TOPSoccer

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

December 3, 2024-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is thrilled to announce that our TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year, Owen McCormack, has been selected by US Youth Soccer as the National TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year. Owen will be honored at the US Youth Soccer Workshop in Chicago and the Eastern New York Hall of Fame Banquet in New York City, both in January.

TOPSoccer stands for The Outreach Program for Soccer, providing an opportunity for children with intellectual, physical and/or social characteristics that may require modified educational practices and services in order to develop to their potential. 

Owen has volunteered with the Manhasset Soccer Club’s Adaptive Program since the 9th Grade, the earliest that the club allows student volunteers. Due to his dedication to TOPSoccer, he was appointed Director of Student Volunteers in the 10th Grade. Owen recruits volunteers from Manhasset High School’s varsity and junior varsity soccer programs as well as the rest of the student population.

The Manhasset resident is responsible for creating the schedule at the start of the season and communicates with students and their families to ensure that every child with special needs receives the attention they deserve. During practices, Owen takes the initiative in guiding new volunteers. His positive energy and inclusive nature has helped build strong relationships with players and their families.

Additionally, Owen reaches out to a special education teacher in a neighboring school district to offer her students participation in Manhasset’s Adaptive Program as there, unfortunately, is no such program in her town. 

In addition to being a leader with TOPSoccer for the past three years, Owen is a leader at Manhasset High School, volunteering as the Student Government Class Treasurer in the 9th, 10th and 11th Grades and organizing events promoting school spirit, fundraising and community engagement. Owen also volunteers at St. Francis Hospital and for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). He was selected as team co-captain of the 2024 LLS Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign on Long Island.

Owen grew up playing in the Manhasset Soccer Club in both the intramural and travel team programs, has been a player for Eastern New York’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) for the past three years and also currently plays for the East Meadow Soccer Club and Manhasset High School.

This is the second time in the past six years that a teenager from Eastern New York has been selected as National TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year as Jessica Lee received this huge honor in 2019.

With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/

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

June 19, 2024-Morgan Salmon of West Hempstead has been honored by the Northeast-10 Conference as the Woman of the Year and Soccer Defensive Player of the Year as well as a United Soccer Coaches All-American.

Morgan’s playing time at Adelphi University consisted of starting 51 of her 53 career games at the pivotal center back position. The Panthers, under her captaincy, not only returned to the NE10 Championship final in 2023, but captured the school’s first NCAA Division 2 East Region Championship in 20 years. Her final start as a Panther came at the NCAA Division 2 National Championship, where Morgan played all 90 minutes of the team’s semifinal game against Washburn University.

Morgan completed her bachelor’s degree this May in Nursing, maintaining a 3.854 cumulative grade-point average along the way. In her acceptance speech as the Northeast-10 Woman of the Year, she thanked Lauren Lee, the TOPSoccer Chairperson of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA).

Morgan said, “I would like to thank West Hempstead TOPSoccer and Lauren Lee. West Hempstead TOPSoccer is the outreach program for soccer which allows individuals with special needs the opportunty to play soccer, whether that is a mental or physical disability. I started volunteering with this program in 2013 so I grew up with these kids, they’re neighborhood kids, and as much as you would think that I taught them, they have truly formed me into the person I am.”

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 onto http://www.enysoccer.com/