By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
 
August 17, 2019-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) congratulates Olivia Christiano, who is receiving a Jack Bauman Scholarship, which is based on success in high school as well as community service. 

The scholarship’s namesake, Jack Bauman, is considered the father of women’s soccer on Long Island. He was devoted to the Massapequa Soccer Club, Eastern New York and making sure that girls had as many opportunities to play soccer as boys did in an era when girls playing sports was not as accepted as it is today.

Olivia played in the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) for the Island Trees Shooting Stars as well as the Player Development Program (PDP). The Seaford resident was an Honor Roll Student and an All-Conference soccer player at Island Trees High School and volunteered with numerous local groups including the Garden of Hope, Caroling for Cans, PB&J For the Homeless, Athletes Helping Athletes, the Key Club, Yearbook Club and Spanish Club.

She wrote in her essay, ”Being on a team has given me the skills of analytical and strategic thinking, as well as leadership skills. These skills helped me be a team player and that’s a characteristic you need when you have a career and have to work with all different types of personalities…You learn not only about the sport but new aspects on how skilled you and your teammates are both mentally and physically. It’s a great sport that I am so grateful to be involved in and can’t wait for what the future has in store.”

We wish Olivia the best studying and playing soccer at Caldwell University.

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 nine 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/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.