 In the beginning,
The story of the Eastern Pike Association began in the fall of 1984, When Karl Schneck was running a Saturday morning youth
wrestling program under the Adult Education Program. One of his wrestlers was the son of John Cokelette, who had graduated
a year behind Karl from DV (many years before). Both former DV wrestlers , they came up with the idea of forming a youth
wrestling league.To get it going, they contacted former wrestlers in the area, including Nick Fedorka and then current wrestling
coach Ned Bushong. Art Ridley helped to incorparate the EPYSA and off they went.
After a succesful 1st season, karl and John decided that their next venture would be a youth soccer league.So, in the fall of
1985, they put out fliers and set up registration on Karl's parents porch, in the middle of Pike County Days Midway. The response
was overwelming. Over 200 kids signed up that first year. Once again, they scrounged up coaches from former DV soccer
players and many an inexperienced Dad who got a crash course in soccer fundamentals (no hands, kick the ball in the goal!)
The teams were named after the Pro Soccer League Teams (The Kicks, The Earthquakes, the furies, the Cosmos,etc.)
Shirts were quickly ordered and Karl went on a ball buying spree in every store that carried soccer balls along Rte 6 in
Scranton.Fund raisers (remember Tom Watt Kits?) were started to replace the money borrowed from the wrestling program.
For the first few years, the money from one was used to start the other the next season.
The first 5 or 6 yerars saw Eastern Pike as a strictly Sunday afternoon, local soccer league. At that time, there were no traveling
teams, camps, etc. Age group divisions were formed by the amount of kids, not necessarily strictly by "year" age. For
example, it might have been 6-7 1/2, as opposed to 6-8, 9 if the numbers dictated that kind of split. All of the teams
qualified for the "playoffs" and everybody got a trophy. By the end of this early era, the number of kids in the program had
grown to over 350.
By 1994 EPYSA had grown up to 500 players, hence a need to separate from wrestling and form its own soccer organization.
Under the direction of Craig Beitzel, Joe Sweeney, Tony Cavallaro and Steve Smith, Eastern Pike Soccer was formed.
Doug Jacobs helped establish by-laws and board members over the next few years. Together, the board members established
an affiliation with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association and United States Soccer. It was through this affiliation
that our first travel team (U12 boys) was born and competed in the Hudson Valley Youth Soccer League for the 1994 season.
Today the Eastern Pike Soccer organization continues to be an important part of the community and acts as a building block for
Delaware Valley Soccer. The recreation program is held on both the Delaware Valley and Dingman Delaware campuses with
age groups ranging from U6 through U14. A Challenger league also provides rewarding soccer experiences to children of special
needs.Travel play has grown in the Eastern Pike Soccer program with an average of four team registering per fall season and
winter involvement in indoor soccer tournaments in the area.
It is through the efforts and teamwork of all of our volunteers that a strong program promoting the youth of our area can even exist.
Soccer encourages exercise, teamwork, sportmanship and family involvement.
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