By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 22, 2020-The Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) Scholarship Program began in 1981 when one boy and one girl each received a scholarship and it has grown exponentially just as soccer has grown in the United States. 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of the LIJSL Scholarship Program.
LIJSL Managing Director Steve Padaetz explained, “The league would like to acknowledge and express its appreciation for the tremendous support the Scholarship Program has received from sponsors and foundations. The continued backing from our supporters has been an essential piece to the program’s longstanding 40 years of success.“
The LIJSL awards scholarships based on academic and athletic achievement plus community service to student/athletes who have completed their senior year of high school. These well-rounded teenagers exemplify the mission of the league and its slogan of “Building Character Through Soccer.”
The scholarship recipients and their families were always celebrated with a lunch or brunch, including at the Huntington Hilton during the past decade. Unfortunately, that was impossible this summer with the continued limitations on large gatherings because of the coronavirus so smaller presentations to honor the recipients in line with current protocols will be held instead on Sunday, August 2 at the LIJSL office in Ronkonkoma.
“This has not been an easy year, but even in a pandemic, we have donors who continue to be generous and recipients who are worthy,” stated Lynn Scarpati, Scholarship Program Chairperson. "We have all found something special in crisis and ways to face these challenges.”
Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients:
| Award |
Recipient |
High School |
College Attending |
| Addie Mattei-Iaia Presidential Scholarship |
Matthew Power |
Northport |
UMass Amherst |
| Bobbie & David Marks Memorial Scholarship |
Danielle DiTomasso |
Plainedge |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| Bobbie & David Marks Memorial Scholarship |
Emily Rosa-Figueirdo |
St. John the Baptist |
Quinnipiac University |
| Bobbie & David Marks Memorial Scholarship |
Scott Thorley |
Eastport South Manor |
UMass Amherst |
| Brittney Walsh Memorial Scholarship |
Nicole Jenal |
Bethpage |
Felician University |
| Brittney Walsh Memorial Scholarship |
Gregory Paul |
Mepham |
Alfred University |
| Carolyn Page Memorial Scholarship |
Makayla Reardon |
Sacred Heart Academy |
Fairfield University |
| Eileen Frazita Memorial Female Student Scholarship |
Sarah Santacroce |
Mattituck |
Sacred Heart University |
| Frank Gorman Memorial Scholarship |
Halle Trahey |
East Islip |
Molloy College |
| Jerry Marinan Memorial Scholarship |
Michael Leandrou |
Oyster Bay |
American University |
| John R. Pinezich Memorial Scholarship |
Conor Andrews |
Calhoun |
The Ohio University |
| Joseph Lombardo Memorial Scholarship |
Matthew Jakubowsky |
St. Anthony’s |
St. John’s University |
| LIJSL Merit Scholarship |
Olivia Vinson |
Wantagh |
Binghamton University |
| LIJSL Merit Scholarship |
Leyla Kalmaz |
Carey |
Molloy College |
| Matthew Scarpati Memorial Scholarship |
Ross Gossett |
Bellmore JFK |
University of Maryland |
| Michael B. Scarpati Memorial Goalkeeper Scholarship |
Michael Koutsouras |
New Hyde Park |
Fairleigh Dickinson University |
| Michael Secko Memorial Scholarship |
Tyler McElwee |
Mepham |
SUNY Oneonta |
| Miles for Matt Scholarship |
Declan Griffin |
New Hyde Park |
Susquehanna University |
| Miles for Matt Scholarship |
Gaetano Parisi |
Mepham |
Roger Williams University |
| Miles for Matt Scholarship |
Megan McIntosh |
Riverhead |
Molloy College |
| Pat Grecco Scholarship |
Abigail Landri |
West Islip |
SUNY Oneonta |
| Peter C. Collins Memorial Presidential Scholarship |
Rory King |
Mepham |
Northeastern University |
| Sandra Atlas Bass Scholarship |
Kaylee Hoffman |
St. Anthony’s |
University of Georgia |
| Sean Urda Memorial Scholarship |
Daniel Conigliaro |
General MacArthur |
Adelphi University |
| Rocco Amoroso Memorial Sportsmanship Scholarship |
Luca Rienecker |
St. Anthony’s |
University of Rochester |
| George Hoffman Memorial TOPSoccer Scholarship |
Annalea Passeggiata |
Smithtown |
Binghamton University |
| George Hoffman Memorial TOPSoccer Scholarship |
Hannah Walz |
West Hempstead |
Molloy College |
| LIJSL TOPSoccer Scholarship |
Timothy Cappitelli |
South Side |
Fairfield University |
With approximately 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.