IF ANYONE WAS WONDERING WHERE CHILDREN AND PARENTS WERE ON SUNDAYS THIS FALL, YOU COULD FIND THEM AT DSN’S OUTDOOR SPORTS FIELDS, WHERE OVER 500 PLAYERS PLUS HUNDREDS OF SPECTATORS CAME TOGETHER FOR COMPETITIVE FUN AND EXCITEMENT.
DSN’s Executive Director Sammy Sitt believes the real winners are every family on the Jersey Shore. “Since DSN’s founding over 15 years ago, our Girls Soccer and Boys Flag Football Leagues have been an integral part of life in our Deal community. The leagues are vital for children to learn discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Plus, there is no better feeling for a child than seeing their family gracing the sidelines, cheering and rooting for them. This is how we build community.”
The Football League caters to boys from kindergarten through high school and the Soccer League attracts girls from 1st through 8th grades. The leagues have professional referees and volunteer parent head coaches.
Marc Braha, a football head coach, put his role in perspective. “Coaching is not always about winning. It’s about finding each player’s strengths and weaknesses and maximizing their potential. It’s about instilling confidence in each player to see real progress as a united team.”
Irving Betesh, a parent head coach, had as much fun as the kids. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a coach this season. The interaction with the kids and parents was something to look forward to each week. DSN and Sports Director Jon Entel did an outstanding job making things run smoothly. The league gets better and better every year!”
Entel has been directing both the football and soccer leagues for six years. He sees the difference time has made. “Each year the competition gets better, the coaching progresses and the overall quality of the league improves.“ His colleague, DSN’s Girls Sports Coordinator Danielle Shemueli is the Jersey Shore’s biggest advocate for girls sports. She takes immense pride in the soccer program which continues to expand.
Parents were elated, including Joseph Silvera, father of a 1st grade soccer player. “These young girls are only beginning to learn soccer skills along with the life skills that go with it. I see my daughter’s team hustling, playing with their hearts, and feeling confident when the parents cheer them on. My daughter lost in the semi-finals this year and learned the hard lesson that winning isn’t everything, but we were still so proud of her. I am grateful to DSN for making learning so enjoyable for her.” Another parent, Karen Kameo, loved the league. “My daughter had the most wonderful experience. The practices helped her learn the rules as well as how to pass and kick. She scored lots of goals! I also had so much fun watching her.”
Having everyone play at the same time and the same location every Sunday created an amazing community atmosphere. Sammy Sitt continues to stress the big picture. “Yes, certainly DSN has been providing exceptional sports league experiences so that our children can reap the health benefits of being active. But more than that, our leagues bring our community together. Children and families from different schools and different shuls meet on our fields and build friendships. With Hashem’s help, DSN will continue to build and strengthen the best community in the world.”
