Former Eastern New York ODP Player Amanda Rooney to Play Professionally in Europe
New York Youth Soccer News: Amanda had offers in the United States but decided to try Europe instead
Amanda Rooney, who spent many years playing in the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) and for the Olympic Development Program (ODP) of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), is headed to Europe to play professionally. She signed with Gintra Universitetas, Lithuanian champions for the past 13 seasons, and will be joining the club next month.
“I’m definitely most excited about showing what I can do at the professional level,” she stated, adding that the opportunity to live and play in Europe as well as competing in the Champions League swayed her decision to head overseas.
The now 22-year-old from Hicksville played for the LIJSL’s Albertson Elite Fury for eight years and served as the team captain, competed for Eastern New York ODP for six years and for Region 1 ODP for five.
She hopes to add some national championships in Lithuania to the two she already won in the United States, playing for the 2009 Long Island Fury in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) and the 2016 NCAA title as a member of the USC Trojans. Additionally, she was named to the 2014 WPSL All-Star Team and was a member of the National Team Pool for two years.
“Amanda is a sophisticated footballer with range of passing, great soccer IQ and ability to unravel the opposition. She is well-rounded, a superb teammate and will play on both sides of the ball,” commented Albertson Director of Coaching Paul Riley. “She was tremendously successful at the youth and college levels so I’m excited to see her enter the professional ranks. She has the mental capacity and soccer ability to be a very good professional.”
Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association: With over 100,000 youth soccer players–both boys and girls–and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) reaches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 11 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees, and administrators.
