August 17, 2012
D'ARPINO SCHOLARSHIP
Christal receives ENYYSA honor

Matthew Christal of Rye Brook, N.Y. was awarded the Livio D'Arpino scholarship by the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association.

The $1,000 scholarship is named after D'Arpino, a former ENYYSA vice president who was involve with several level of local soccer before he died in 2002.

Christal was a National Honor Society Member at Blind Brook High School, where he led the soccer team to championships the past three years. He played for the Rye Brook Cyclones and FC Westchester of the Westchester Youth Soccer League and played for the WYSL Select Team for three years before competing for ENYYSA’s ODP in 2010 and 2011.

Christal also won a gold medal with the Maccabi Team and has served as a youth soccer referee for the past five years.

He has volunteered at the Backyard Sports Program (taught soccer to children with mental challenges), Art For the Heart (decorated bedrooms from children recovering from cancer) plus at the local soup kitchen and Tae Kwon Do charity fundraiser.

“From his first days of Westchester Select until now, I have seen Matthew grow into a talented soccer player and a fine young man,” FC Westchester coach Jack Gigli said. “He is a well-rounded athlete who represents all the best that Eastern New York youth soccer has to offer.”