LISFL Board Member Syd Crossley wrote the following about Joe from a dinner held in his honor, "While many of the tributes to Joe made reference to his outspoken nature and feisty temperament, all agreed and praised his lifetime devotion and promotion of soccer in the USA. Joe has been involved in soccer on Long Island since the 1950’s, as a player, as a referee, as a coach and as an administrator. Joe founded the Oceanside United Soccer Club, and is a Life Member of both the LISFL and the ENYSSA. He is also a member of the Eastern NY Soccer Hall of Fame. While the members of the LISFL will miss Joe, his guidance and sensibility, it’s a fairly good bet that players on some soccer field in Connecticut will soon receive the benefit of his years of experience. They would do well to heed his advice on the first time of asking!"

Michael Lewis from Big Apple Soccer wrote this article about Joe’s death and posted an article that he’d written at the time of the celebration dinner for Joe.

Oceanside United Soccer Club issued the following statement:

Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations for Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association issued the following statement:

"When Joe Goldberg and Ian McDougall founded the Oceanside United Soccer Club in 1962, orange and blue were chosen as the colors of the new club. Not because they are the colors of the New York Mets that started play that year but because orange and blue are the colors of Nassau County and Oceanside United was the first youth soccer club in the county and indeed in all of Long Island. The founding of the club led to the great youth soccer boom on the island and eventually made the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) the world’s largest soccer league.

The local soccer community is mourning the loss of Goldberg who passed away on Monday at age 85. During a very colorful life, he was seemingly involved in every aspect of local soccer since the 1950’s. After coming to New York, the native of what was Czechoslovakia became a soccer administrator, coach, referee, one of the founders of Soccer Week, the weekly publication that gave the sports’ supporters information about the beautiful game before the start of the Internet, among many other roles and responsibilities.

Joe was inducted into the Halls of Fame of the LIJSL, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and Eastern New York State Amateur Soccer Association plus was honored as a Life Member of the Long Island Soccer Football League (LISFL) and Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL) for all his volunteering. The LISFL also named their winter indoor tournament after him. He and his wife Miriam lived in Oceanside for 52 years before moving to Connecticut in 2010 to be closer to family. Joe was lauded by many at his retirement dinner at the Oceanside Jewish Center that year.

Speaking for many of the former Oceanside United players––more than a dozen showed up for the dinner––Ron Atanasio remembered how he met Goldberg as he was at Oceanside Junior High School watching boys play soccer. Ron wound up starring at Adelphi University and as a first-round draft pick of the New York Cosmos, enjoying a 10-year professional career.

“These two gentlemen gave me an opportunity to excel in the sport I love,” Atanasio said of Goldberg and McDougall. “I can truly tell you this is a unique man. Without the opportunity you had given me, I probably wouldn’t be playing soccer.”

“Joe was always about the kids,” said Mike D’Ambrosio, the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association’s registrar. “For Joe, it’s the number of people’s lives who he touched. He gave them a place to play. Joe would pick you up in his van, feed you and bring you home.”

Goldberg did it all, from buying the uniforms––which were used over and over again by several teams to save money––to washing them.

Oceanside United’s Jim Volpe played for Goldberg on the Oceanside men’s team and then served on Oceanside’s Board of Directors with him for many years. He stated, “Joe wasn’t afraid to be different or think out of the box. You could disagree with him but he never held a grudge.”

Oceanside United was founded four years before the LIJSL came into existence so it originally played in what is today the CJSL. The league’s Ben Boehm said, “Joe was like a tornado. A number of us had arguments with him. But he knew what he wanted to do. He willed Oceanside United into existence.”

“Just going down into Joe’s basement was like visiting a soccer museum,” Volpe added. “Everybody who played soccer on Long Island for the past 50 years owes Joe a debt of gratitude. He got the whole thing going. I’m really going to miss him!”

We have lost a very good man. May he rest in peace."

Real Caribe SC 2012 USASA U-23 National Champions Team Photo

Hicksville, NY (4/30/13) - The Long Island Soccer Football League (LISFL) announced today that it will be holding the 2013 Ryder-Vass U-23 Summer Tournament. The tournament will begin on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 and continue throughout the month of July. Each team will be guaranteed a minimum of 6 games plus play-offs. The tournament will conclude in July with the winner representing the LISFL in the New York State U-23 tournament. Registration fees are $550 for junior teams affiliated with ENYYSA or adult teams affiliated with ENYSSA. Non-affiliated teams will be charged $600. Players must be born on or after 9/1/90 to be eligible, although teams are allowed to field 3 over-age players.

The USASA defending national champions Real Caribe SC are expected to begin the defense of their championship by participating in the Ryder-Vass Tournament. Real Caribe SC advanced from the 2012 Ryder-Vass Tournament all the way to the USASA National Championship where they defeated the Croatian Eagles (Wisconsin) by a score of 1-0. Real Caribe Coach Huntley Swaby isn't looking too far ahead though and recently commented that "We can't look too far ahead and have to start again with the high level of competition provided in the LISFL's Ryder-Vass tournament."

Real Caribe SC 2012 USASA U-23 National Champions Trophy

LISFL President Gus Xikis issued a letter that was sent to soccer club presidents on Long Island, which described how "As summer draws closer many teams are finishing their game schedules, many former players are returning from college. For some, it may be the last year for the team in league competition, for others fond memories of their former team." Xikis went on to describe the Ryder-Vass Tournament as "the perfect venue to keep your team together" and how "the competition is outstanding with some of the best college players competing in the tournament."

For more information on the 2013 Ryder-Vass Tournament, contact the LISFL office at (516) 433-1880. 

The Long Island Soccer Football League will be starting an Over 50 Men’s Division in September 2013. Currently celebrating their 65th anniversary, the LISFL is creating the new division to continue meeting the needs of adult amateur soccer players on Long Island.

When asked about why the LISFL is starting an Over 50 Men’s Division, League President Gus Xikis had the following to say, “3 years ago we started the Over 40 Division with six teams. It’s increased to 12 teams and is continuing to grow. The reason for starting the Over 40 Division was to give players an opportunity to play in a league with other players in a similar age group. Players and teams in the Over 40 Division asked the league to start the Over 50 Division so that they can play in a more competitive league for them.”

The LISFL is in the early stages of developing the format for the new division. The league will have a meeting with prospective teams once the application deadline of June 30, 2013 has passed. An application for teams interested in joining the league can be downloaded here. Players interested in joining the league can send their contact information to League President Gus Xikis by e-mail to newworld@aol.com

Istria SC and Port Jefferson SC in a battle of first place teams

Mt. Sinai, NY - Istria SC continued their stellar week with a 2-0 over Port Jefferson SC on 2 goals by Angel Velez. It was a clash between the 2 teams currently leading the East and West groups of Division 1 and the match lived up to the billing. Istria started strong and were able to get the lead in the first half of a fiercely contested battle when Velez scored his first goal. Port Jefferson battled throughout and had some good chances denied due to offsides calls. Once Velez got his second goal for Istria, it was always going to be tough for Port Jefferson to come back. They continued to apply a lot of pressure though and this prompted Istria Assistant Coach Pietro Asaro to plead with his defense to keep their shape and not give away any scoring chances to the home team. Istria held on and maintained their lead in the West group by picking up the 3 points.

In other Division 1 results, Forest Park defeated Mineola Portuguese by a score of 5-0 to keep the pressure on Istria in the battle for first place in the West group. Emile Barnett scored 2 goals for Forest Park, while Daniel Cipriano, Cheyne Miller, and Andrew Quinones scored the others. College Point with 2 goals by Russell Mitchinson defeated Oceanside United 6-0. AC Glen Cove defeated NY Irish Rovers 3-0 with John Crawbuck and Steven Morales each picking up a goal.

The Division 1 Reserve results continued to vary quite a bit from the first team results. Mineola Portuguese drew 2-2 with Forest Park. Jesse Karlewicz picked up a goal for Mineola, while Felipe Marulanda Cuervo scored both goals for Forest Park. College Point defeated Oceanside United 4-1. Matthias Braeuchle scored 2 goals for College Point, while Michael Fiore and and Marlon Ortez scored the others.

Division 2 action included a 1-0 win for North Bellport over SS Cosma Damiano on a goal by Robert Cox. College Point Flames defeated Farmingville Portuguese 4-0 on 2 goals by Joseph Meagher, along with goals by Robert Fucci and Eric Horigan.

NY Hota Bavarians team picture prior to a 3-0 win over Port Jefferson 3

Floral Park continued their unbeaten season by defeating S.J. Portuguese 5-1. John Kokkoris scored a hat trick while Emanuel Messina and Adesola Odumewu each picked up a goal. With the win, Floral Park have cliniched promotion to Division 2. MLMIF - NY Towers defeated Queens Liberty United 4-2. Guzman Guadalupe scored 2 for MLMIF - NY Towers while Freddy Carrasco and Raul Zuniga scored the others.

In the O-30 Division, Istria defeated Lusitano Bulls SC 5-1. Istria player Zak Ivkovic provided the following account of the game: "Istria over-30 kept their LISFL unbeaten record intact and pushing their season record to 9-0 with a 5-1 home win over Lusitano Bulls.

The O-40 Division included a 7-3 win for NY Hota Bavarians over NY Pancyprians. Cheiek Tidiani scored 5 goals for Hota, while Zef Gjokaj and Keles Rusal picked up the other goals. Long Island Gaels VSP and Baisley United drew 3-3. Alberto Peredo scored 1 for LI Gaels while Paul Hoo-Fong scored 1 for Baisley. Astoria Rudar with 2 goals each by Robert Gretton and Zoran Jovic defeated Locust Valley 4-2. Francisco Martinez scored both goals for Locust Valley.

The LISFL's Polish derby took place with Polonia defeating Polonez 4-2. Joseph Bajek, Wesley Drelich, Jaroslaw Mieleszko, and Jan Zyzanski scored for Polonia while Wieslaw Halon scored both goals for Polonez. Pele Masters on a hat trick by Joel Wickham defeated Oceanside United 3-1. Michael Connell scored for Oceanside.

Istria Sports Club from Astoria, Queens had a week that would make the locals on the Adriatic peninsula proud. Last Sunday, the Division 1 side defeated OB Fenerbahce USA by a score of 5-2. The win solidified Istria's lead in the Western group of the LISFL's Division 1. Defender Zachary Gosse gave the following account of the game:

"Fenerbahce started the game very strong, scoring the match's opening goal in the first 10 minutes with a strong run down Istria's right flank. However, Istria responded appropriately with an equalizer and the go ahead goal to bring the match to half time. Fenerbahce once again was very quick from the restart of play and equalized with plenty of time in the 2nd. Nevertheless Istria responded with a maraud of goals to take all 3 points and end the match 5-2 in favor of the home team. With the win, Istria remains that the top of the table. Their next scheduled match is, Sunday April 28th, away to Port Jefferson."

During the week came the announcement came that Gosse had signed to play for the Westchester Flames in the USL PDL for the 2013 season. Gosse has been a standout in the USL PDL having played the past 3 seasons with the Brooklyn Knights. The USL PDL is renowned for being a league that provides players with an opportunity to showcase their talent and go on to play professionally both in the United States and abroad. According to LISFL President Gus Xikis, 'this announcement demonstrates the level of talent that the players in the LISFL possess. To have a player like Zach and many others who have also played and continue to play at such a high level is tremendous for the league."

LISFL Board Member Syd Crossley wrote the following about Joe from a dinner held in his honor, "While many of the tributes to Joe made reference to his outspoken nature and feisty temperament, all agreed and praised his lifetime devotion and promotion of soccer in the USA. Joe has been involved in soccer on Long Island since the 1950’s, as a player, as a referee, as a coach and as an administrator. Joe founded the Oceanside United Soccer Club, and is a Life Member of both the LISFL and the ENYSSA. He is also a member of the Eastern NY Soccer Hall of Fame. While the members of the LISFL will miss Joe, his guidance and sensibility, it’s a fairly good bet that players on some soccer field in Connecticut will soon receive the benefit of his years of experience. They would do well to heed his advice on the first time of asking!"

Michael Lewis from Big Apple Soccer wrote this article about Joe’s death and posted an article that he’d written at the time of the celebration dinner for Joe.

Oceanside United Soccer Club issued the following statement:

Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations for Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association issued the following statement:

"When Joe Goldberg and Ian McDougall founded the Oceanside United Soccer Club in 1962, orange and blue were chosen as the colors of the new club. Not because they are the colors of the New York Mets that started play that year but because orange and blue are the colors of Nassau County and Oceanside United was the first youth soccer club in the county and indeed in all of Long Island. The founding of the club led to the great youth soccer boom on the island and eventually made the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) the world’s largest soccer league.

The local soccer community is mourning the loss of Goldberg who passed away on Monday at age 85. During a very colorful life, he was seemingly involved in every aspect of local soccer since the 1950’s. After coming to New York, the native of what was Czechoslovakia became a soccer administrator, coach, referee, one of the founders of Soccer Week, the weekly publication that gave the sports’ supporters information about the beautiful game before the start of the Internet, among many other roles and responsibilities.

Joe was inducted into the Halls of Fame of the LIJSL, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and Eastern New York State Amateur Soccer Association plus was honored as a Life Member of the Long Island Soccer Football League (LISFL) and Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL) for all his volunteering. The LISFL also named their winter indoor tournament after him. He and his wife Miriam lived in Oceanside for 52 years before moving to Connecticut in 2010 to be closer to family. Joe was lauded by many at his retirement dinner at the Oceanside Jewish Center that year.

Speaking for many of the former Oceanside United players––more than a dozen showed up for the dinner––Ron Atanasio remembered how he met Goldberg as he was at Oceanside Junior High School watching boys play soccer. Ron wound up starring at Adelphi University and as a first-round draft pick of the New York Cosmos, enjoying a 10-year professional career.

“These two gentlemen gave me an opportunity to excel in the sport I love,” Atanasio said of Goldberg and McDougall. “I can truly tell you this is a unique man. Without the opportunity you had given me, I probably wouldn’t be playing soccer.”

“Joe was always about the kids,” said Mike D’Ambrosio, the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association’s registrar. “For Joe, it’s the number of people’s lives who he touched. He gave them a place to play. Joe would pick you up in his van, feed you and bring you home.”

Goldberg did it all, from buying the uniforms––which were used over and over again by several teams to save money––to washing them.

Oceanside United’s Jim Volpe played for Goldberg on the Oceanside men’s team and then served on Oceanside’s Board of Directors with him for many years. He stated, “Joe wasn’t afraid to be different or think out of the box. You could disagree with him but he never held a grudge.”

Oceanside United was founded four years before the LIJSL came into existence so it originally played in what is today the CJSL. The league’s Ben Boehm said, “Joe was like a tornado. A number of us had arguments with him. But he knew what he wanted to do. He willed Oceanside United into existence.”

“Just going down into Joe’s basement was like visiting a soccer museum,” Volpe added. “Everybody who played soccer on Long Island for the past 50 years owes Joe a debt of gratitude. He got the whole thing going. I’m really going to miss him!”

We have lost a very good man. May he rest in peace."

Real Caribe SC 2012 USASA U-23 National Champions Team Photo

Hicksville, NY (4/30/13) - The Long Island Soccer Football League (LISFL) announced today that it will be holding the 2013 Ryder-Vass U-23 Summer Tournament. The tournament will begin on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 and continue throughout the month of July. Each team will be guaranteed a minimum of 6 games plus play-offs. The tournament will conclude in July with the winner representing the LISFL in the New York State U-23 tournament. Registration fees are $550 for junior teams affiliated with ENYYSA or adult teams affiliated with ENYSSA. Non-affiliated teams will be charged $600. Players must be born on or after 9/1/90 to be eligible, although teams are allowed to field 3 over-age players.

The USASA defending national champions Real Caribe SC are expected to begin the defense of their championship by participating in the Ryder-Vass Tournament. Real Caribe SC advanced from the 2012 Ryder-Vass Tournament all the way to the USASA National Championship where they defeated the Croatian Eagles (Wisconsin) by a score of 1-0. Real Caribe Coach Huntley Swaby isn't looking too far ahead though and recently commented that "We can't look too far ahead and have to start again with the high level of competition provided in the LISFL's Ryder-Vass tournament."

Real Caribe SC 2012 USASA U-23 National Champions Trophy

LISFL President Gus Xikis issued a letter that was sent to soccer club presidents on Long Island, which described how "As summer draws closer many teams are finishing their game schedules, many former players are returning from college. For some, it may be the last year for the team in league competition, for others fond memories of their former team." Xikis went on to describe the Ryder-Vass Tournament as "the perfect venue to keep your team together" and how "the competition is outstanding with some of the best college players competing in the tournament."

For more information on the 2013 Ryder-Vass Tournament, contact the LISFL office at (516) 433-1880. 

Istria SC and Port Jefferson SC in a battle of first place teams

Mt. Sinai, NY - Istria SC continued their stellar week with a 2-0 over Port Jefferson SC on 2 goals by Angel Velez. It was a clash between the 2 teams currently leading the East and West groups of Division 1 and the match lived up to the billing. Istria started strong and were able to get the lead in the first half of a fiercely contested battle when Velez scored his first goal. Port Jefferson battled throughout and had some good chances denied due to offsides calls. Once Velez got his second goal for Istria, it was always going to be tough for Port Jefferson to come back. They continued to apply a lot of pressure though and this prompted Istria Assistant Coach Pietro Asaro to plead with his defense to keep their shape and not give away any scoring chances to the home team. Istria held on and maintained their lead in the West group by picking up the 3 points.

In other Division 1 results, Forest Park defeated Mineola Portuguese by a score of 5-0 to keep the pressure on Istria in the battle for first place in the West group. Emile Barnett scored 2 goals for Forest Park, while Daniel Cipriano, Cheyne Miller, and Andrew Quinones scored the others. College Point with 2 goals by Russell Mitchinson defeated Oceanside United 6-0. AC Glen Cove defeated NY Irish Rovers 3-0 with John Crawbuck and Steven Morales each picking up a goal.

The Division 1 Reserve results continued to vary quite a bit from the first team results. Mineola Portuguese drew 2-2 with Forest Park. Jesse Karlewicz picked up a goal for Mineola, while Felipe Marulanda Cuervo scored both goals for Forest Park. College Point defeated Oceanside United 4-1. Matthias Braeuchle scored 2 goals for College Point, while Michael Fiore and and Marlon Ortez scored the others.

Division 2 action included a 1-0 win for North Bellport over SS Cosma Damiano on a goal by Robert Cox. College Point Flames defeated Farmingville Portuguese 4-0 on 2 goals by Joseph Meagher, along with goals by Robert Fucci and Eric Horigan.

NY Hota Bavarians team picture prior to a 3-0 win over Port Jefferson 3

Floral Park continued their unbeaten season by defeating S.J. Portuguese 5-1. John Kokkoris scored a hat trick while Emanuel Messina and Adesola Odumewu each picked up a goal. With the win, Floral Park have cliniched promotion to Division 2. MLMIF - NY Towers defeated Queens Liberty United 4-2. Guzman Guadalupe scored 2 for MLMIF - NY Towers while Freddy Carrasco and Raul Zuniga scored the others.

In the O-30 Division, Istria defeated Lusitano Bulls SC 5-1. Istria player Zak Ivkovic provided the following account of the game: "Istria over-30 kept their LISFL unbeaten record intact and pushing their season record to 9-0 with a 5-1 home win over Lusitano Bulls.

The O-40 Division included a 7-3 win for NY Hota Bavarians over NY Pancyprians. Cheiek Tidiani scored 5 goals for Hota, while Zef Gjokaj and Keles Rusal picked up the other goals. Long Island Gaels VSP and Baisley United drew 3-3. Alberto Peredo scored 1 for LI Gaels while Paul Hoo-Fong scored 1 for Baisley. Astoria Rudar with 2 goals each by Robert Gretton and Zoran Jovic defeated Locust Valley 4-2. Francisco Martinez scored both goals for Locust Valley.

The LISFL's Polish derby took place with Polonia defeating Polonez 4-2. Joseph Bajek, Wesley Drelich, Jaroslaw Mieleszko, and Jan Zyzanski scored for Polonia while Wieslaw Halon scored both goals for Polonez. Pele Masters on a hat trick by Joel Wickham defeated Oceanside United 3-1. Michael Connell scored for Oceanside.

Istria Sports Club from Astoria, Queens had a week that would make the locals on the Adriatic peninsula proud. Last Sunday, the Division 1 side defeated OB Fenerbahce USA by a score of 5-2. The win solidified Istria's lead in the Western group of the LISFL's Division 1. Defender Zachary Gosse gave the following account of the game:

"Fenerbahce started the game very strong, scoring the match's opening goal in the first 10 minutes with a strong run down Istria's right flank. However, Istria responded appropriately with an equalizer and the go ahead goal to bring the match to half time. Fenerbahce once again was very quick from the restart of play and equalized with plenty of time in the 2nd. Nevertheless Istria responded with a maraud of goals to take all 3 points and end the match 5-2 in favor of the home team. With the win, Istria remains that the top of the table. Their next scheduled match is, Sunday April 28th, away to Port Jefferson."

During the week came the announcement came that Gosse had signed to play for the Westchester Flames in the USL PDL for the 2013 season. Gosse has been a standout in the USL PDL having played the past 3 seasons with the Brooklyn Knights. The USL PDL is renowned for being a league that provides players with an opportunity to showcase their talent and go on to play professionally both in the United States and abroad. According to LISFL President Gus Xikis, 'this announcement demonstrates the level of talent that the players in the LISFL possess. To have a player like Zach and many others who have also played and continue to play at such a high level is tremendous for the league."

Thomas Manz playing for O.B. Fenerbahce USA, photo by Michael Anderer

Thomas Manz has been a standout soccer player at many different levels. He played a key role in O.B. Fenerbahce USA’s recent win at the LISFL’s 2013 Joe Goldberg indoor tournament and plays with the club when he’s not playing for the University of Albany. Thomas has also played for several years with the Westchester Flames, most recently with their PDL team. Recently Thomas shared his thoughts on the LISFL and his other soccer experiences.

DH: What led you to join OB Fenerbahce USA?

TM: I was led to Fenerbache when Coach Larry saw me play for Old Westbury (my first college) and he asked me if I would be interested in playing for him.

DH: What have you enjoyed about playing in the LISFL and how does it compare to some other leagues that you’ve played in?

TM: I enjoy playing in the LISFL because there is a lot of culture in the league and a lot of opportunity to meet new people. It is a good competitive league with a lot of talented players. It is a high level and a good opportunity to be exposed and move up.

DH: How did the recent season go at Albany and what are you doing to prepare for next season?

TM: The recent season at Albany was good. Our team was and is very strong. We did well in the conference and were able to finish in 4th, which let us have a home first round playoff game. We ended up dominating the game but lost in penalties. The team is working very hard in the off-season and everyone has a summer workout plan.

DH: Can you tell us a bit about your time with the Westchester Flames? Some of the best experiences and how it helped you to develop as a player.

TM: I’ve been playing with Westchester Flames since I was 16. Since then I have played both with the youth teams and the PDL team. Some of my best experiences playing with them have to me making it to the nationals with the U20s and for the PDL team traveling all over to play at the highest level. For a college player as a whole it has been a great experience.

Developing as a player is an easy concept. It takes hard work and surrounding yourself with players and coaches that want to see you be the best player you can be. At the Westchester Flames I have great coaches that will make sure I work hard and want me to be the best I can be.

DH: What other teams have you played or trained with, tried out for, etc.?

TM: Growing up I played for New Rochelle and left there at 14 to play with NY Red Bulls in the academy.  At 16 I left to play with the Flames.

DH: Going forward, what you are looking to do in soccer and with your life?

TM: Going forward I’m looking to finish up my college career playing the best soccer I’ve ever been playing and I want to win an America East championship. In life I hope soccer can carry me as far as I can go. I want to play after school and hope I can get a chance to.

DH: What advice would you give to a young person who is interested in playing the game and wants to become a better player?

TM: For advice to a younger person all I can say is work hard. Don’t think just practicing with your club team or school team is enough because if it were everyone would make it to D1 or the professional level. It takes hard work and dedication. My coach tells us to ask yourself two questions: how bad do you want it and what are you willing to do for it. I think these two questions are perfect for anyone who is serious about soccer and wants to play at the highest level.

Zac Clerge at the 2012 Massapequa Memorial Day Tournament with the Lake Grove Rebels

It’s not often that we get top young high school players in the LISFL, while they’re still in high school. Zac Clerge is an exception to that and hopefully, we’ll continue to see more young players take advantage of the opportunity to improve their game. Zac is a special young man as those at AC Glen Cove and the rest of the LISFL have found out. Now, Nyack College and the New York Cosmos are also finding out how talented Zac is and we’ll all get to see just how far he can go in the game.

DH: How is the season going with AC Glen Cove in the LISFL?

ZC: We had a tough first half of the season here at AC Glen Cove, but this spring we’ve done the necessary steps and added key players in positions that needed solidification. We are starting to find a groove now in the second half of the season.

DH: What led you to play with AC Glen Cove and what do you think about the level of competition in the league?

ZC: What really pulled me to come to AC Glen Cove was the rich history of the team and how passionate everyone was. Seeing how much this team meant to them really made it easy for me to want to sign for them.

DH: Can you tell us how your recent season went with Patchogue / Medford High School and Lake Grove Soccer Club?

ZC: During high school I felt that we had a lot of good players and I got to compete in League 1, which is without a doubt the most competive high school league on the island with teams like Brentwood and Commack.

ZC: Some advice I’d give to any young kid on the island would be just play as much as you can and with as many diffrent people as you can. The only way you’ll develop is by playing day in and day out and committing to it. Once you do this, all that is left is to just simply believe in yourself.

Action from the Lindenhurst vs Jamaica Portugese match

By David Harris

Lindenhurst continued their struggle this season with a 4-1 loss to Jamaica Portguese. Despite starting the match with 9 players, Lindenhurst were able to take an early lead on a penalty kick that was converted by Juan Rodriguez. Eventually Lindenhurst were able to field a full team, but one of their players sustained an injury late in the first half and they had to continue on with 10 men in the second half.

By this point, Jamaica Portugese had taken the lead on first half goals by Helder Mendes, Fabio Marchitelli, and Marco Marchitelli. Jamaica added a goal in the second half by Joseph Casio to complete the victory and gain a much needed 3 points that put them into 4th place in Flight A of the LISFL's second division.

New Lindenhurst manager Liam Wachter explained after the game that he is in the process of adding new players so that the club can field a more consistant team each week. Having been relegated into Division 2 this season and with 11 losses from 13 games the club needs a change in fortune that a new manager can bring.

In Division 1, Forest Park defeated NY Olympiacos 5-1. Daniel Marra got a hat trick, with Fabian Santibanez and Neal Siena also adding goals. The win puts Forest Park in site of first place Istria who could only manage a 2-2 draw with AC Glen Cove. Hussein Jaafar picked up one of the goals for Istria. Port Jefferson added to their lead in Flight A with a 2-1 win over NY Irish Rovers. Vamara Traore and Elysee Vilsaint picked up the goals for Port Jefferson.

In Division 1 Reserves, Stephen Maynard scored 4 goals for Istria in their 5-2 win over AC Glen Cove. Robert Phillippou got a hat trick while Greg Mallia and Helder Cancelinha added goals as Mineola Portugese defeated OB Fenerbahce USA 6-4.

Additional results from Division 2 included a 2-1 victory for LI Juventus over Deer Park. Fofana Mangandje and Christopher Posillico scored the goals for LI Juventus. Vincent Hamel scored twice and Mario Silva added a goal for Farmingville Portugese in their 4-3 loss to North Bellport. 

Division 3 leaders Floral Park continued their winning ways with goals by John Kokkoris and Evan Wagner in a 2-1 win over Queens Liberty United. MLMIF - NY Towers had goals from Freddy Carrasco, Ernesto Torres, and Raul Zuniga in a 2-2 draw with NY Hota Bavarians.

The match in the Over-40 Division between Locust Valley and Oceanside United ended in a 3-2 win for Locust Valley with goals by Francisco Martinez, John Monsalve, and Juan Carlos Sarmiento. Warren Fowler scored twice for Oceanside. Pele Masters defeated Astoria Rudar 5-1 with 3 goals by Wesley Baynes, and additional goals by Ronald Clarke and Howard Young. NY Hota Bavarians with 2 goals by Brian Conlon, and 1 each by Oscar Estrada and Cheiek Tidani, defeated Polonez 4-1. Andrzej Jablonka scored for Polonez. NY Pancyprians defeated NY Olympiacos 2-1. Hugo Abanto scored twice for the Pancyprians while Nikolaos Kostakis scored for Olympiacos. Lloyd Matthews scored for Baisley United in their 1-0 win over Polonia.

The Long Island Soccer Football League will be starting an Over 50 Men’s Division in September 2013. Currently celebrating their 65th anniversary, the LISFL is creating the new division to continue meeting the needs of adult amateur soccer players on Long Island.

When asked about why the LISFL is starting an Over 50 Men’s Division, League President Gus Xikis had the following to say, “3 years ago we started the Over 40 Division with six teams. It’s increased to 12 teams and is continuing to grow. The reason for starting the Over 40 Division was to give players an opportunity to play in a league with other players in a similar age group. Players and teams in the Over 40 Division asked the league to start the Over 50 Division so that they can play in a more competitive league for them.”

The LISFL is in the early stages of developing the format for the new division. The league will have a meeting with prospective teams once the application deadline of June 30, 2013 has passed. An application for teams interested in joining the league can be downloaded here. Players interested in joining the league can send their contact information to League President Gus Xikis by e-mail to newworld@aol.com

Georgios Spanos playing for Mineola Portuguese in the 2013 Joe Goldberg Indoor Tournament. Photo by Michael Anderer

From St. John the Baptist to St. John’s University to Mineola Portuguese, Georgios Spanos has accomplished a lot throughout his soccer career. Throw in some apprearences with the U.S. Youth National teams and and youth soccer with the East Meadow Soccer Club and you have one of the best players to come out of Long Island over the last several years. Recently, Georgios took the time to reflect on his career and share his thoughts about soccer on Long Island.

DH: How has the season been going so far with Mineola Portuguese in the LISFL?

GS: We have got off to a slow start because a couple key players that we rely on were injured in the fall so it has hindered our ranking. But we have added a couple key players to the spring so we should be on a path of rattling off some wins. It can be very difficult to get players to come and play every weekend so, we here at Mineola, try and will continue to push the brand forward. Develop a name, a legacy, and tradition where players want to play for the shirt.

DH: What led you to play for Mineola Portuguese and what does the club mean to you?

GS: I decided to play for MPSC to build a winning club and an environment where a club meets the community. I came to MPSC over six years ago and me and my best friend Marco Da Fonte decided to build the club from scratch. We saw that the club had the history and the passion to grow. With a couple key additions to our board (Mike Carlos, Danny Carlos, David Neves, Gabe Marques, Terry Uellendahl) we really put our heads together to try to build the Apple of soccer clubs.

We not only want to win with our amateur and youth teams, but also have a major component of freedom for each team to develop and grow how they want to. AND more imporantly build a club that is intertwined with the community. That is very important for us.

This club means everything to me, I have dedicated a lot of time to make it great and it is very rewarding not only to win a State Cup in 2011, but also to see our youth kids develop into top players. That is our future. The foundation is down for this club, now we have to tweak a couple things to make us more sustainable for the future.

DH: What do you think about the quality of the LISFL and how it’s helped you improve as a player?

GS: I dont think that the quality of the LISFL has improved me as a player, but I do think that the competition has gotten better over the last year. It is still behind the Cosmopolitan League, but it is a strong league and I am very happy to play here now.

DH: What teams did you try out for and opportunities did you have to play professional soccer?

GS: Growing up I had many opportunities to play overseas, but I had several imporant people and coaches in my life that had guided me on a great path for my development. They believed that I could develop just as good here in the states as overseas, so that is why I stayed. To be quite honest, looking back on it, I probably should have taken that opportunity. In my young teenage years I had chances to go overseas and play in the Anderlecht, AZ Alkmaar, and Ajax youth systems, but I stayed.

When I finished my college career, I stayed in school to finish my last semester becasue that was important to me. It was the right decision I believe for myself as opposed to playing pro. I have access to dual citizenship so I had agents also asking me to go to trials in
Spain and Greece, but I did not take them because I fould a career. There are a lot of uncertainties when you go overseas and I took a route where I can put my passions into a career. Although soccer is still ingrained into my soul and I try to play it as much as possible.

DH: What are some if your fondest memories from your days in college at St Johns?

GS: Some fond memories I had at SJU would be the finals in 03 vs Indiana in the snow. Getting onto the bus and seeing all of the support from our friends, families, and fans outside the hotel and then to see some of the faces of the seniors when we lost 2-1 and had most of the game. I’ll never forget that.

My senior year winning a Big East title was really memorable as we did it in style vs West Virginia and not much time on the clock.
For me the most memorable times were the practices and running sessions we would have, I feed off of doing things that no one else does. Working harder and knowing that I am going to wake up and run to the park and back made me excited. As a competitor, those are the best memories I have because when you look at a game its only 90 minutes, but when you look at how many minutes you train and run for that game it’s remarkable. Thats where your passion is, its when no one is looking.

DH: What did you enjoy the most about playing high school and youth soccer on Long Island?

GS: My fondest moments of high school and youth soccer would definitely have to be the traveling. I was very fortunate to travel the world becasue of soccer. The friendships I have built will last a lifetime and I am grateful for that. My godson, his father I met thru soccer and he personally trained me and my brother and now I have my godson in MPSC. Everything really does come full cycle. I have met some great coaches and trainers that have all helped me not only be the player that I am but the man that I am today.

The one thing that I will never forget though is me and my brother everyday would play in the backyard. Everyday until it was dinner, we played 1vs1 all day after school or the megging game where you would play 5 games up to 3 where you would have to meg the other guy. There is no magic recipe for success. It comes down to how bad you want it. If you want it bad, you will train everyday and play everday, inside the house outside the house. Play with a sock, it doesnt matter.

DH: What are your thoughts about the positive aspects of soccer on Long Island and the areas where it can be improved?

GS: I am not very optimistic about Long Island soccer right now to be completely honest. Kids do not touch the ball enough, nowhere near where they should be. We have a disadvantage with the weather over some other regions and I don’t think Long Island soccer is where it should be. If we want to be a hub for soccer development and produce great players, we need to be touching the ball more. Too many kids are spoiled, and want the best cleats or the best jersey, I am not in favor of this.

Parents are also killing their kids hopes and dreams because they interfere with their children to much. They give input for their kids when they don’t even know what’s best for them. An example would be (and I see this way to often), the child or player is playing poorly or does not do something right, does not get enough time, or someone beats him out of a spot, whatever the case may be. They
always blame the coach or trainer. Parents and players should instead be asking, "What do I have to do to get better?" and "How can I better myself to get the trainer’s attention?".

When I was younger and learning how to play soccer I will never forget this. I was having a bad day and I complained to my father once about another player, and he told me he never wanted to hear that from me again. He told me how do you accept responsiblity to help that player get better or to do as the trainer wants you to do.

The one positive is that soccer on Long Island is growing as more and more kids are playing and that gives us hope for the future.

DH: What advice would give to a young person on Long Island who plays soccer and wants to improve as a player?

GS: If I had to give advice to a younger player it is simple. You want to play professional or you want to get a scholarship for school and make your parents proud, then touch the ball every day. Take criticsm and understand what your weaknesses are and work on them.

Follow Mineola Portuguese on Twitter @MineolaPORT

The LISFL games on Sunday, March 24th were played in cold weather, but that didn't stop the action from heating up. In Division 1, Forest Park and Istria battled to a 4-4 draw. Daniel Marra and and Fabien Santibanez each scored 2 goals for Forest Park, while defender Zach Gosse got 2 for Istria, including a bicycle kick in the 88th minute to tie the game at 4-4. The other games were lopsided affairs including a 6-1 thrashing by Mineola Portuguese over Port Jefferson, NY Rovers defeating Oceanside United 4-0, O.B. Fenerbahce USA defeating NY Polet 3-1, and College Point defeating AC Glen Cove 3-0.

The results left NY Polet and Port Jefferson still tied for first place in the East Group with NY Polet ahead on goal difference. College Point remains in the lead in the West Group on 18 points, with both Istria and Forest Park tied for second on 16 points and 2 games in hand. 

Action from NY Polet vs OB Fenerbahce USA. Photo provided by Larry Tiyaloglu.

In Division 1 Reserve action, Forest Park and Istria settled for a 2-2 tie that keeps Forest Park on top of the West Group with 17 points. Mineola Portuguese defeated Port Jefferson 3-2 to stay on top of the East Group with 19 points while NY Rovers defeated Oceanside by a score of 8-3 to stay in second place on 18 points.

College Point Flames ready to play Real Caribe. Photo by David Harris

In Division 2, the Flames of College Point were doused by Real Caribe by a score of 4-0. The result makes the West Group very tight as College Point Flames stay in the lead with 22 points on 10 games. Real Caribe are second with 19 points on 11 games. NY West Indies United defeated South Shore by a score of 5-2 and are in third place with 16 points on 10 games. 

The East Group is also very tight with Deer Park getting 3 points from a forfeit win over Lindenhurst that keeps them in first place with 30 points from 11 games. Long Island Juventus lost ground as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Farmingville Portuguese. This leaves them in second place with 21 points from 9 games. 

Floral Park continued to set the pace in Division 3 with a 1-0 win over Port Jefferson 3. This keeps Floral Park in first place with 28 points from 10 games and makes them the favorite to gain the all important promotion to Division 2.

Istria remained undefeated in the O-30 Division with a 5-2 win over AC Glen Cove. This keeps them on top of the West Group with 24 points from 8 games. Difficult for any team to top that record! In the East Group, Lindenhurst lost to Long Island Juventus 5-3 while Long Island Gaels VSP won 3-2 over Oceanside United to grab first place with 19 points from 9 games.

In the O-40 Division, Lindenhurst defeated Polonez 3-0 to take first place in the East Group from Long Island Gaels VSP who were held to a 2-2 draw by Oceanside United. In the West Group, Pele Masters were held to a 2-2 draw by Baisley United while Polonia defeated NY Olympiakos 4-0 to pull within 3 points and also with a game in hand.

By David Harris

AC Glen Cove team picture from LISFL 2013 Joe Goldberg tournament. John Thelian standing in back row, all the way to the right. Photo by Michael Anderer

I've been corresponding with John Thelian, president of the LISFL club AC Glen Cove over the last few months and I've found his history in the game and the history of AC Glen Cove to be fascinating. From Tony Meola to Tony Cangero, John has seen and done a lot in soccer here on Long Island. John's a feisty guy, but he's passionate about soccer and especially AC Glen Cove. He's been an important part of the LISFL for many years and recently took the time to share his experiences in his own words. I followed up at the end to get his thoughts about soccer on Long Island and to share some advice for young people who are learning about the game. Here is John's story in his own words. 

I grew up in Baldwin and spent my weekends watching my Dad play soccer. My Dad played on Saturdays for Pan AM, and on Sundays for Lynbrook. He is really my main influence and why soccer is so much a part of my life. With Lynbrook they were the dominant force in soccer throughout the 70's. With Pan Am he got to see the world, as every summer they would travel overseas to play in tournaments.

Pan Am team photo, John Thelian Sr seated in the middle row, 1st from the left. Photo provided by John Thelian Jr.

My dad took over coaching our Long Island junior team when I was about 15 or 16 years old. We were the Baldwin Eagles and had players including Jimmy Walther and Peter Lynn. When we were 18 we beat Oceanside 1-0 in a national cup, but Oceanside protested the game (claiming it started late) and the score line was overturned giving them a forfeit win. This allowed Oceanside to go to Texas where they competed for the national title. Tony Meola played goal for them, and as you know, the rest is history. My Dad called it "Soccergate", and printed 600 T-shirts (with his own money) with a picture of a crying soccer ball from Doss Soccer.

Soccergate T-shirt. Photo provided by John Thelian

My last two years of high school I spent at St. Paul's and that didn't really help me too much in terms of recognition for college soccer. I was accepted at Hofstra, and obviously wanted to play soccer, so I asked about tryouts, having missed preseason. I made the team as a freshman walk-on in the Fall of '86, and ended up playing for Ian Collins, in his first season. The next season Ian offered 7 incoming freshman partial scholarships, and I was the last player to be cut my sophomore year. Two of the freshman later dropped out and he asked me if I'd like to rejoin, but I was young and emotional and said I wouldn't play for him as long as he coached. Luckily in my (first) senior year Richie Nuttall came in as head coach. I played for him for 2 seasons (spending much of them injured), but the contacts and friendships that I made were invaluable. It's where I got the nickname "Huckleberry".

In the early 80's my father had started the Baldwin soccer club in the LISFL. I played with them occasionally in spring seasons. We had moved to Garden City in '85 and a few years after that my Dad started Garden City as another LISFL team. Both clubs had to work their way up from D3 to D1. I played for them on and off for 2-3 seasons in between college team commitments. My father and Garden City parted ways as they decided that they wanted to be more recreational, as opposed to his competitive style of coaching. He ended up coaching my sister (who became an All-American at William Smith) and girls U-16 ODP. I, of course left the Garden City club too.

Through Hofstra, I had contacts with Glen Cove, so I played on the U-23 for Armand one summer. I always teased him that he never called me to play in the fall so I had signed for another team. This began my long journey through the LISFL. To sum it up quickly, I played for Baldwin, Garden City, Glen Cove, Forest Park, Mineola, Integral, and then back to Glen Cove.

When I was about 24 and a little disillusioned, I took a couple years off. Upon getting back into it I heard Pete and Jimmy were playing with Integral so I signed and played with them for two years, under Bunny Byfield. This was a great experience even though Jimmy and Peter barely came to play. I enjoyed those guys, but friends from Glen Cove including Fabio Berlingieri and Shawn Cassidy kept asking me to come over and play with them. I eventually gave in and have been with Glen Cove ever since.

As for coaching around this time, I spent 2 years coaching Garden City JV, and another 2 years coaching at Waldorf Academy in Garden City when I was in my mid to late 20's. I lived in Brooklyn at the time, so it just got harder and harder to make my way out east to coach, and still find a way to pay my rent.

Playing with my Hofstra click, we eventually moved to the O-30's, and at one point had an 'A' and a 'B' team. When Tony Cangero got sick in 2004, many of us would go to visit him. At one point he asked me to have my father come to see him. My Dad had served as 3rd VP for Tony on the LISFL BOD and they respected each other. My Dad went to see him, but Tony went very fast. He was looking for someone to take over the reigns for him, and they never got to that point.

AC Glen Cove O-30 team photo. Provided by John Thelian.

Around the same time Glen Cove got into some trouble. While Armand Alpian (then D1 coach) was recovering from hip surgery, players covered his coaching duties and played a player who was not registered. They got caught and Bruce Friedman (then the President) threw the book at them, blaming it on Armand. He said that Armand could not be associated with Glen Cove if we wanted to stay in the league, and we were automatically dropped to D2. The O-30 players were not as familiar with the D1 team, but felt a duty to Tony to do what we could. Fabio Berlingieri took over as acting President and we met to decide what to do. I argued that we had to put the D2 team in and try to save what Tony had built. We had lost all of our players, and the only one to show for the meeting was Sean Sedacca. That night Fabio told him sorry, but the team was folding. Fabio slept on it, called me in the morning, and told me that he changed his mind.

I called on my Dad to help fulfill Tony's request, and he reluctantly took over as coach. We also asked the league to allow us to change our name to AC Glen Cove to honor Tony. Within one season my Dad took the team back into the first division. He coached for one more season finishing in 2nd place that year. He was approached by Terry Uellendahl (then Reserve coach) saying that players were unhappy with his coaching philosophy, so he resigned. Player commitment just wasn't the there, and to him it wasn't worth it, so he passed his duties on to Terry. He felt that he had fulfilled what he'd been asked to do.

During that time there were transitions in the O-30 too. Fabio left, as his focus was on his young children who began to play. The 'B' team absorbed the 'A', and I took over managing the O-30. After his brother passed, Syl Cangero reluctantly managed the books from the money that was left in the club for a while. He would run checks to the field to pay referees, and when Fabio left he took over as acting President. He was very involved in helping to raise money, and helping organize and run the golf outing we threw every year. Without his help the club could not have survived. Seeing that there was a need to solidify our leadership in the club we eventually held an election at which time I was appointed Club President in 2008.

About 3 years ago Armand and I started a dialogue about bringing him back to the club. In the meantime Terry told me that he was leaving our club to go to Mineola, which left me to coach and manage 3 teams all by myself. It was a tough year, but through further discussions with Armand we got him back for the 2012-13 season. With him came Tony Bolbolian to manage the Reserve team. Armand has brought some renewed energy, and with our newly established board of directors, I feel like we are on the right track.

While this gives you a good history, it doesn't even begin to get into all the fundraising, wonderful sponsors, dinner dances, and golf outings we've thrown in that time. So it's been a labor of love, and sense of duty to fulfill a great man's legacy, Anthony Cangero.

DH: What do you think about soccer on Long Island in terms of the good aspects and the areas where it can be improved?

JT: The youth programs are terrific. There are a lot of options for the kids to grow their skills and learn. There are also tons of teams, programs, and camps. The biggest disconnect is their relationship with the adult leagues. In any other country throughout the world a club consists of a youth program connected to the adult. Children learn best through imitation, and a 2-dimensional picture can only offer so much information. Seeing the game played at a high level, live, where you can see the whole field is one of the best ways to learn. In the current environment the youth programs compete with the adult programs to secure fields to play on, at similar times. An effort should be made to establish a mutually beneficial system. Adults coach the youth on a Saturday while the youth come to watch the adults play on a Sunday for instance. This may be over simplifying it, but if we ever intend to compete on the world stage we need to iron out that wrinkle. Barcelona offers the best modern example. The youth comes through their program and eventually play on their Adult side. Today 10 of Barcelona's 11 starters came through their youth system.

DH: What advice would you give to a young person who is interested in playing the game and wants to become a better player?

JT: Juggle when you are alone. Play give-and-go off a wall to yourself. Practice with BOTH feet. If you run, run with the ball, and practice keeping your head up so you can see the field. If you can get friends together play 2v2, or 3v3 on a short field. Concentrate on playing give-and-goes, keeping your head up, and changing pace. Change of pace is important to beat your opponent. It's what keeps them guessing as the game goes on, and helps you create opportunity. Shooting comes later. You need to develop control, a first touch, and your skills first.

Follow AC Glen Cove on the internet at http://www.acglencove.org and on Twitter @ACGC_Soccer

Raphael Abreu in his first game for Port Jefferson against Oceanside United

Raphael Abreu is coming off his senior season with Stony Brook University and a very successful college career along with playing the past 2 seasons with the Brooklyn Knights of the USL PDL. So what’s next for Raphael? How about following in the path of many who have come before him, which is to play locally with a club in the LISFL. Raphael is currently finishing his studies at Stony Brook so what better place to keep playing soccer then with Port Jefferson SC? There’s no question that Raphael is a very talented player with an exciting future ahead of him, but for now the LISFL provides a terrific opportunity for him to stay match fit while developing his game by playing with and against a number of talented players. When asked about Raphael signing for Port Jefferson, LISFL President Gus Xikis had the following to say, "I think it’s great for the league to be getting all of these talented players. It will only make the league stronger and allow the teams to compete against teams from the other local leagues.". Recently, I was able to get Raphael’s thoughts about playing with Port Jefferson.

DH: What are your thoughts about getting the opportunity to play with Port Jeff as the team prepares to enter the second half of the season?
 

RA: I’m really honored and thrilled to be part of the Port Jeff group. I heard of the success the team had last season and know that the club is hungry for more. I am just looking to help the team win the league this season.
 

DH: What do you think you’ll be able to bring to the team?
 

RA: The teams attacking power is great having already scored over 30 goals in 8 games. Having a talented and experienced forward on the team like Guy-Roland Kpene will only help us create more scoring opportunities. I feel that with my addition, we will gain a different attacking presence that teams will have to deal with.
 

DH: How do you feel about getting to play with such a talented squad that includes players like Guy-Roland Kpene who has played in MLS?
 

RA: I am ready to learn as much as I can from Guy. Playing alongside someone who has played at the professional level excites me and can only help me become a better player. Being able to talk to and watch Guy play often is something I am really looking forward to.
 

DH: How do you think that playing in such a competitive league like the LISFL will help you improve as a player?
 

RA: Being able to practice with the Port Jeff team and play in games against competitive LISFL opponents weekly will help me get as many touches on the ball as possible. As a player, it is key to play as often as possible.
 

DH: What do you think Port Jeff’s chances are to continue the team’s great form from the 1st half of the season and win the league?
 

RA: I think that with the success the team had in the 1st half of the season, we are in a great position to continue strong and finish out the season on a high note, hopefully ending with the league title. I think the entire team will be ready and focused for our first game of the 2nd half of the season.

Follow Raphael Abreu on Twitter at @Rapha_Abreu9

Oceanside United prepares for a free kick

Mt. Sinai, NY - The luck of the Irish was with Port Jefferson SC on St. Patrick's Day as they won their home game against Oceanside United by a score of 4-3. That's not to say that the men from Port Jefferson were lucky as they were full value for the win and could have won be a larger margin. Late in the game they missed a penalty kick that would have put them ahead 5-2. Oceanside fought hard throughout the match and capitalized on the ensuing break to make the game 4-3. Oceanside continued to press throughout for an equalizer, but St. Patrick wasn't kind to them on this day.

Port Jefferson opened the scoring on a penalty kick that was coolly coverted by new signing Raphael Abreu, formally of Stony Brook University and the Brooklyn Knights. Abreu helped in the build-up to Port Jefferson's second goal and later added a goal of his own to make for a very impressive debut. He was a constant threat throughout the game, but Oceanside was able to counter the threat by using the offsides trap to catch Abreu on more than one occasion.

#17 Raphael Abreu and Port Jefferson celebrate scoring their fourth goal of the game.

Oceanside battled and pressed Port Jefferson throughout the game. When chances came their way, they took them and as a result they were in the game till the very end. Some of the referee's calls were hotly contested by Oceanside and they felt hard done on a number of occasions. Coming off a 1-1 draw with Mineola Portuguese last weekend to open the second half of the LISFL season, Oceanside were hoping for a much needed away win and 3 points to stay ahead of the men from Mineola in the Eastern group of the LISFL's 1st division. Next weekend, Oceanside United are away to NY Irish Rovers for another battle in the Eastern group. 

Port Jefferson were able to get the result for their hard work and pick up the 3 points, which could place them on top of the Eastern group pending the result of today's Mineola Portugese - NY Polet game. Port Jefferson created a number of quality scoring chances and gave up some tough goals, but look to be in good shape as they play Mineola Portugese next weekend and continue with their quest to win the LISFL Division 1 championship.

Follow the LISFL on Twitter at @LISFLSoccer

Article originally appeared in Soccer Long Island Magazine.

by David Harris

Fenerbahce USA Division 1 winners, Photo by Michael Anderer

Uniondale, NY - A tremendous week of soccer concluded on Sunday as the LISFL 2013 Joe Goldberg tournament came to a close. Mitchel Field in Uniondale, NY was home to the week-long men’s tournament where competitions were held for the LISFL’s 1st division, a combined group (with some of the 1st division reserve teams, Division 2, and Division 3), Over-30, and Over-40. The teams in each division were divided up into groups with round robin play throughout the week that led to the knockout stages, which were held on Saturday and Sunday.

The Over-40 division concluded on Saturday with Lindenhurst defeating Polonia by a score of 3-1. Also on Saturday, the combined group final was held. New York Polet’s Reserve Team defeated Division 2 side Deer Park by a score of 1-0.

Istria SC O-30 Division winners, photo by Michael Anderer

Finals were held on Sunday for the O-30 and Division 1 competitions. Istria SC defeated last year’s winner Port Jefferson by a score of 3-2. Then it all came down to the last stages of the Division 1 competition. The games generally were very close and tightly contested. The quality of the teams and talent of the players was easy for all to see. It made for a very exciting afternoon and a series of tough losses for the teams that were knocked out of the tournament. Many of the games could have been won by either team. In the end though, Fenerbahce USA played very steadily and were able to prevail. They retained the championship from last year and created some momentum ahead of the resumption of the outdoor season, which begins on March 17.

Fenerbahce USA goalie Andre Wilkinson receives the Division 1 trophy from LISFL President Gus Xikis, photo by Michael Anderer

As the LISFL celebrates its 65th anniversary, the 2013 Joe Goldberg tournament demonstrated that the league is better than ever. With players who’ve played in MLS and other pro leagues, national team selections, and top college programs, the LISFL continues to provide some of the best amateur soccer in the country. Soccer fans on Long Island don’t have to go far or buy expensive tickets to see terrific action. The LISFL provides terrific opportunities for youngsters throughout the region to learn more about soccer by watching these terrific teams and players in the various league games, cup competitions, and tournaments that are held every season. The league also provides a place for these talented players to continue playing at a very high level, further develop their skills, and pursue their dreams on the field. The LISFL is indeed a special contributor to soccer on Long Island that hopefully more people will appreciate in the days, months, and years ahead.

Follow the LISFL on Facebook and Twitter @LISFLSoccer

Photo provided by University of Michigan Athletics

Article originally appeared in Soccer Long Island Magazine.

By David Harris

Soccer may or may not get much better then on Long Island, but they certainly don’t get much better than Tyler Arnone. Hicksville High School, Albertson SC, ENY ODP, Long Island Rough Riders, LISFL’s Mineola Portuguese, the list of Long Island teams that Tyler has played with goes on and on. Coming off his sophomore season at Michigan, Tyler is preparing to solidify his status as one of the best young players, not only from Long Island, but in the entire country. The future holds great things for Tyler, and we were fortunate enough to catch up with him to see where he’s at and look back a bit on how he’s gotten there.

SLI: How did the recent season with Michigan go and what are your thoughts so far on your college career?

TA: This past season I had with Michigan was probably the best season I’ve performed on an individual level and it happened to be the most successful team I’ve been on thus far in my college career. I was fortunate enough to stay healthy throughout a season that has many games in such a short period of time, which I am very grateful for. We ended up having one of the hardest strength of schedules in the country, which ultimately pushed me to be better and allowed me to compete against the best. This also challenged our team in many ways as it taught us how to deal and flourish from adversity, making us a more complete team in the end.  

My thoughts on my college career so far is that I’m simply happy, but not satisfied. I’ve had many different experiences throughout my college career so far and I’ve learned a lot about myself as a soccer player and an individual. I was fortunate enough to earn All-Big Ten 1st team honors and recently got named captain of next year’s team. I have high expectations for my future in college soccer, hopefully being able to play in the College Cup and win a Big Ten Championship before it’s over.

SLI: What was your experience like playing for the Long Island Rough Riders and are you looking to playing in the PDL again?

TA: I love the Rough Riders and I appreciate everything that has contributed to my soccer career. The Rough Riders organization conducts themselves in the utmost professional manner and that’s why they are really appealing for the top talent in New York. I also think the PDL is a great league for college players to play in over the summer. It’s filled with top talent and very competitive. I will be playing PDL again this summer with the Long Island Rough Riders and I’m looking forward to having another successful season with them.

SLI: What was it like for you to play for Mineola Portuguese in the LISFL?

TA: I am truly grateful for the short time I had with the Mineola Portuguese in the LISFL because they took me in when I was going through my transferring process from St. John’s University to Michigan. I owe a lot to the organization because they were there for me when I needed it the most because the transferring process is very stressful and left me without a team for a few months. I guess that’s the type of relationships you build in the soccer community on Long Island. It’s a tight nit community and everyone looks out for one another and wants nothing but the best for each other.

SLI: Can you tell us a bit about how your experiences playing for the Albertson SC Academy, ODP, and Hicksville helped you to develop as a player?

TA: I devote everything I stand for today to the experiences I had from the clubs I’ve played for growing up on Long Island. I have had many people come up to me and say “you play like you’re from New York” usually recognizing my work ethic, strong tackling/defending ability, and creativeness going forward. I play with a lot of passion, intensity, and a mentality of refusing to lose; and I get that from being in that kind of environment my entire life. 

SLI: Looking back, what are some of your fondest memories from playing soccer on Long Island?

TA: This is a tough question to answer because I truly cherish all memories I’ve had through soccer. I think they really define me as a person and there are many that I hold close to my heart. Winning State Cups, playing in the Long Island Championship, playing for the Rough Riders, playing in the academy, are just few of many experiences that I will never forget.

SLI: What do you think about soccer on Long Island in terms of the good aspects and the areas where it can be improved?

TA: Long Island/New York are a primary area for top talent when it comes to soccer. Two areas in which I think it can improve on are Long Island needs a professional MLS club like the New York Red Bulls because Long Island and its players deserve one. Another area in which it can improve is to make it more affordable to play the sport. I’m not sure how the youth game is now, but I remember when I was young it was pretty expensive to play soccer, and there are some areas on Long Island that produce great soccer players that have huge potential, but some of those players might not have the financial background to pay for elite academy programs. But honestly it doesn’t get much better than the soccer opportunities on Long Island. From the clubs, coaches, to the players; it’s just the best place to be for youth soccer. 

SLI: What advice would you give to a young person from Long Island who is interested in playing the game and wants to become a better player?

TA: The advice I would give to a young person from Long Island who is interested in playing the game and wants to become a better player is most importantly have fun and enjoy playing every day! I remember having so much fun as a youth soccer player and it translates to my play on the field. Other than that I would say try to learn something new every day. Long Island has great soccer coaches that really understand the game beyond just the basics. I was fortunate to have very soccer intelligent coaches throughout my youth career and I remember as a kid I would try to learn a new thing at training every day and eventually build it to where I am today; and I’m still learning about the game! And I’ll end this question with get better every training session. Know and play to your strengths, but hide and develop your weaknesses.

Article originally appreared in Soccer Long Island Magazine 

By David Harris

AC Glen Cove are synonymous with soccer on Long Island and Armand Alpian is synonymous with AC Glen Cove. He has been involved with the club going back to the 1980s and was Coach and GM during the club’s most successful period in the LISFL. Before the current LISFL season began, AC Glen Cove brought Armand back to try and bring back the success it enjoyed during it’s "Golden Years" as Armand puts it. Recently, Armand took the time to reflect on his years in the game, his accomplishments, and soccer on Long Island.

DH: How is the current season going with AC Glen Cove in the LISFL?

AA: From a coaching point of view very promising and also very frustrating. With the exception of a few players, the whole team is made up of all first year players, very talented and a nice bunch of kids. The frustrating part is we can’t put a full team on the field in any given week due to work, travel schedules and also of a lot of injuries. The weeks that we had a majority of our players, we won or were in the game for the most part. Going ahead, we are recruiting more players to add depth to the roster which is our weakness.

DH: What are your thoughts as the team heads into the second half of the season and looks to rebound from a slow start?

AA: Our main problems were in defense and now that we are signing some players going into the second half of the season so we should do fine. Also the team is slowly settling down, and the players are slowly getting adjusted to the system and also to each other,. We are still looking for good individuals, and talented players to strengthen our club.

DH: Can you describe some of the best moments in the history of AC Glen Cove?

AA: We are celebrating the 62nd year of the club’s existence in the LISFL. As our league president mentioned couple weeks ago in a speech, Glen Cove AC is the winningest team in LISFL history. Our "Golden Years" were in the 1990’s where between 1989 to 2002 we won more than thirty titles between our first and reserve division teams. Several had consecutive titles in the league, state, super, and u-23 cups that highlighted those glorious years. Richard Nuttall, Paul Riley, Nick Samsom, Carlo Acquista, Danny Longo, Carl Christian, John Wolyniac, Dahir Mohammed, Peter Zaratin, Simon Riddiough, Danny and Stefan Mueller, Matt Mazzilli and a lot of other accomplished soccer figures became a part of Glen Cove AC soccer family during those Golden Years. We also had a team in the NEPSL that won titles several times.

DH: What do you think about the level of competition in the LISFL and opportunity the league provides for players to keep the game at a highly competitive level?

AA: LISFL has been providing this opportunity for local soccer players for decades. It is for fun and also has been used as stepping stone while keeping in shape and waiting and looking for opportunities to move up. The level of competition is extremely high and serious players can really find what they are looking for.

DH: What is your background in soccer and how did that lead you to your current position?

AA: I was born in Europe and played soccer since I was six years old. I played for Fenerbahce youth team before I came to the U.S. for College. Played for NJIT for three years while getting my Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA). After graduating I played in the local leagues for years for different clubs. Several injuries lead to three hip and two replacements and I had to quit playing. Started Bayside S.C. in 1980. The team got promoted to the first division of LISFL in two seasons. In 1989 My good friend Tony Cangero and I got together and decided that the best solution for the survival of our clubs were to combine the two clubs, and we did. Tony continued as president of LISFL and also of Glen Cove and I took over as coach and G.M. and the journey began. In the meantime I attended courses and received my soccer coaching licenses.

DH: What have been some of your best experiences in soccer?

AA: Each trophy that we won year after year becomes addictive and those were the best year in soccer. Also All-American Tournament that LISFL U-23 team that I coached winning that tournament three years in a row was another high.

DH: What are your thoughts about soccer on Long Island in terms of where it could improve?

AA: We have a new president in Gus Xikis and knowing him for many years and believing in him that he thinks the same way Tony Cangero did, that we are and will correct the direction of the ship by promoting soccer on the Island the proper way. We all will benefit from the existence and also the League will benefit from the youth of the Island and will get stronger. We have been in a dull period for a while as far as soccer is concerned (on the Island).

DH: What advice would you have for a young person who’s looking to improve as a player?

AA: First and foremost listen to advice and criticism, and try to improve yourself in those areas by working as much and as hard as you can. You have to love the game to a level that, you have to sleep with a soccer ball. Besides school, you have to put aside all the distraction of society, and practice as much as you can and play as many pick-up games as you can. Do not listen to the age groupings that they come up with. You have to play with older players as much as you so you can learn. Be open-minded to grab some tips and advice from every player that you are sharing the soccer field with. Find and be available to play every game, every place, everyday with anybody. Then by listening to coaching tips and advice you will achieve your goals. Also watch the top players, coaches and listen and imitate their sucessful habits.

DH: What advice do you have for any coaches that are involved in coaching yung players?

AA: Today a lot of the coaches I see are only thinking wins and losses. Not too many coaches care about the players welfare and improvement. To be successful you have to protect and try to improve your players. You have to observe and see their qualities and build a foundation for them for their future thru sports. Every player will not end up to be a professional player. So it is imperative that through soccer they learn how to interact will others, learn to respect the game, the rules of the game, the officials, their teammates, their opponents, their uniforms, and learn to lose with dignity and use the loss as a building stone for improvement and also be eloquent, humble and level-headed when you are winning. If you can instill those values in your players as a coach, you have succeeded not only as a coach but as a leader and a human being. Then they will remember and respect you forever.

Follow AC Glen Cove on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ACGC_Soccer

FENERBAHCE USA 4 - PORT JEFFERSON 2

By David Harris

Fenerbahce USA celebrate their 4-2 win

Mt. Sinai, NY - It was a cold afternoon for a hotly contested battle between LISFL sides Fenerbahce USA and Port Jefferson that resulted in Turkish Delight with a 4-2 win. Fenerbahce USA opened the scoring, but it was soon tied up at 1-1 by league leaders Port Jefferson with a goal by Vamara Traore who headed the ball in off a cross by Steve Schneider (current Dowling College Men’s Assistant Soccer Coach and former player). Before the end of the first half, O.B. Fenerbahce USA were awarded a penalty that was converted to give the away side a 2-1 lead going into half-time.

At the start of the second half, Port Jefferson were awarded a penalty kick that was converted by Schneider to tie the match at 2-2. Fenerbehce USA fought right back to get 2 goals that would have made the parent club in Istanbul proud.

With the score now at 4-2, Port Jefferson had to push hard to get back into the game. They dominated possession and attacked at a furious pace. Despite the presence of former MLS player Guy-Roland Kpene as a second half substitute, the league leaders had numerious chances, but were unable to convert.

The game ended 4-2, which gave Port Jefferson their first loss of the season. That result combined with a 9-0 win by N.Y. Polet over N.Y. Irish Rovers leaves Port Jefferson in second place of the LISFL’s Division 1 Eastern Division on goal difference. It also gave O.B. Fenerbahce USA a valuable 3 points as they look to bounce back from a slow start to their season.

Article originally appeared in Soccer Long Island Magazine.

By David Harris

Zachary Gosse is a very talented player with a strong desire to make it to the professional level of soccer in the United States. He has some tremendous experience having played for Siena College, LISFL club Istria, and the Brooklyn Knights from the USL PDL. The boy from Oakdale, NY who played in his youth for the Bayport Baymen has certainly come a long way. Recently, I was able to catch up with Zachary and review his career thus far.

DH: How is the season going so far with Istria in the LISFL?

ZG: Istria is doing very well at the moment, we are top of our side of the table and have given up the fewest goals in the league. However, we had some set backs in our cup competitions this campaign. We drew the Greek Americans in the first round of the State Cup. It was a well fought match by both sides, the Greeks played with 10 men for the majority of the game due to an early sending off and we had a goal disallowed because the referee said it did not cross the line. The final score was 2-0, a late penalty was given after a counter attack while we were pushing up looking for an equalizer. We also had a tough draw against College Point in our League Cup, where we played the entire match with 10 men (several of our players had car trouble) on one of the biggest fields in New York City. College Point scored the go ahead goal with about 15 minutes to go which forced us to push even more men forward and unfortunately we were unable to convert on 2 solid chances, one that was a questionable penalty. Moving forward we are now able to concentrate on our league games and are looking forward to the last couple of matches before the mid-season break.

DH: Tell us a bit about your experiences playing for a club with so much history and how playing in the league has helped you to improve as a player.

ZG: It’s really quite an honor playing for Istria. The club has a lot of support from it’s current members that come to our matches to watch us play and usually spend time with us at their social club/restaurant in Astoria, Queens. Having those guys around at our matches means a lot to all of us, many of them were professionals at one time in their careers, whether in Europe or here in the United States. Playing with Istria has helped me improve my leadership skills immensely. I was immediately put in the starting line up as the Center Back and forced to organize a defense and midfield that I have never played with before. It took a little time to adjust and accept directing players who have been on the club for a number of years. Fortunately, we all have a mutual respect for each other so there were no egos at work and actually these guys have become some of my best friends to this day. After my 1st season the 1st team’s captain had a major knee injury and was sidelined, so I was offered the role as Captain. I have to say that I really enjoy being Captain of such a historically rich club, it has given me an opportunity to build some relationships that I probably never would have had.

DH: What has it been like playing for the Brooklyn Knights and how has it helped your game?

ZG: Playing for the Brooklyn Knights has been a major accomplishment in my soccer career. Three years ago I was on several trials with some USL teams and they all unfortunately ended with no contract. However, when I found out the Knights were having tryouts, I set my mind to making the squad. When I arrived at the tryout there were close to 200 players present, which left me unnerved. After we were split up into teams I was fortunate enough to be one of the first teams to play, so I wasn’t standing around waiting. Before the whistle blew I said to myself, "Just have fun, this is the game you love." Twenty minutes later I was being dragged over to the Head Coach, who introduced himself and asked me to sign the registration papers. That was a big moment for me. Playing for this club these past 3 seasons has helped my game immensely. Playing in the New York City Metropolitan area allows you to play with people from all over the world and some major talents. The standard of competition within our squads is immense, but when it comes to matches it blew NCAA Division I soccer out of the water.  Usually a college squad has 11 solid players, in the PDL you probably have 18-22 great players, giving you so much more depth. Playing for the Knights has given me a major boost in confidence in my abilities and challenged me more than any other club/team I’ve played for in the past. 

DH: How much involvement did you have in the upcoming documentary "Going Pro: American Soccer" and what are your thoughts about the whole process of filming the movie?

ZG: I had a pretty big role in the upcoming documentary not only as a regular in the starting XI, but as one of the veterans and older players for the club. My voice is actually featured on the trailer, from one of my interviews with the filmmaker. I really enjoyed the whole filming process, Sebastian Podesta is a total professional. Initially there was a little anxiety knowing you have a camera on you throughout the training session, but once you got going you just forget the cameras are there. I think this film will give people an inside look at how hard soccer players work for free to try and reach their ultimate goal of playing professionally. I am really looking forward to viewing the finished product this winter, Sebastian is really talented and very passionate about soccer as well.

DH: What other teams have you played or trained with, tried out for, etc.?

ZG: During my college career on summer break I would play in the Super Y League for the Long Island Rough Riders. Post college I was on a trial with the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL), the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL) and I attended the InfoSport Pro Combine down in Florida. In the summer of 2011 I was offered a trial in Serbia with FK Novi Sad in the Serbian First League. It took some time adjusting to their style of football, but after a week I adapted. I registered with the club and was even given an apartment in Novi Sad, however I was unable to secure a VISA, so I was unable to sign a contract with the club. This was pretty devastating for me because the club was offering me a 3 year deal to play for them. Ultimately, it was a great experience and gave me the confidence that I am talented and skilled enough to play professional football in Europe.

When I was interning in British Parliament and living in London during the Spring semester of 2008, I was given the opportunity to play for a high level amateur team, Brent F.C. in the Amateur Football League (AFL). This was an interesting experience for me because at this point in my career I had mostly been a defender. However, playing in this league I was only about 155 lbs. and I was immediately converted to an attacking winger or attacking center midfielder. I really enjoyed this experience because it gave me a taste of English Football and how fast and how physical the game is over there. Additionally, as an intern for the House of Commons I was offered a spot on the United Kingdom Parliamentary Football Club (UKPFC). This was an absolute blast because I got to play football with some famous politicians and big whigs in the party and just have normal conversations with these guys. I even became friendly with one of the Members of Parliament (MP) and he offered me his ticket to an Arsenal v Liverpool match at the Emirates Stadium.

DH: What are you looking to do in soccer going forward?

ZG: Currently, I am still trying to become a professional. I recently had a highlight tape put together by, Sebastian Podesta, the documentary filmmaker. He did an amazing job and I am hoping that will give me some more exposure and open some more windows. I have also been offered an amazing opportunity as the soccer specific personal trainer at an elite athlete training center, Revolution Athletics, in Holbrook, NY. No matter what ends up happening in my soccer career, I know that I want to be apart of this game in any way that I can; it’s a major part of my life.

DH: What have been some of the best things about playing soccer on Long Island as a youth player?

ZG: Playing soccer on Long Island has given me a number of tremendous opportunities and experiences. Being so close to New York City allowed me to be trained, coached and play along side of players from all over the world. In many other parts of the United States, players can be somewhat isolated and not be immersed in this multicultural melting pot I got to grow up and train near. Also, soccer is everywhere on Long Island, you can find a league or a pick up game anywhere. In other parts of the country you may have to travel several hours to find some quality soccer.

DH: What advice would you give to a young person from Long Island who is interested in playing the game and wants to become a better player?

ZG: My advice for a young player is to immerse yourself in soccer early on. The players that come from Europe start training early on and because of that, they are a step ahead of us. American players need to be learning skills and tactics at an early age and a great way to do that is watching the game, whether it be on the computer, on TV, or live. Soccer is the greatest game in the world for a reason and if Americans begin to understand that, we can make our mark on the world. Most importantly have fun with it though, I ultimately play soccer because it is fun, and the better you get, the more fun it becomes.

Follow Zachary Gosse on Twitter https://twitter.com/zgosse87

Huntley Swaby  

Winner of the LISFL presidents award 2012

 Becomes only the second National

Champion from the LISFL winning the

USASA U-23 Cup in Chicago IL

Gabriel Marques

His help with public relations, Nassau County Stadium project,

introducing us to all politicians,help return the Cangero cup

to Mitchell stadium. 

Tanya Nicole Seaton

 For her volunteer work with her club

December 4, 2012-The Eastern New York State Senior Association and Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association congratulate New Hyde Park resident Willie Dempsey, who was inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame at the 2012 Holiday Party on December 1 at Lido Restaurant on City Island. We honored Willie’s involvement with the New York Irish Rovers amateur soccer club for the past three decades.
“His club is the second winningest club in the league after only Glen Cove,” said Gus Xikis, President of the Long Island Soccer Football League (LISFL). 

The LISFL nominated Willie for the Eastern New York Hall of Fame after naming him a Life Member at its Annual Awards Dinner last June.

Willie started playing soccer at age five in County Longford, Ireland where he grew up as the second youngest of two brothers and nine sisters––all of whom played soccer. His 10 siblings and he could have formed their own family soccer team. Willie came to the United States at age 17 in May 1985 to stay with an aunt for the summer. He never left, and never missed an opportunity to play soccer.

“I landed on a Friday and I played my first game for the Rovers on a Sunday,” Willie recalled.

Willie, who has played defender throughout his career, won 10 New York State championships, 20 Long Island championships, 24 Long Island Cups as a player and coach for the Irish Rovers. Proving that nice guys finish first, Rover teams have also won six LISFL Sportsmanship Awards too.

At age 46, he’s still playing on the Rovers’ reserve squad.

“I love getting out on a Sunday and putting the boots on,” he said.

National Cup Finals

Congratulations to all the Champions

USASA crowned its six national champions this past weekend. Sunday’s

championship games featured teams from each of the four regions. Region I

and Region II took home bragging rights with each region winning three titles.

Photos from the entire weekend can be seen here:

picasaweb.google.com/usasasoccer/2012NationalCupFinals

On-demand video of the Men’s Amateur Final can be seen here:

http://www.thirdrockscreenprinting.com/usasa.html

Men’s Open

Croatian Eagles (WI) 3:2 AET PSA Elite (CA-S)

Men’s O30

Christos (MD) 3:1 Kickers FC (FL)

Women

Chicago Red Stars (IL) 3:2 NYAC (E-NY)

Men’s U23

Real Caribe (E-NY) 1:0 Croatian Eagles (WI)

Men’s Amateur

Battery Park Gunners (MA) 2:0 RWB Adria (IL)

Women’s U23

KC Dynamos (KS) 5:1 FC Milwaukee (WI)

Battery Park dethroned RWB Adria as the Men’s Amateur Champions.

Real Caribe USASA U-23 National Champions

The storied run of Real Caribe Soccer Club took a dramatic turn in Chicago, as they emerged victorious

winning the USASA National Men’s U-23 championship. Winning this championship was not only

monumental, it was also historical. Monumental because its the first national winning team from eastern

NY in forty years and historical because no other Jamaican club has ever won a national championship in

the United States. The number one goal for the Club was to win the national title. Winning the Region 1

tournament in June, moved Real Caribe closer to that ultimate prize. With determination and focus, the

squad led by coach Huntley Swaby and his staff (Marlon Pinnock and Calvin Murry) ventured to Toyota Park,

Chicago with one thing in mind and that was to win the National Championship. The team went into the

semi-final game against South Sound FC (Seattle, Wa.) brimming with confidence knowing they were well

prepared and ready to take on anyone. Goals from Kefari Samuels, Dale McDonald, James Palumbo and

Johann Craan proved too much for the opponent as Real Caribe cruised into the championship game with

a 4-0 victory. The finals saw Real Caribe facing Croatian Eagles (Wisconsin), who defeated the defending

national champion Carolina Railhawks (North Carolina) in their semi-final game. The final was a well played

game with both teams playing at a high level. Real Caribe had a slight edge in possession creating the more

dangerous chances. Caribe was rewarded in the 26th minute when center back Satchel McLean pounced on

a loose ball in the area after a corner, firing past a well beaten goalkeeper. Croatian Eagles pressed for the

equalizer but was kept in check by a solid Real Caribe defence and smart mid-field play from co-captains

Keston George and James Palumbo. Asked his thoughts on the victory coach Swaby said "today is a result

of hard work and dedication over the last five years. We had good teams in the past with guys who worked

just as hard but the championship kept eluding the club. This year things fell in place. We were given the

opportunity and we took it. We don’t know when or if Real Caribe will be in another position like this but we

hope it will be sooner rather than later." Club president Craig Hines added "Real Caribe will always continue

to blaze new trails and keep striving for excellence."

 www.realcaribesoccer.com

The LISFL, as it was in the beginning….and continues.