RED HOOK – The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) has announced that Seth Kehr of Red Hook in Dutchess County has been honored as the association’s “Young Referee of the Year”. Seth was selected by State Youth Referee Administrator Lee Suckle and received the Ray Wolfe Young Referee of the Year Award at the Eastern New York Holiday Party on December 7 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.
Seth started playing soccer as a Boys-Under-5 player in Red Hook’s intramural program and climbed the ranks as both a goalkeeper and defender in intramural, travel team and school teams. He started refereeing Red Hook’s intramural soccer games when he was just 11 years old and officiating quickly became very important to him. He progressed to refereeing travel team games in the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL) and was so good that he has officiated State Cup championship games and became one of the youngest to officiate Development Academy games, at the age of 13.
He was one of the youngest to ever attend Hudson Valley Soccer Referee Association (HVSRA) meetings and he was invited to and he regularly attends MLS referee Robert Sibiga’s elite referee group meetings in Mahopac to review game clips and analyze game situations.
Seth’s comprehensive experiences as a referee have imparted a sense of the importance of working with a team, respecting the views of others and a willingness to consider all situations and perspectives regarding a matter before coming to a conclusion.
Outside of refereeing, Seth was aware that there were not many local opportunities for children with intellectual, emotional and/or physical challenges to participate in soccer. After much independent research and his presentation to the Red Hook Soccer Club Board of Directors, he was able to implement a TOPSoccer program in Red Hook.
Seth has also partnered with a Hudson Valley non-profit, Kickin’ Back, to have tournament participants bring used soccer equipment in order to donate to children internationally. He believes that soccer can be used in a humanitarian way to benefit those less fortunate.
Additional information about Eastern New York Soccer can be found at http://www.enysoccer.com/.
