Staten Island Youth Soccer League president Bill Smith has been selected as one of the 100 most influential people on Staten Island.
The Staten Island Power 100 list honors the 100 most influential people in government, business, culture and social services. The group will salute Smith and the other leaders at a reception at the Hilton Garden Inn Thursday, April 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
This is far from the first honor for Smith as he was inducted into the Halls of Fame for the SIYSL in 2013 and for Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association a year later.
Smith started his career in youth soccer a quarter century ago, coaching the SIYSL’s Richmondtown Wildcats Girls Under-6 team. The following year, he began coaching the girls Rockets team for the same club, serving as its head coach for the next six years and capturing numerous tournament championships.
In 1996, Smith became director of the Richmondtown Soccer Club and increased membership by 71 percent during his tenure. He also assumed another coaching responsibility, the club’s Boys U-6 team. In 1999, Smith took on the additional responsibility of training Richmondtown’s entire program.
In 1997, the Oakwood, N.Y. resident began coaching the Boys U-8 team for Staten Island United, continuing as its coach for 10 years. Smith received his U.S. Soccer National D coaching license and became a certified referee plus certified assignor at that time. He went on to coach the Metrostars/Red Bulls Academy team and at Monsignor Farrell High School.
In 1995, Smith joined the SIYSL’s executive board as fourth vice president and moved up the ranks. In 2004, he was elected president of the SIYSL, which has 5,200 players, a position he still holds today.
Under his leadership during the past 14 years, SISYL has implemented the following:
* TOPSoccer for children with special needs
* SIYSL Presidents Cup competition
* 3v3 Friendship Cup for intramural players
* SIYSL select soccer program
* SIYSL Hall of Fame
• SIYSL Indoor Recreational Tournament
* Senior Day recognizing middle-school graduates from the SIYSL
* Annual SIYSL Holiday Gala and recognition for volunteers
* Construction of a SIYSL soccer complex to be built in the Superstorm Sandy-ravaged section of Oakwood Beach, where homes once stood
In 2010, Smith was elected to the ENYYSA executive board as fourth VP and is still a member, serving as the second VP while volunteering on many committees.
