Longtime Youth Soccer Volunteer Marty DiCola is Retiring
New York Youth Soccer News: Longtime New York Youth Soccer Volunteer Marty DiCola is Retiring. DiCola served as a referee from 1994 to 2007, retiring as a State Referee.
There are many wonderful people who make up the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) and today we highlight another one as we write about Marty DiCola, who will soon be retiring from soccer.
“I first became involved in soccer when my son Joe tried out for a rec team in the town of Cortlandt. His coach, Roger Arnold, was a friend and teacher in the district. He asked me to be his assistant coach in 1988 if memory serves me,” said Marty DiCola.
The Cortlandt Soccer Club was founded in 1993 and Marty volunteered as its President from 1995 to the present. As this non-profit organization has decided to field its final travel team, the Cortlandt Soccer Club is making donations to the scholarship programs of its league, the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL), and to start a scholarship for the ref org that serves it, the Hudson Valley Soccer Referee Association (HVSRA).
Kids in Cortlandt can continue to play for the Town of Cortlandt Soccer Club, organized by the town’s recreation program.
Always a positive force of reason, Marty served as a referee from 1994 to 2007, retiring as a State Referee. But the Cortlandt Manor resident is probably best known as a coach, serving as both a youth coach for the Cortlandt Soccer Club and two tours of duty with Eastern New York’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) from 2000 to 2010 and from 2016 to 2019.
“Since I was introduced to the greatest game on earth, I knew this was my path to be involved in youth development. I found myself constantly learning as much as I could about the game. I began playing every Thursday night and Sunday morning as well as becoming a successful referee,” said DiCola.
“I have attended U.S. Soccer’s B, C, D, E and F license programs over the many years I have been involved in youth soccer,” said DiCola. “This journey in soccer has given me a very satisfied feeling that I have given back to the youth soccer community over the years. I still have contact with many of the players who played for me, now many are adults with children of their own.”
And all this soccer is in addition to owning Peekskill Paint & Hardware in Peekskill for 43 years along with his brother Jerry. Since 2015, Marty has owned Peekskill Power and Repair Services and he repairs all types of gasoline power equipment. Marty quipped, “Yes, I still sell hardware. It’s in my blood!”
Added EHYSL Treasurer John Hayes, “Everybody loves Marty!”
Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association: With 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.
