Longtime CJSL Secretary Emil Cohill to Be Honored at the New York City Soccer Gala
New York Youth Soccer News: Emil Cohill is an iconic figure in New York City soccer circles
Emil Cohill, Secretary of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (CJSL), will be honored along with six other notables at the New York City Soccer Gala on Wednesday night, March 1 at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan.
Cohill came to the United States from Croatia in 1952. He attended St. Mary’s Grammar School in Tacoma, Washington where he was a CYO All-Star. Cohill moved to New York in 1955 and studied at Power Memorial Academy. After graduation, he attended Fordham University where he was the Rams’ Most Valuable Player in 1962, then played for Dalmatinac Soccer Club in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League from 1963 to 1980. He was elected Secretary of the CJSL in 1976, a position he amazingly still holds 41 years later. He became a referee in 1981 and is still an active official. Cohill is currently the director of the 40th Annual Herbert Heilpern Indoor Tournament being played in Queens this winter. For all this volunteering, the Woodside resident was inducted into the Eastern New York Hall of Fame in 1999, was honored as a Life Member of the CJSL in 2003 and is being honored at the New York City Soccer Gala in a couple of weeks.
“In this day and age of Internet and cell phones, Emil is a throwback who has kept things in perspective and at a even keel, always reminding us how things were done in the past without today’s technology and it somehow all worked,“ commented CJSL Director Dimitrie Draguca.
Also being honored that night are Charles Balsamo (Columbia University), Kevin Daly (St. John’s University), Chris Donovan (Fordham University), Mario Fava (St. Francis College), Martin Jacobson (coach at Martin Luther King High School) and Mickey Kydes (LIU Brooklyn).
The New York City Soccer Gala is organized by the Division 1 men’s college soccer programs in the Big Apple. New York City soccer has a very rich history and it’s their goal to highlight and show appreciation to all those who have devoted their lives to enhancing the world’s most popular sport. For more information, log on to http://www.nycsoccergala.com
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.
