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10/08/2024 02:44 PMThe Clinton Youth Soccer Association is always looking for young athletes to join its program and play the sport they enjoy. It’s about getting kids together and showing them how to have fun, while also teaching them to work hard and work as a team. For Michael Mozzochi, he has found a true passion for helping the youth, and for the past 12 years, he’s done exactly that as the president of Clinton Youth Soccer.
“I first got involved with Clinton soccer when my oldest daughter played in munchkins, which was 30 years ago. I have three daughters, and they all played through eighth grade, with two of them going on to play in high school,” says Michael. “I started off as a coaching director when I first joined the board in 1999. I then moved into the Girls Director position and took over for Pat Healey in 2012.”
The Clinton Youth Soccer Association has a variety of different teams, with kids ranging in age from under 10 all the way up to 18. Michael, along with his board members, have worked tirelessly over the years to continue to gain interest among the youth population in town, and most importantly, to get the athletes to stick around.
“Soccer has changed; the game itself has stayed the same. The players, parents, people involved change over the years,” Michael says. “I have personally made lifelong friends through soccer with my kids playing, coaching, being on the board, and generally speaking, I believe that our organization is still the biggest in town. We affect hundreds of lives of kids every year, and we make it a positive experience for everyone. My first goal when I started coaching was to have all of the players return from the previous year. That was how I measured success.”
Jason DiGiandomenico, Girls Director and Coaching Director, speaks highly of Michael, as he has known him for almost 20 years and has seen the way he’s continued to prioritize making soccer a prime sport within the Clinton youth community, and ensuring that it’s an enjoyable experience for all.
“Working with Mike for the last 15 years on the Clinton Youth Soccer board has been a great experience. Mike has dedicated his time and his knowledge to running one of the most popular programs in Clinton,” says DiGiandomencio. “He always looks to make our program a great experience for every child that is part of our club.”
Michael’s job as the president is to ensure that everyone involved with the program is constantly working in tandem, and that even when obstacles arise, the chains are still moving in the right direction.
“There has been parent and player controversy, we have had hurricanes, triple E, Covid, we have had a lot of challenges over the years,” says Michael. “Again, we figure out ways to get through it and make it work. The soccer board is great, with a lot of very dedicated people who are there for the love of the game and the kids.”
The Covid-19 pandemic certainly served as a true test to Clinton Youth Soccer, and DiGiandomencio explains that it took an all hands on deck approach to get kids back on the field.
“I would say getting our Clinton youth soccer numbers back after Covid was one of the most challenging things that Clinton Youth Soccer has faced,” says DiGiandomencio. “The way we worked as a board to help get the kids back to doing what they love helped us increase numbers once more.”
As Michael continues to serve as the president for Clinton Youth Soccer, he makes it a point that he wants to keep having the numbers increase. In his personal experience, he has seen a lot of inconsistencies in that regard.
“At the end of the day, we always try to do the best for the most kids. It is difficult when you have low numbers in a specific group or age bracket,” says Michael. “We always figure out a solution to have everybody play, but it just becomes harder when the numbers are low - it becomes difficult. Some years are more random than others. For example, one year we had no second graders on the girls’ side.”
With the unknowns that come with being in a role like his, Michael always has to be quick on his feet and be willing to be flexible when it comes to roster makeups and sizes. At the end of the day, he just wants every kid to have a safe and fun place to play the sport they love.
“It always becomes an issue to try to resolve somehow. We always do the best that we can, and the board does it,” says Michael. “We talk about it and come up with the best solution that we can and go with it. If we have to adjust, then we adjust.”
Along with DiGiadomencio, the rest of the Clinton Youth Soccer board members include Brian Winnicki (Boys Director and Tournament Director), Dan Healey (travel director), Craig Cusson (referee coordinator), Gary Bousquet (Field Coordinator), Catherine Harris (Secretary and Equipment manager), Joe Schettino (referee coordinator), Justin Tebo (assistant tournament director and social media), Jennifer Clados (muchkins director), and Gerry Baird (first grade coordinator).