Emma Bodeker receives soccer association scholarship
ROCKVILLE CENTRE — Emma Bodeker of Warwick, who plays for Manhattan United of the Westchester Youth Soccer League and is attending the College of St. Rose, has been awarded the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association’s Jack Bauman Scholarship.
Bodeker is one of five teenagers who graduated from high school in June and have just started their freshman years of college who have been awarded scholarships by the state youth soccer association. The group, based in Rockville Centre in Nassau County, represents more than 100,000 registered youth soccer players from Long Island to the Canadian border.
In addition to competing for Manhattan United, Bodeker previously playing for the Warwick Extreme and Washingtonville SPA Storm, both of the East Hudson Youth Soccer League (EHYSL). She has also played for ENYYSA’s Olympic Development Program for the past two years.
In the State Under-23 Finals last month in LaGrange, Bodeker scored a goal to help lead the Manhattan Pride to a 5-1 win over the LaGrange Hawks.
‘Best advice’
Bodeker has refereed, volunteered as a coach and organized Konbit Cleats for Haiti, plus was honored as Student/Athlete of the Week at Warwick Valley High School last November.
The scholarship winners were chosen based on academic and athletic excellence, community service and a written essay.
In her essay, Bodeker wrote: “I entered Warwick High School out of St. Stephen’s knowing only a few people. The transition from nine years of Catholic school to public school created a completely different environment for me, but the best advice I received was to try out for a sport. Playing a sport helps people introduce themselves to others indirectly and makes it easier to develop friendships. After a long, terrifying wait, the coach finally told me that I made the JV soccer team.”
Randy Vogt, the director of Public Relations for the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association, said the scholarship’s namesake, Jack Bauman, is considered the father of women’s soccer on Long Island. Bauman was devoted to the Massapequa Soccer Club and making sure that girls had as many opportunities to play soccer as boys did in an era when girls playing sports was not as accepted as it is today, Vogt added.
Academics, community service
A standout athlete in soccer, indoor track and lacrosse, Bodeker led the Lady Wildcat soccer team with 15 goals and four assists last season. She also served as team captain.
She has been recognized by the NYSPHSAA as a scholar athlete for two years and plans to plans to major in biology and exercise science at the College of St. Rose.
Bodeker is an accomplished Irish step dancer as well as a member of the Warwick Junior Ambulance Corps.