Rye Brook Kickoff Classic Makes Its Goal

More than 1500 youngsters playing for over 100 soccer teams got their kicks in a big way at the Rye Brook Youth Soccer Kickoff Classic, one of the largest coordinated youth soccer events in Westchester last weekend.

"There’s nothing like this in Rye Brook –no single event draws so many volunteers working for a good cause that helps area youth, as well as the less fortunate,” said tournament director Jeff Silverman.

They came to Rye Brook from as far away as Southport, Connecticut, Putnam, Manhattan, the Bronx and Somers as well as Rye, Harrison, Pelham, Armonk, and Scarsdale.

Volunteer turnout and the number of teams registering for the tournament doubled in size and participation since the tournament began 5 years ago. The event gives recreational players an early tune-up for spring season and an opportunity to get some practice games under their collective belts in a non-competitive environment.

Planning for the Kickoff Classic starts in November. Its six-week registration period sells out in record time and it has attracted the corporate sponsorship of Soccer & Rugby Imports- the largest soccer retailer in Connecticut and one of the biggest suppliers in the Northeast.

The Kickoff Classic features multiple divisions of play involving teams of boys and girls, ages 9 through 15 playing at the Rye Brook Athletic Field and the Blind Brook Middle High School Fields; five fields in all dotted with high-fiving teams wearing a rainbow of colors emblazoned with names like the Chappaqua Samba, Armonk Rockets, Riverdale Whalers, and the Rye Cheetahs. The Rye Brook Rage is just one of the 18 Rye Brook teams in the tournament.

“We have more than 140 parents and 40-to-50 Blind Brook High School students working as volunteers to make this monster tournament work,” Silverman said.

Each team played four 25-minute games Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Winners and second place teams got trophies, the other teams got performance awards.

Before the weekend ended, Rye Town Supervisor Joe Carvin, Rye Brook Mayor Joan Feinstein and Assemblyman George Latimer showed up to watch the kids play at various times and two Rye High School All-Americans attended and served as role models, Lia Bellizzi and Tatiana Saunders, scholarship bound to the University of Virginia and Dartmouth respectively.

As impressive as the play and attendance, the Pass It On program- created by students at Blind Brook High School- was just as impressive. The program collects gently used soccer equipment for the Claudio Reyna Foundation, a non-profit corporation that motivates and supports children in low-income communities with soccer academies, clinics and camps.

Kasey Silverman (Jeff’s daughter) and Brian Hershaft, now Blind Brook sophomores, came up with the idea last year: take gently used equipment laying around– cleats, shin guards, soccer balls, uniform jerseys and the like– and put it to good use with needy players and families. The Kickoff Classic Pass It On Program is now a Kickoff Classic tradition.

Claudio Reyna, one of America’s all-time soccer greats, now Technical Director for the U.S. World Cup team, is helping to set up an international network of youth farm teams training to become America’s elite soccer players on a world stage. His foundation makes good use of the Rye Brook-donated equipment. Last year, a good portion of that equipment was sent to earthquake-ravaged Haiti. 

Reyna, now living in Bedford, came to Rye Brook to pick up the donated equipment and gave the youngsters a pep talk during the Sunday award ceremonies about what it takes to excel. He came out of a working class environment to lead New Jersey’s St. Benedict’s Prep to four consecutive state soccer championships with an 85-0 record. Soccer won Reyna a full scholarship to the University of Virginia, where he became a four-time All-American and led his team to three national championships from 1991-93.

Reyna played for three international teams in Germany, Scotland, and England. He was also the U.S. National team captain, played in several FIFA World Cups, and played for the metropolitan area pro Red Bulls in his later years, before he damaged his anterior cruciate ligament, an injury that ended his playing career in 2007. His new career now includes helping the U.S. develop young soccer athletes.

His involvement with the Kickoff Classic means a lot to Rye Brook youth soccer, and to its Pass It On Program.

“We’re thrilled that Rye Brook Youth Soccer is able to again help this worthy organization,” said Silverman. “Our kids are so fortunate and it is important for our soccer families to get involved and help out on this front. It’s an example of what a positive force soccer can be in the lives of children and families around the world.”

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