33rd Annual LIJSL Convention to Have Something for Everyone
Even though New York looks like a winter wonderland with all the snow, the Spring Season of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) and Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is scheduled to begin in five weeks. The traditional kick-off to the Spring Season is the LIJSL Convention, which will be held on March 6 to 8.
The LIJSL Convention is annually one of the world’s largest soccer conventions as approximately 10,000 people are once again expected to flock to the Huntington Hilton on Route 110 in Melville.
“We are very enthusiastic to welcome soccer fans from around the world to the LIJSL Convention once again,” said Convention Chairperson Holly Maresco. “There are new LIJSL families and players so this will be their first convention and that’s quite exciting too.”
The fun begins at 7 pm on Friday night, March 6 with the Annual Awards Dinner as the Volunteer of the Year from each LIJSL club will be honored. Gene O’Connell of the Brentwood Soccer Club, the Sachem Youth Soccer League’s Frank Schmidt, the Hicksville Americans’ Joe Visconti and Jim Volpe from Oceanside United will be inducted into the LIJSL Hall of Fame at the dinner. The Boys-Under-12 and Girls-Under-12 Sportsmanship Coaches of the Year as nominated in an essay by their players will be honored as well.
Throughout the day on Saturday, March 7 and on Sunday morning, March 8, there will be LIJSL Sportsmanship Award presentations, meetings for club presidents, coaches and volunteers plus coaches and referee clinics plus a college forum as thousands of people purchase items from vendors who have come from around the world.
Admission to the 33rd Annual LIJSL Convention is free on both Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please contact the LIJSL at 631-648-9020.
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) stretches 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.
All levels of soccer are offered–from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Special Children. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer Association.
