The New Hartford resifdent served as MVSRA President from its founding in 2001 to 2018, an amazing 18 years in charge! Ed continued to move up the ladder and became a Regional Referee, Instructor and Assessor all under the US Soccer banner. He refereed and assessed Regionals as well as refereeing adult matches plus the Central New York State Soccer League (CNYSSL) and Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL) in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA).

Additionally, Ed refereed Empire State Games played in Binghamton, Buffalo and Utica plus college matches.

In 2018, he was selected to be the Referee Liaison and assignor for Utica City Football Club of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) and did so well that he added United Elite Krajisnik FC when they joined MASL-2 in 2023. Ed also serves as scorekeeper and timekeeper for MASL games at the Adirondack Bank Center.

Ed’s hip has been acting up and he is not as active as in the past but as his plaque suggests, he has KTBR (Kept The Business Running) in making sure that every game was officiated by a qualified referee for the past four decades.

Thinking about joining Ed and thousands of other soccer refs on the field? 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, log on to https://enysreferee.org/how-to-become-a-referee/. If you have any questions, e-mail questions@enysreferee.org

Cali Robilotti and Molly Barrett Using ODP to Advance in Youth Soccer

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

January 20, 2026-The Olympic Development Program (ODP) is the highest level of play in each state association. The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) has a particularly strong ODP and three current players of the US Women’s National Team––Sam Coffey, Claire Hutton and Phallon Tullis-Joyce––all refined their skills with Eastern New York ODP when they were younger.

There are hundreds of girls in Eastern New York ODP currently dreaming in following in those alumnae’s large footprints. Two players who particularly stand out are Cali Robilotti and Molly Barrett, who have both played in Eastern New York ODP for the past three years. They are underclassmen who saw significant playing time with the Shenendehowa High School girls varsity team last fall during their 12-3-1 season.

“Cali (above) made history last fall by becoming the first 7th grade student ever to earn a spot on the Shen girls varsity soccer team. Despite her young age, she made an immediate impact as she played both forward and in the midfield, scoring six goals, contributing several assists and starting nearly every game of the season,” stated Shenendehowa girls varsity coach Holli Nirsberger. “Crafty and creative with the ball, Cali sees the game exceptionally well, and consistently plays with confidence and poise beyond her years.”

Cali, who lives in Mechanicville, has played for the Ballston Spa Soccer Club, Nirvana/Firestorm, New York Elite and Alleycats in club soccer in addition to ODP.

“Soccer challenges me mentally and physically—I enjoy coming up with ideas, trying new things and solving problems on the field. At times, it feels like a puzzle: Finding the perfect pass to the weak side or picking the right spot to bury a 30-yard free kick,” Cali explained. “There is always something new to learn, improve or try. At the same time, the game offers a great deal of freedom on the field, which allows me to be creative. That combination of challenge and freedom is why I love playing soccer.”

Molly (above) has competed for New York Elite and Alleycats in her club career plus obviously ODP.

The Waterford teen said, “I like the fact that there is always a next level to get to in soccer. That next skill. That next problem to be solved on the field. Even when I score or beat a player, I look back on whether I made the best decision in that situation. I’m never not learning.”

“Molly became the first 8th grade player to earn a spot on our girls varsity team in the past 20 years. As a center midfield player, she is disciplined and hardworking, with exceptional skill and outstanding field vision. Her composure, soccer IQ and ability to control the flow of the game set her apart and made her a valuable asset to the team last season,” Coach Nirsberger concluded.

Youth Soccer Continues This Winter in Eastern New York

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

December 15, 2025-Although the spring and fall are the most active seasons in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) as the temps are perfect then for soccer, there is activity in both winter and summer. Check out what our leagues are offering this winter:

Big Apple Youth Soccer League
Luis Montoya Indoor Tournament • Indoors from January 10 to March 7 at the Elmcor Gym • Boys from Under-8 to Under-15

Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League
NY Winter Tournament • Outdoors from December 6 to March 15 at Randall’s Island, Brooklyn and Queens
Boys from Under-9 to Under-16, Girls from Under-10 to Under-15 • Organized by Juventus Academy New York

Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League
Jim Slater Memorial Tournament • Indoors January 10-11 at the Hudson Valley Sports Dome • Boys and girls, Under-9 to Under-18

President’s Cup Tournament • Indoors February 14-15 at the Hudson Valley Sports Dome • Boys and girls, Under-9 to Under-18

Long Island Futsal League
Indoors from January 3 to February 22 in central Suffolk County • Boys and girls, Under-7 to Under-19

Long Island Junior Soccer League
Winter Showdown • Indoors from January 17 to March 7 at Stony Brook University • Boys and girls, Under-9 to Under-12

New York Futsal
Indoors from December 6 to March 8 in Uptown Manhattan • Boys from Under-7 to High School

Remember that if your children are not playing in an ENYYSA-affiliated league or tournament, then they are not covered by our insurance, and chances are, they are not covered by any insurance. Always ask about the insurance coverage before registering your children or team.

Make It Your New Year’s Resolution to Become a Soccer Referee or Assistant Ref

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

December 30, 2025-The growth in programs of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) has created a continuous need for more soccer referees so please consider making it your New Year’s resolution to become certified. There will be certification classes held in 2026 throughout Eastern New York.

Courtesy of the Long Island Soccer Referees Association

Our certified referees and assistant refs are expected to handle 80,000 assignments in 2026, when the World Cup will also be played in the USA, Canada and Mexico, which should increase the popularity of soccer even further.

There are many wonderful things that happen when a person starts to ref including earning money, learning to manage people, learning more about the game, staying or becoming fit, expanding yourself by leaving your comfort zone as well as meeting the greatest people on soccer fields, including your new officiating colleagues. Becoming a youth soccer ref could be one of the best decisions you ever make!

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

Courtesy of the Hudson Valley Soccer Referees Association

« Previous Page