Welcome to the home of the Silver Lake Soccer Club. Servicing Staten Island NY youth soccer since 1970. Home to '9' N.Y. State Cup Champions
Board of Directors
President
Burt Wilkes
Vice President
Franco Legovich
Treasurer
Pat Wolyniec
Athletic Director
Zoran Bistre
Youth Coordinator
Mohammad Hussein
Youth Coordinator
Thomas Baroz
[8/3/08]
2008 'First Step' Program begins ...
Starting Wednesday, April 23 there will be aclinic every Monday & Wednesdays [through October 2008] for Boys and Girls 4 - 6 Yrs old [First Step Program]
The location of the event will be Miller Field #34 during the hours of: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
"Some people go to high school and college reunions. Others go to the ever-popular band reunions. But a group of men from Staten Island have decided to stage a soccer reunion and, unlike the others, this one is going to last at least a few months."
Also, The Silver Lake Seniors Over-30 team is looking for experienced players for their Cosmopolitan Over-30 team. Please contact Phil Esposito if interested at: 917-751-2383 orphilefunk1@aol.com
[6/18/06]
[WORLD CUP NEWS] Sancho makes amazing run!
Former Silver Lake Cosmo, Brent Sancho, a vital performer for upstart Trinidad & Tobago national team. Read more of this SI Advance article here.
History of the Silver Lake Soccer Club
The Silver Lake soccer club was founded in 1970 by Dr. Gabriel Nigrin and Mr. Vladimir Adzemovic as a way to bring soccer opportunities to their own children.
Back in 1970, if a child wanted to kick the spotted ball on Staten Island NY, he or she could only do so in Fred Muche's Kiwanis League for a few weeks in the fall, and only up until the ripe old age of 13. Outside those parameters, children played football or checkers or read.
"I felt children should be able to play more often, at all ages and all levels," said Dr. Nigrin, who introduced the game to his own sons. "Initially, I was just looking for an outlet to allow my children to play. We were playing against Mount Loretto who were quite strong for the Kiwanis league. We later found out they were playing in the local Kiwanis in the morning, and later in the afternoon playing also in the German American Soccer League".
Dr. Nigrin and Mr. Adzemovic later approached the German American Soccer League and decided to enter an under 15 "Juvenile" team. After a few years the German American League became the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League (approx. 1975).
As a result of the higher degree of competition that resulted, they felt that it would be beneficial for Staten Island-area children to have similar experiences. It was decided that an opportunity for lesser experienced children was needed, so a new intramural league was devised where children were allowed to play locally.
This program, in order to offer a soccer experience that would give immeasurable educational, social and moral benefits to our area youngsters, became quite large as many parishes and other organizations signed on. As the recreational program grew, the Staten Island League Intramural Soccer League, with Dr. James Halligan as president was formed. Consequently, with the local league in full swing, the Silver Lake SC made a move to focus primarily on the traveling competitive league, and retracted from the responsibilities of the intramural program.
As the result of the club's commitment to high standards, many graduates of the Silver Lake SC program obtained scholastic university and college scholarships. Club players also fed the ODP (Olympic Developmental Program of NYS) of which a few players made the ODP regional program for Eastern United States. Some players when on to play semi-professional and one player John Wolyniec when on to play with the NY MetroStars, the Columbus Crew as well as the United States National team.
In 1992 the Silver Lake Club initiated a foreign exchange program with Club Sportif du Blanc-Mesnil of Paris, France. The Silver Lake Club visited Paris, France on two occasions and returned the privilege to it's French counter parts.
The Silver Lake Club teams at different ages levels have won the State Cup Championship won many state tournaments, and is regarded today as one of the most competitive soccer programs in the state and region.
DOC'S e-CORNER
Views On Recreational Soccer and Tournament Play
Here are a few observations that I have made over the years with regards to youth soccer development. I would like to bring these ideas to the forefront so that others can reflect on them.
Recreational soccer should not be miscast as a competitive activity. Coaches and parents should emphasize children’s simple enjoyment of the sport. Children playing soccer in recreational leagues should be enjoying themselves on the field even if they are not yet competent in the skills and haven’t yet learned how to play soccer well.
At the same time, the children that are more gifted should be encouraged to take part in more competitive traveling team experiences. Players who join traveling teams will have greater opportunities for learning the game and improving their skills because they are usually exposed to better coaching and to better quality competition.
That said, I have found that local recreational leagues tend to stress competitiveness inappropriately. As a result, coaches in these leagues are less willing to give their players the opportunity to participate in other more educational situations out of fear that they will lose them to other clubs. Not all talented players qualify to play on traveling teams, and I would not recommend that all should do so. However, if players show aptitude, it would be in their own best interests to seek to deepen their soccer experiences by playing on traveling teams.
In summary, recreational leagues should be just that: recreational. Players with aptitude and with good coordination should be shifted to the more competitive traveling teams, where they will become prepared to play soccer on a more advanced level.
Another issue I’d like to reflect on concerns the introduction of children to tournament play and when such specialized training should begin. Michael Sokolove, in a New York Times article, states: ¯”U.S. Youth Soccer, the governing body of state soccer associations, recommends a series of measures intended to put the brakes on go-go youth soccer culture, like no travel tournaments for players under ten that promote winning and losing and the awarding of trophies. Also: no encouraging of specialization until players reach at least the age of twelve. ‘We teach in our coaching courses that there’s no advantage to it said Sam Snow, U.S. Youth Soccer’s director of coaching education. ‘Soccer is a late specialization sport. Players do not peak until they’re in their mid-twenties.’ I asked Snow if he felt his advice was being heeded. ‘No,’ he said. It’s not.”
I agree with most of the Mr. Sokolove’s comments. However, I would suggest some modifications. Children under ten should not be sent to tournaments. By contrast, children under twelve can be allowed to participate in tournaments with the purpose of exposing them to different playing environments.
I agree that specialization skills (playing exclusively in certain positions) should not be emphasized before twelve years of age because generally players do not have enough fundamental skills to begin concentrating on certain specific areas of development. By fifteen to sixteen years of age, most youth players should be able to start specialization.
If you have an opinion with regards to this article, I'd be happy to hear from you. Please send an email to :
Dr. Gabriel Nigrin (DOC)
Founder, Silver Lake Soccer Club
[8/3/08]
DOC'S e-CORNER
