(LONG ISLAND, NY) The Second Annual Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame Award Gala will be held Saturday, March 8th at 7:30 pm at The Hilton Huntington Hotel during the annual Long Island Junior Soccer League Convention. This year’s list of inductees includes Sara Whalen (Hess) from Northport, Sue Ryan, also from Northport, Michael Collins, Jackie Shannon and Ritchie Kotchau from Hicksville, and Dominic Pedone from Glen Cove Soccer Club.
“I could not be more proud to announce our class of 2014 inductees to the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame,” said Kevin L. McCrudden , founder of the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame. “This is a list of extraordinary players and people who have done amazing things through their soccer careers, and we are so glad to be honoring them.”
The Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame is in partnership with the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL).
“The Long Island Junior Soccer League is happy to continue as a partner in the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame,” said LIJSL President Addie Mattei-Iaia. “The coaches and players who created the rich soccer tradition here on Long Island now have a place where their outstanding contributions to the game can be recognized and remembered. This year’s class has made an impact at the youth, high school, college, and professional level, both as players and coaches. We join the entire Long Island soccer community in thanking them for all they’ve done to grow our game and congratulating them on this tremendous honor.”
The experiences of the inductees could not vary more dramatically. Whalen-Hess, from Greenlawn was a high school and college standout at Harborfields High School and the University of Connecticut. She was also a member of the United States Women’s National Team that won the 1999 Women’s World Cup, and a silver medalist at the Sydney Olympics with Team USA. If that wasn’t enough, Sara is a part of one of the most famous moments in women’s soccer history. When Brandi Chastain infamously removed her jersey to expose her sports bra during the 1999 World Cup, the first person she hugged was Sara!
“I am always so grateful when I think about the experience I had on Long Island playing soccer,” said Whalen-Hess. “I grew so much as a player here, but more importantly, I grew as a person. Soccer was the foundation through which I learned how to be a teammate to others on and off the field. Thank you to the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame and LIJSL for recognizing me and for continuing to teach our kids how to be good teammates.”
Compare that to the experience of Collins, son of long time LIJSL President Peter Collins, who was drafted professionally right out of St. John the Baptist High School, where he helped the Cougars win three straight NYS Championships. He played for the New York United of the American Soccer League and The New York Arrows indoor soccer team. Michael played over 14 years of indoor soccer during a time when there was no major outdoor soccer league.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be inducted into the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame,” Collins said. “I am looking forward to seeing and thanking so many friends and family for their help in making my career so very special.”
One of Collins’ teammates from Hicksville, Shannon, is considered one of the best players to ever come from Long Island. He was an All-America at Hicksville High School in 1978 and 1979, and earned All-American honors at Fordham, where he received the Vince Lombardi Memorial Trophy for Best Student-Athlete in 1982. He was later inducted into the Fordham Hall of Fame in 1989.
“Knowing the number of amazing people (i.e. players, coaches, administrators, etc.) that have contributed to the rich growth and development of soccer on Long Island, I am ‘blown away’ by being acknowledged in this manner,” he said of his induction.
Pedone played for Glen Cove in the LISFL Men’s League and the Mineola Portuguese Soccer Club, which arranged a “transfer” for him to play in Portugal, where he played in front of 60,000 fans in some games! Dominic was one of the rare players during that time to go to Europe to play soccer.
Sue Ryan, known by many as the long-time women’s soccer coach at Stony Brook, and a very active member of the Long Island soccer community, was involved in the first women’s national championship game when she played at SUNY Cortland.
“I am humbled and honored to receive this recognition from the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame,” Ryan said. “I am proud to be a native Long Islander, and I am so thankful to the Long Island Junior Soccer League for their support during my career as a youth player.”
Kotschau was a successful high school player from Hicksville and attended George Mason University. He went on to have an incredibly successful 10-year career in Major League Soccer, playing with 2013 LISPHOF inductee Chris Armas with the Chicago Fire. He also received 1 cap with the US Men’s National Team.
“After all these years not being in and around the LI soccer scene, the fact that I am being honored is truly amazing,” he said of his induction. “Long Island is where it all started and I am forever grateful to be part of such a dedicated organization. It is a great honor to be considered with all the other great players that are currently in the HOF and the ones being inducted this year.”
The 2014 class joins inaugural inductees Armas, Shep Messing, Paul LeSueur, and Kim Wyant as members of the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame.
