Duran Lee guards the goal of SC Gjøa Nordveit’s Boys Under-13 team. (Photo courtesy of ENYYSA)

Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association announced that Duran Lee of SC Gjøa Nordveit’s Boys Under-13 team has been selected for the organization’s save of the year.

Duran’s Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League team was a finalist in the 2019 Challenge Cup, the last time the competition was held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Duran’s teammates, the coaching staff and the club as a whole are delighted with this award. Duran is a great teammate who gives his defenders confidence, but most importantly, he has a strong work ethic which has allowed him to keep improving over time,” said SC Gjøa Nordveit coach Anthony Brockbank said. “His development under the guidance of our superb goalkeeper coach Dawid Ditrich has been significant. So, for me, this award is recognition of the effort he has put in and as a club, it is great when hard work pays off.”

ENYYSA’s save of the year has been sent to US Youth Soccer for its consideration as national save of the year.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.