Kelly Henderson Watches Long Island Teams Dominate NEWSS

(November 29, 2006, Albertson, NY)-Could Tom Brady get us some bagels? How about Michael Jordan going to Starbucks to bring back a few Grand Pumpkin Spice Lattes?

Unlikely as those scenarios might sound, another national championship game MVP was actually running errands as the 3rd Annual National Elite Women's Soccer Showcase (NEWSS) was being played last weekend. Midfielder Kelly
Henderson of Baldwin, who led the Long Island Fury to the Women's Premier Soccer League national title last summer as a 17-year-old playing against much older players, had diverse duties at NEWSS. She was in charge of all registration for the Girls-Under-16, 17 and 18 age groups, drove between fields in Nassau County to get NEWSS merchandise, served as the "ice lady" at Dean Skelos Park in Rockville Centre and watcged games for her college team, Boston College.

"A very busy day at the office for Kelly but I still would have rather had her on the field playing," commented Long Island Fury head coach Paul Riley. "Kelly has an unbelievable engine and is a physical specimen with a great mindset for the game. She is tactically way ahead of her years and is a superb all-around player. She can mark, defend, attack, take on players, is
great in the air and a brilliant leader both on and off the field."

During the first two years of the NEWSS tournament, Kelly starred for the Albertson Fury. As NEWSS is a showcase for high school-aged players, Kelly was now ineligible to compete.

Nearly 100 women's college coaches scouted these games of many of the best girls soccer players in the eastern United States and Canada. The temps were unusually warm in the 50s and 60s as NEWSS is becoming a Thanksgiving tradition for soccer fans.

Long Island Junior Soccer League teams dominated as they took three of the four titles and all second place trophies.

The Syracuse Fury won the Girls Under 15 Division with Albertson Fury 91 finishing second. In Girls Under 16, it was the Rockville Centre Tornadoes winning the age group with the Commack Blasters in second. East Meadow Dynamite took the title in Girls Under 17 over crosstown rival East Meadow Shooting Stars. And the Massapequa Rascals won the Girls Under 18 championship with Albertson Fury 88 finishing in second.