Emily Atassi Being Honored as Eastern New York’s TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year
New York Youth Soccer News: There was a tie for TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year with both winners coming from Staten Island
The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is pleased to announce that Emily Atassi has been selected as a TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year. She will be honored at the ENYYSA Holiday Party on December 17 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.
TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a wonderful program for Children With Special Needs. Although the program is now national, its roots date back to 1978 in Eastern New York and the Staten Island Youth Soccer League (SIYSL) has a vibrant TOPSoccer Program today.
Emily plays soccer (both forward and goalkeeper) and golf exceedingly well and she’s a very good swimmer too plus participates in seemingly every fundraiser on Staten Island. She has been volunteering in the SIYSL TOPSoccer Program for the past three years as she wanted to give back to the community and help others play a sport she loves. Emily received three glowing letters of recommendation.
SIYSL TOPSoccer President Christopher Rooney wrote, “Emily has shown tremendous effort with the children. They get excited when they see her and when she cannot attend a session due to her games, she makes every effort to attend the following week. She helps the children with their soccer skills and always makes sure they have a chance to score a goal and have fun.”
Dorothy Zissler, the recently retired Principal at St. Joseph Hill Academy, wrote, “Emily is an outstanding student and a model to others as far as behavior is concerned…A few years ago, as part of our program where fifth-graders buddy-up with kindergarten students, Emily was very comfortable in this role, nurturing the children, drawing them out in conversation and serving as a mentor. More currently, Emily has excelled in her morning monitor role escorting lower grade students into school and getting them to their proper destination. Emily shows great kindness, sometimes having to separate them from parents and has lots of patience as well.”
Matthew Acanfora, the Dean of Students at St. Joseph Hill Academy who taught Emily for three years, wrote in his letter, “Emily is a model student, whose behavior and manners serve as a role model to all students. She is a thoughtful, caring and kind person who is always willing to help both teachers and students. Emily is a well-respected student among her peers and faculty.”
Congratulations to Emily Atassi, a 2017 TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year!
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) reaches 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.
