By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
July 27, 2020-While coronavirus cases have spiked in the South and West, the news continues to be good here in the Northeast, allowing the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) to clear another hurdle in rebooting organized soccer as we enter Phase 2 of US Soccer’s return-to-play guidelines today. Full team training is now allowed but still maintain social distancing. Teams do contact tracing for any positive cases and track for the next three weeks. Obviously, kids are not practicing if they feel sick.
August 17 is the reboot date for games while considering only local and single day competitions. Large events would have to be approved by the local government.
Local tournaments can be played on or after August 17 with the hope that the Fall Season will kick off in September. Of course, for any organized soccer to be played is dependent on the necessary field permits being issued.
“We’re very happy that the situation in New York has become much better since last spring, allowing us to enter Phase 2 in restarting soccer,” commented ENYYSA President Richard Christiano. “Our clubs and teams will continue to follow the guidelines of both US Soccer and New York State government.”
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.