Mike Finnegan named a life member by youth soccer association

The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association unanimously decided at its annual general meeting on Aug. 3, to give Life Member status to longtime volunteer Mike Finnegan of Rockville Centre.

The Life Member Award in local youth soccer is the equivalent to the Lifetime Achievement Award designation presented by other groups.

“A reason that the vote was unanimous is Mike’s steady personality is so deserving for Life Member status and he has volunteered in youth soccer for nearly 50 years plus continues volunteering today,” Association President Richard Christiano said.

Finnegan began his soccer journey like many other American adults after his daughter Noreen registered for youth soccer. He started coaching Noreen in intramurals in 1977, while she played with the Rockville Centre Soccer Club and coached her while playing for the Rockville Centre Cardinals travel team, for the next 15 years, up through the Under-23 division. His other daughters, Sharon and Veronica, also played soccer but didn’t have the opportunity to play while he was coaching.

He also coached the St. Agnes High School team for one year, just before it became Kellenberg Memorial High School in 1986. Arguably his greatest accomplishment during his brief stint was getting the private school girls players included in the Exceptional Senior Games organized by the Long Island Junior Soccer League.

Finnegan’s volunteering increased substantially when he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Rockville Centre Soccer Club in the 1980s, helping lead a period of great growth for the club. He also served as intramural chairperson, travel chairperson, secretary, vice president and president during his tenure with the organization.

The longtime Rockville Centre resident was elected ENYYSA Treasurer in 1986 and performed this important role for more than two decades. That year, he also became a member of the East Region Olympic Development Program and served as camp director and team administrator for the next 30 years, until 2016.

His many awards and accolades include being inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002 and his recognition as Volunteer of the Year by the East Region in 2005.

Even now, in his eighties, Finnegan has not been slowing down as a volunteer. He has continued to serve as the ENYYSA Scholarship Chairperson since the turn of the millennium and has held the position as Appeals Chairperson for more than a decade.

The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association is a nonprofit serving more than 100,000 youth soccer players — both boys and girls — and more than 25,000 volunteers from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81.

The organization exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teens between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered — from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as programs for children with special needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. It’s also a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and U.S. Youth Soccer. For more information visit ENYSoccer.com.