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History of the Massapequa Soccer Club
The Massapequa Soccer Club was organized by two Massapequans, Pat McComiskey and Hank Oustecky, in the winter of 1970. The local community was invited to attend a meeting at which prominent individuals were present :
- Gordon Bradley, then player/coach of the the New York Cosmos
- Bob Elder, J.V. Coach at Massapequa High School
- Wayne Sunderland, Athletic Director at C.W. Post
- Alan Maher, Teacher, Assistant Principal
- "Bo" Wernersback, Coach at Farmingdale University
- Jov Maca, Soccer Hall of Famer
In March 1971, the Massapequa Soccer Club held its first official registration for boys 6 through 18. A total of 259 boys and 18 adults responded. Soon, enthusiasm for soccer grew and the girls in the community also wanted to participate. Through the tireless effort of Liza Gozley and Nellie Haire, 40% of our club membership today is female.
Soccer took off and by 1974, 1,000 children were playing. Also in 1974, the Massapequa Soccer Club initiated its first invitational intramural tournament with over 1,800 children participating, and it is still in existence. In 1978, the M.S.C., in cooperation with Nassau County, presented the largest youth indoor soccer tournament for travel teams which was held at the Nassau Coliseum. In 1980, the M.S.C. hosted the first of its annual Memorial Day Travel Tournaments.
Our referee training program for the 12 and older youth of the club provides an intramural program with excellent referees. The club continues to provide coaches and players with the opportunity to upgrade their knowledge clinics, licensing programs and player clinics.
Massapequa teams have played, and done well, in England, Ireland, and Holland. They have also held many league, state, and regional championships and our girls have also participated in the nationals twice. In 1988, the M.S.C. Falcons won the Athena Cup, Under 19 Girls National Championship; the first LIJSL (Long Island Junior Soccer League) team ever to do so.
The M.S.C. was one of the first soccer clubs on Long Island to sponsor a program for the handicapped youth in the community. In 1978, Jane Fulton began her "labor of love" with five children and today, with several helpers, supervises more than thirty-five children
"Soccer is Fun" for children has always been the philosophy of our club. Massapequa has been blessed with an abundance of dedicated workers too numerous to list. Thanks to all who have worked so hard to achieve what we have today; a club that is known for fostering the true ideals of soccer to all children in the Massapequa area.
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