Team Wins NY State Soccer Cup Silver Division
It’s been several years in the making, but with hard work, good coaching and determination, a soccer team that started in 2009 with volunteer coaches and players who were just nine years old, several years later and now 14 years old, have won their first New York State championship.
Coach Nick Sagnibene has been friends with George Caceres, President of White Plains Youth Soccer, since they were in seventh grade at White Plains Eastview School where they played soccer together.
Caceres approached Sagnibene about coaching in 2009 and he agreed. His son was at the age to begin really playing the sport and he was interested in doing volunteer work that would help him to meet people in the community while at the same time providing a way to give back to White Plains.
“At first I was very nervous, not knowing the amount of work, time, and scheduling you need to juggle each season. But as time went by, it became second nature to me. I couldn’t wait for next season to start. This was one of the best challenges I’ve ever undertaken and has now become a true passion of mine,” Sagnibene said.
In 2009 the team was known as the White Plains Ravens, a division # 6 team registered under the Westchester Youth Soccer League (WYSL).
“Just like in many sports, you start at the bottom and work your way up, with many ups and downs during each season,” Sagnibene explained.
In time, and with the help of trainer Alejandro Galeano, the team improved and moved from Division #6 to Division #1 in the spring of 2014, and won First Place.
Because of that achievement, the team was invited to compete in the New York Division #1 Champions tournament upstate, where they placed Second.
Sagnibene said it was a great moment for the team.
In the fall of 2014, Sagnibene and Galeano decided the team was ready to compete at the premier level. “We regrouped before the season started in the fall, and formed the BU-14 Academy -00 team to represent White Plains to compete in the New York Club Soccer League,” Sagnibene said. “In doing so, we were also able to register the team for the New York State Cup Silver division as a starting point. We did that because we didn’t know what kind of competition we would face.”
The New York State Cup is comprised of 32 teams that compete throughout the year in the same format as the World Cup – best of three games and then single elimination round.
“It was on of the most intense, nail biting, hair pulling years the team has ever faced,” Sagnibene remembered.
“Between having to play regular league games, New York State Cup games and traveling, I thought at times the boys were just going to give up. But instead they stayed positive, and pulled together as a team.”
First the boys won all three games in the group stages to place first in the bracket. Then they pulled off winning all the single elimination games to make it to the final.
Round 16 started with a 3-0 win against Northport CHU Soccer Club; the Quarter Final with a 2-0 win against Farmingdale Soccer Club and the Semi Final with a 1-0 win against Mattituck.
“The Final was a 4-2 win against Yonkers UTD Conquerors in over time. That was amazing,” Sagnibene said.
“The boys did a fantastic job. I’m very proud of the hard work and tenacity they displayed under pressure. This is the only White Plains team to bring home the New York State Cup. Others have tried, but we did it – WP-Academy -00 BU-14.
“I want to thank the boys, the parents for their support, our trainer Alejandro Galeano, George Caceres my friend and President, and the whole White Plains Youth Soccer Club for believing in me, and this group of players to bring home the Cup,” Sagnibene concluded.”
