Poughkeepsie’s Eileen Fiore Receives the Patricia Louise Masotto and Brenda Driscoll Scholarship
New York Youth Soccer News: Eileen will continue to play soccer at Manhattanville College
The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very happy to announce that Eileen Fiore is receiving a Patricia Louise Masotto and Brenda Driscoll Scholarship, which is based on academic and athletic success as well as community service. The scholarship’s namesakes were best friends and top women’s soccer players from Massapequa, Long Island. Eastern New York set up a scholarship in their name after they were killed by a drunk driver in 1985.
Eileen started playing soccer when she was just four years old and currently plays for the Rhinebeck Breakers of the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL).
In her hometown of Poughkeepsie, she volunteered for seemingly every organization there is including the Samuel Morse Estate, Grace Smith House, a Veterans Day Memorial Service, community theater, physical therapy mentor and Christmas caroling at a nursing home. At Spackenkill High School, she played varsity soccer for six years, varsity basketball for three years, varsity softball for three years and ran varsity track for one.
She wrote in her essay, “On October 31, 2015, my world changed as I tore my ACL in the Section 9 Class B girl’s soccer final. After that game, I began a year-long tortuous rehabilitation and recovery that changed me. During this time, I was detached from everything I loved. I was in constant pain, couldn’t walk for three months and endured grueling physical therapy for nine months. I was losing weight like I never had before and was pushing away friends. Then I went to see a therapist and was diagnosed with Environmental Change Depression. I decided that I could no longer let myself spiral into this hole I was digging. I worked hard and slowly my knee started to heal and I was beginning to feel the way I had before.”
Sporting a protective compression sleeve over her right knee, Eileen regained most of her skills as a scorer and led Spackenkill to a sixth consecutive section title last fall, exactly a year after she tore her ACL. We wish Eileen the best as she studies and plays soccer at Manhattanville College.
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.
