Vito Sciascia was recently named Hicksville Soccer Club’s Volunteer of the Year at the 2014 Long Island Junior Soccer League 2014 Kick-off Convention.
Sciascia started coaching travel soccer in 1998 for a boys team, the Flash, who later changed their names to the Muddogs. He could always be found at various sporting fields trying to recruit new soccer players. He would make each of these boys feel important and there was always room for another player. He tried to never turn a child away and when other coaches were having trouble with a boy he would take them on his team, no one was ever too much for him. Sciascia found the good in all those boys and they in return respected him. He took them to many tournaments and solicited enough sponsorship so that it was never a financial burden on their families.
In 2004, after aging out with the boys’ team, Sciascia started a girls under 10 travel team, The Patriots. Many of the core group of girls still remain as Patriots today. Sciascia has always treated these girls like they are his own children. He stayed coaching the team even when his daughter decided to stop playing a few years ago. Even though the girls would sometimes give him grief, he’d laugh and say “They’re girls, it’s ok! They’re trying to figure it all out. Don’t let them kid you though, they are all smart, every single one of them.” Week after week Sciascia shows up rain or shine with a laugh, a smile, and ball bag in tow.
Sciascia has been a member of the Hicksville Soccer Club for 23 years and has served on almost every committee. Anytime anyone needed a committee member or chairperson Sciascia would raise his hand and say, “Oh I’ll do that”. He has been on Coaches Conduct Committee, Grievance Committee, Scholarship Committee, and Director of Coaching Advisory Committee. He has also been Parliamentarian, counted election ballots and lined fields. No task is ever too large or too small.
As the chapter of HASC is closing for his Patriots, we in the club are pretty sure Sciascia’s coaching career is not quite done yet as his grandson is coming of age to start Intramural. Look out Hicksville; Vito Sciascia just may have himself a new little team yet again.
— From the Hicksville Soccer Club
