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MY BEACH SOCCER 
Coney Island hosted the first Beach Soccer Series ever in the State, setting a new hotspot for the flourishing of the sport
Amidst the fun and frolic of hundreds of Coney Island Beach revelers last Saturday, history was being created on a strip of sand on New York’s most famous summer venue. Beach soccer made an enthusiastic beginning in the Big Apple when Bay 20, at one of the city’s most recognizable locations, was transformed into an arena of dribbling, goal-scoring and tackling by dozens of young players. Organized by the Central Brooklyn Soccer Federation, the series was meant to introduce beach soccer and eventually popularize in New York and beyond.
Four teams played out the first ever staged beach soccer series in the State, and from all indications, the future looks good for the mostly unknown sport here that is hugely popular in the Mecca of traditional soccer in Brazil.
Both Shomari Ramsay and Garth Nelson founders of the Central Brooklyn Soccer Federation were pleased with the response and enthusiasm displayed by the young players who represented Mariners Under-15, Patriots Girls Under-15 teams along, in addition to Brooklyn Italians Youth Under-12 and Under-8 and Champs Under-12 and Under-8 teams.
“Our intention is to introduce the fans in New York to a different brand of soccer, that is just as exciting and entertaining as traditional soccer,” Nelson stated. “Beach soccer is growing fast in other parts of the country and other countries around the world and we plan to have teams good enough from New York to compete against the best in Florida and other states where it is more established”.
Nelson explained that beach soccer in New York has the support of a leading MLS player – the former New York Red Bulls midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, who had planned to attend the games. But because he was abruptly traded to DC United in late June, De Rosario was absent.
