East Hudson’s Scout Program is Focused on Improving the Youth Soccer Experience
New York Soccer News: The number of Arbitration cases has plummeted since the Scout Program was introduced five years ago
The East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL) is made up of nearly 350 travel teams in six counties and is the
They send out the Scouts!
These Scouts have 10 years of more experience in the EHYSL as coaches, refs and administrators and they introduce themselves to coaches and referees before every game they attend. In their mandatory weekly reports, the Scouts give the EHYSL an excellent
“The purpose and role of the East Hudson Scout program
“Scouts attend multiple matches each league Sunday to observe players, coaches, parents and referees,” said Purdy. “We often find ourselves educating parents and some coaches on the Laws of the Game and changes to the same over the years.“
Ken Gulmi volunteered as the EHYSL President for an amazing 22 years from 1990 to 2012. He now spends his Sundays during the Spring Season and Fall Season as a Scout and watches every game at the midfield line in-between the team benches.
The Behavior of Key Adults on The Pitch is Key
“In one recent U10 game, one coach started complaining and then the referee got into an argument with the coach about it,” Gulmi explained. ”I spoke to the referee at halftime that he must never lose his cool and also admonished the coach about his
Like Gulmi, Fred Valenti is both an Eastern New York and EHYSL Hall of Famer who now spends his Sundays as a Scout. Valenti said, “Referees feel they have somebody there who has their back when a Scout is at the field. I give referees a few pointers, particularly in the younger age groups where the refs tend to not have much experience and the kids’ parents don’t know the rules.“
“What we have found is that nearly all appreciate our being present at matches as the overwhelming majority thank us for being there once they learn who we are and why we are there,” said Purdy.
“We occasionally encounter that rare parent or coach who thinks it is acceptable to scream constantly at a teenage referee, often from their own club, with a club-assigned game.
EHYSL President Jim Purdy
“The Scouts help mentor young referees as our common purpose is to make the games as good as they can be,” said Purdy.
While the Scouts cannot be at every game, coaches and refs are taking what they learned from the Scouts and applying those lessons to their other matches.
It certainly has worked as the number of Arbitration cases involving misbehaving coaches and team parents has decreased by more than 50% in the five years since EHYSL introduced its Scout Program.
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 nine 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.
