Long Island Junior Soccer League Helps Raise $5,000 For Breast Cancer Research
New York Youth Soccer News: Soccer teams from New York and Pennsylvania raised thousands of dollars for breast cancer research
On Sunday, August 21, seven Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams in the Girls-Under-13 and Girls-Under-14 age groups played friendly games against one another at the Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview as part of the 13th Annual Pink Ribbon Soccer Festival. The Brentwood Scorpions, B/W Gottschee, Connetquot Lady Sharks, Connetquot Ravens, Dix Hills Lightning, Rockville Centre Vipers and South Huntington Thunder were all part of the action. Additionally, five adult coed teams made up of Estée Lauder employees from their offices in New York and Pennsylvania had fun as well. Cheerleaders from Copiague added to the festivities.
Through team entry fees and breast cancer support merchandise sales, approximately $5,000 was raised last Sunday for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, founded by Evelyn Lauder in 1992.
“I thank the LIJSL for their generosity and cooperation in helping us put on an event like this,” said event coordinator and Estée Lauder employee Carlos Ospina. “The leadership of the league understands the importance of this fight and continues to support us. But it is so good to see the players and coaches who are members of the league come out and support the cause at a time of year when others may not yet be thinking about it.”
When he is not working at Estée Lauder or volunteering as event coordinator, Ospina coaches Boys-Under-17 Lynbrook/East Rockaway Landsharks in the LIJSL. In acknowledgement of Estée Lauder’s slogan of “Everything Counts,” he and seven other employees noted for their charity work rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange on October 1, 2015.
“The LIJSL is proud and honored to be a part of this event. It allows us to provide a platform for the continued awareness and fight of this disease,” commented LIJSL President Anthony Maresco.
The league, through its partnership with the Estée Lauder Companies and Breast Cancer Research Foundation, has donated the use of the Peter Collins Soccer Park for the past 13 years. Teams from the LIJSL, the largest league in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), are also encouraged to wear pink and play with pink soccer balls throughout October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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.
