By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
November 5, 2020- 2020 might be a trick but Halloween was a treat last Saturday for Staten Island Youth Soccer League (SIYSL) players. The southernmost league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) organizes clinics for peewee players on Saturdays at the Owl Hollow Soccer Complex.
As last Saturday was Halloween, the 5- and 6-year-olds were encouraged to wear their costumes. This was an innovative solution to trick-or-treating being discouraged this year for fears of the virus spreading. The SIYSL also gave each player water bottles stuffed with pre-packaged candies.
“This event needed to be created to try and get back to some kind of normal life. It was cold but the kids didn’t mind, they had fun and received candy. What else would they have wanted?” commented SIYSL President Bill Smith. “The executive board and clinic staff did a great job making this happen for the children. And I can tell you from personal experience, it wasn’t easy putting candy in water bottles.”
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.
