In existence for more than 40 years, the West Babylon Soccer Club, also known at times as South Shore Soccer, has been a
model LIJSL organization both on and off the field.
Certainly the on-field highlight came in 2000 when the BU17 team coached by Joan Czach, now Executive Director of the Long Island Junior Soccer League, captured the USYS national championship. Many of their teams have achieved great success under the leadership of a dedicated volunteer staff that features five LIJSL Hall of Fame inductees. In addition to Czach, Barbara Kenney, Nancy Apostolides, John Ortiz, and Dennis Machtel have all been honored for their service.
The club’s biggest event is their annual South Shore Soccer Marathon, which has benefited local kids in need since 1993. That first year, a fly by night travel agent cheated Spanish students at West Babylon High School out of a class trip to Spain. The volunteers of the West Babylon Soccer Club wanted to help but they did not have enough cash in reserve to make a sizable donation of $3,900 to get the students across the Atlantic. So the club organized a soccer marathon and called it the South Shore Soccer Marathon, raising enough money to send the students on their way.
To read our story on the 2011 tournament click here.
The tournament has grown to over 120 teams, and while no standings are kept, the names of teams that generate the most donations have a chance to have their names engraved on the Supervisor’s Cup at the Town of Babylon offices. All of the proceeds go towards helping pay for medical care for local children with devastating diseases.
On Sunday, the LIJSoccer.com cameras caught action from some of the girls games on Albin Avenue. To see the gallery click here.