Eastern New York’s 2000 Girls South ODP Team Training For the National Championship
Snow & Soccer? Not a great match in New York! The two feet of snow that fell on Long Island on January 23 and the one foot that fell on February 5 complicates things for one of the best soccer teams in the United States.
Bottom row, from left to right: Sophia Fikke, Maya Scholnick, Jackie Morris, Madelyn Pascarella, Kayleigh Goodrich, Krista Agostenello, Skylar Prendergast.
Camera shy: Olivia Johnson.
The two feet of snow that fell on Long Island on January 23 and the one foot that fell on February 5 complicates things for one of the best soccer teams in the United States.
Last June at the Regionals in New Jersey and Delaware, the 2000 Girls South Olympic Development Program (ODP) Team from the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) won Regionals by going 5-0-0. In doing so, they qualified for Nationals, being played in Phoenix from February 26 to 28. On February 26, Eastern New York faces Cal South in the semifinals and that’s where the snowy conditions in New York could become a factor as Cal South can train by playing soccer outdoors and Eastern New York cannot. The winner of that game faces the winner of the North Carolina-Illinois semifinal for the national championship on February 28.
“It would foolish of me to think that we can emulate the environment that will be presented to us at Nationals as the weather in New York right now won’t allow that to happen. All we can do is train to the best of our ability through properly-prepared training and fitness sessions that will help us compete at the national level,” commented Eastern New York head coach Jaime Gonzalez. “I am very confident in the ability of this great group of players and know that no matter what happens, they will give everything they have to compete.”
Brooke DeRosa assists Gonzalez in coaching this wonderful team of 18 girls, from Long Island and New York City, who were born in the year 2000. The squad is currently training in a few indoor facilities on Long Island and, after the snow melts again, on the turf field at Allen Park in Farmingdale.
“I would like to personally thank the Eastern New York staff for their full support and faith in us in guiding this group to the Nationals,” added Coach Gonzalez. “A special thanks to all the players and parents for their complete commitment in trying to achieve this goal of winning a national championship. Many players and coaches never reach this great milestone and I feel privileged to be a part of it.”
ODP is considered the highest level of competition in the state. Crystal Dunn is a former Eastern New York ODP player who is playing on the US Women’s National Team yet even those players who do not make the regional ODP or the national teams often use ODP as a springboard to college scholarships and even on to professional soccer. The vast majority of players in the National Women’s Soccer League, including those from Eastern New York, played ODP.
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.
