Faith D’Angelis of Holtsville Receives the Jack Bauman Scholarship
New York Youth Soccer News: Faith will continue to play soccer at Caldwell University
The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) congratulates Faith D’Angelis, who is receiving a Jack Bauman Scholarship, which is based on academic and athletic success as well as community service. The scholarship’s namesake, Jack Bauman, is considered the father of women’s soccer on Long Island. He was devoted to the Massapequa Soccer Club, Eastern New York and making sure that girls had as many opportunities to play soccer as boys did in an era when girls playing sports was not as accepted as it is today.
The Holtsville resident started playing soccer at age six and competed in the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL). She has also been an assistant referee for LIJSL games with the Long Island Soccer Referees Association (LISRA). Academically, she was on the Principal’s Honor Roll at Sachem High School East.
In her essay, she wrote that “I always had a constant battle with anxiety and it is something that has hindered me from playing to my full potential. I get anxiety attacks when I am in an uncomfortable or unknown situation. Switching teams was one of the very hard battles I have faced with myself. Talking to new people and not knowing anyone brought me nerves over my confidence and for a while, I couldn’t focus on what I was doing. I couldn’t play the way that I knew how to play. I battled with myself for a long time to try and break out of this shell that I put myself in. I wouldn’t even want to go to practice because I felt like I could never play the way I knew how and I hated that feeling. But I pushed on with my battle and after a long, hard year, I defeated the anxiety. This experience has not only helped me in soccer but in the real world as I am now more outgoing and I can talk to strangers in a calm and collected manner.”
We wish Faith the best as he starts studying and playing soccer at Caldwell University this fall.
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.
