Kingston Stockade to Debut With Nearly All Its Players From the East Hudson Youth Soccer League
National Premier Soccer League Kingston Stockade FC looks to take advantage of all the soccer talent in the Hudson Valley as nearly the entire team grew up playing in the East Hudson Youth Soccer League.
Major League Soccer, now in its 21st season, had record attendance last year and the high level of fan support continues in 2016. The passion to watch pro soccer has even extended to the minor leagues––the North American Soccer League, United Soccer League and National Premier Soccer League—as some of those teams also had record attendance.
Looking to take advantage of all this passion is expansion NPSL franchise Kingston Stockade FC, playing its home games at 1,500-seat Dietz Stadium. The NPSL represents the 4th Division in the US Soccer pyramid, three levels below MLS, and these players truly remain amateurs as they are not being paid.
The kids in the local East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL) can easily find role models to identify with on the Stockade, especially since an amazing 85% of the new team played in the EHYSL as kids.
Kingston is a Hudson River city rich in history, stemming from the original Dutch settlers of the 17th Century. This history can be found in the stone homes lining the streets of uptown Kingston and within the Stockade District, named for the wooden fortification built to protect the Dutch settlement. Hence, the team name and the club colors of basic black-and-white with orange trim since the Dutch national team wears orange uniforms.
But Kingston’s head coach is not from The Netherlands but from Hungary and is now an iconic coaching figure in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA). George Vizvary emigrated to the US in 1956, leaving behind a promising soccer career as a player for Tatabanya FC and even the Hungarian National Team during the magical years when Hungary was a world power. They were so good that Vizvary could only earn one cap for Hungary, playing left defender in a 1955 game, one year after his native country played in the World Cup final. He has gone on to coach countless teams in Eastern New York, received the 2015 Walter Chyzowych Lifetime Achievement Award and is now in charge of the Kingston Stockade.
“George was hired to be our coach because of his outstanding experience and longstanding dedication to the game. He’s also very well connected with local coaches and players and is very well organized. A local soccer legend in the Hudson Valley,” said Kingston General Manager Randy Kim. “We believe our team will have a level of play that will make the Hudson Valley proud.“
“Our team has a good representation of Hudson Valley soccer,” commented Coach Vizvary. “A fast-playing style offensively and defensively, bounded together with effectiveness and attractiveness. We possess a hard-to-beat core of players.”
Kingston plays its inaugural match this Sunday, May 8 in Massachusetts against Greater Lowell United FC. After a Friday, May 13 encounter in Brooklyn against the Brooklyn Italians, Kingston plays its first home game at Dietz Stadium, vs. the Rhode Island Reds on Saturday, May 21.
For more info – visit Kingston Stockade FC and come out and cheer!
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 Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer Association.
