Obituary: LI Soccer Pioneer Steve LaRosa Dies At 78

GREAT RIVER, NY — Steve LaRosa, a resident of Great River and Eastern New York Hall of Famer, died from the coronavirus this week, the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) announced on Wednesday. He was 78.

LaRosa was a prominent figure in youth soccer on Long Island since the 70s. The Southern New York Youth Soccer Association, the predecessor to ENYYSA, was founded in 1972. Tony Perez became the first president. In 1976, he was followed by LaRosa, who became the second president of Southern New York, serving until 1978.

According to the association, there was great expansion at the start of the youth soccer boom during LaRosa's time in office. Clubs all over the Empire State, from Long Island to the Canadian border, were admitted, prompting the the state youth soccer association to change the name to Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association in 1982.

By then, LaRosa was very active as a coach for the Long Island women’s team that competed in the Empire State Games and in the old Massapequa Athletic Club of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL). He was also one of only seven head coaches for the Adelphi University women's team in the program's 40 years of existence.

In 2014 he was inducted into the association's Hall of Fame after being nominated by Howard Rubenstein.

"Steve was a pioneer, a tireless worker, a good mentor to me and he was always there whenever I needed him," Rubenstein said. "Besides the State, he also did a lot for the Region and for the development of girls soccer."

t was also one of only seven head coaches that the Adelphi University women have known during the four decades of the program’s existence.

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