Rotterdam United Premier won the Eastern New York Premier League title last year and added the Girls Under-15 State Open Cup trophy, named the Jack Bauman Cup June 2.
The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association final was played at Stringham Park in LaGrange, N.Y. as Rotterham shut out New York Surf Academy (Westchester Youth Soccer District), 1-0.
The cup’s namesake, Jack Bauman, is considered the father of women’s soccer on Long Island. Jack was devoted to the Massapequa Soccer Club, Eastern New York and making sure that girls had as many opportunities to play soccer as boys did.
Rotterdam coach Scott Byrne explained, “Our win was because of the effort of the girls,” Rotterdam coach Scott Byrne said. “They made it their goal to get into the Top 10 in the state, which in Eastern New York is very competitive.”
Gianna Viscusi scored the game’s only goal while goalkeeper Deanna Lopez earned the shutout for the Capital District Youth Soccer League team.
New York Surf did not go home empty-handed as the team received the Rocco Amoroso Sportsmanship Award, as determined by the game officials. Amoroso, a U.S. Soccer Life Member who died in 2016, started the Long Island Junior Soccer League Sportsmanship Program in 1980 and it spread around the world.
Rotterdam will represent Eastern New York at the Region I tournament in Spotsylvania, Va. June 29-July 3.
