August 7, 2017-The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very happy to announce that Eileen Fiore is receiving a Patricia Louise Masotto and Brenda Driscoll Scholarship, which is based on academic and athletic success as well as community service. The scholarship’s namesakes were best friends and top women’s soccer players from Massapequa, Long Island. Eastern New York set up a scholarship in their name after they were killed by a drunk driver in 1985.

Eileen started playing soccer when she was just four years old and currently plays for the Rhinebeck Breakers of the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL).

In her hometown of Poughkeepsie, she volunteered for seemingly every organization there is including the Samuel Morse Estate, Grace Smith House, a Veterans Day Memorial Service, community theater, physical therapy mentor and Christmas caroling at a nursing home. At Spackenkill High School, she played varsity soccer for six years, varsity basketball for three years, varsity softball for three years and ran varsity track for one.

She wrote in her essay, “On October 31, 2015, my world changed as I tore my ACL in the Section 9 Class B girl’s soccer final. After that game, I began a year-long tortuous rehabilitation and recovery that changed me. During this time, I was detached from everything I loved. I was in constant pain, couldn’t walk for three months and endured grueling physical therapy for nine months. I was losing weight like I never had before and was pushing away friends. Then I went to see a therapist and was diagnosed with Environmental Change Depression. I decided that I could no longer let myself spiral into this hole I was digging. I worked hard and slowly my knee started to heal and I was beginning to feel the way I had before.”

Sporting a protective compression sleeve over her right knee, Eileen regained most of her skills as a scorer and led Spackenkill to a sixth consecutive section title last fall, exactly a year after she tore her ACL. We wish Eileen the best as she studies and plays soccer at Manhattanville College.