Honor Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club

May 4, 2018 WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor those organizations which faithfully devote their purposeful energies to fostering opportunities for and to contributing to the quality of life for the people of the communities they serve; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend the Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club, Inc. upon the occasion of hosting its 43rd Annual Gala on Friday May 4, 2018, at El Caribe Country Club in Brooklyn, New York; and WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion is an opportunity to celebrate the Brooklyn community and the much loved game of soccer; and WHEREAS, The Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club has won two United States Open Cup Championships, and produced professional players, general managers and international coaches; since its inception, thousands of students have participated in this amazing program which maintains a large following of loyal club members with over 157,000 annual hits to its website; and WHEREAS, After World War II, numerous Italians immigrated to the United States of America, with many Southern Italians settling in Brooklyn; groups of immigrants came together to form social clubs, which assisted them in their transition to life in their newly adopted country; and WHEREAS, Founded in 1949, the Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club became one of the earliest teams in the New York City area and competed in local leagues in the area against rival social clubs; and WHEREAS, Thirty years later, the Brooklyn Italians, under the leadership of Coach Lorenzo DiSimone, won the US Open Cup under the name "Brooklyn Dodgers"; the Dodgers captured the Cup after defeating Croatia S.C. in a close 2-1 victory at the Winnimac Stadium in Chicago; and WHEREAS, In 1991, the Brooklyn Italians defeated the Richardson Rockets of Texas in an intense 1-0 win, with the lone goal scored in the seventh minute from Ernest Inneh; and WHEREAS, Under the mentorship of President Jerry Valerio, the Brooklyn Italians Youth Sector captured an international trophy in 1997, and the Under-14 squad won the Enzo Ferrari International Youth Tournament in Maranello, Italy; and WHEREAS, Today, under the luminous leadership of President John Saia, the Club consists of over 800 youth players who play soccer in various local leagues, tournaments and cups; each year, the teams compete in the Dallas Cup in Texas, and the Vincenzo Romano Torneo in Rome; and WHEREAS, The first team participates in the National Premier Soccer League, which placed first in the Atlantic Division in 2011 and 2013, and second in 2010 and 2012; the youth sector competes in the New York Club Soccer League; and WHEREAS, The Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club hosts two major tournaments, the Christopher Columbus Cup and the New York City Indoor Classic; and WHEREAS, For almost 70 years, the Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club has strived to foster a love of soccer to the residents of Brooklyn, through experimentation with the game; it is also committed to positively changing lives, one soccer player at a time; and WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to call attention to organizations such as the Brooklyn Italians Youth Soccer Club which serve to bring people together for a united purpose and serve the recreational needs of the community; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend the Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club, Inc. upon the occasion of hosting its 43rd Annual Gala on May 4, 2018; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to John Saia, President, Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club, Inc.