New Youth Soccer Club in EP

The newly formed East Providence Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA) has launched a soccer club dedicated to youth soccer development in East Providence and surrounding communities. An all-volunteer staff of experienced soccer coaches and seasoned soccer club management will operate EPYSA. Experienced East Providence soccer players and coaches have joined forces to improve soccer development through a youth academy and competitive teams.

“We founded EPYSA to instill the love of soccer and significantly improve the level of development that we offer our children so they can succeed, not only in team sports, but throughout their lives,” said Bob DaSilva, President of EPYSA. “As a coach who travels around the state, I want to advocate for improved soccer facilities for the kids of East Providence, a key part of our mission. Our hope is that within five years, we are able to accomplish this,” he concluded.

The East Providence Youth Soccer Association’s mission is:

• To bring together at frequent intervals those who are interested in promoting, maintaining and teaching the game of soccer.
• To provide an opportunity for children to participate in the organized, supervised team play of soccer, and to promote the philosophy of EPYSA.
• EPYSA will be affiliated with and guided by the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) and Soccer Rhode Island (SRI).
• To obtain and maintain a soccer-specific sports complex within the City of East Providence so as to provide a stable home field for our organization and a quality soccer field complex for the residents of the City of East Providence.

"The best of both worlds have combined to provide the children of East Providence the best soccer experience in the state. The knowledge of the Oceaneers combined with the vitality of East Providence High School alums will feed the middle and high school teams for years to come," said Steve Mauricio, Vice President of EPYSA.

The EPYSA is a domestic, non-profit organization lead by a seven-member board of directors who have combined soccer club experience of over 60 years. The association will include camps, recreational soccer, a youth development academy, and competitive soccer. EPYSA will register teams in the RI Superliga competitive fall and spring tournaments under the team name of EPYSA DRAGONS.

The President and a major catalyst behind this association is city resident Bob DaSilva. "Founded in 2016, the East Providence Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA) is a domestic non-profit youth soccer academy and competitive soccer organization that offers the children of East Providence and surrounding communities the opportunity to participate in a soccer program where youth development is the priority. All funds raised by EPYSA are invested in improving soccer programs in the community. For more information, visit our website www.epyouthsoccer.org and our Facebook page or rdasilva@epyouthsoccer.org," added DaSilva.

The Board of Directors are: Steve Mauricio,Vice President; Kelly Mauricio, Treasurer; Colleen Conaty, Secretary; Joe Oliveira, Director of Coaching; Anna Barcelos, Communications Director and Jamie Calouro, Registrar.