Albert Cyprys is constantly looking for ways to give back to his community in his hometown of New York City. His latest project is the founding of a youth soccer league for his and the surrounding neighborhoods. The soccer league will be playing at a nearby park. While Albert Cyprys does not expect an immediate participation rate large enough to truly call a league, he hopes word will get out and numbers will steadily grow.

Albert Cyprys had many reasons for starting this league. First, Albert Cyprys is highly committed to living an active and healthy lifestyle. Sports are an integral part of his life, whether he is skateboarding around New York City or just getting some tennis in with friends. Albert Cyprys has been playing soccer since he was a child. He remembers how important that early introduction was to his current love for activity and fitness.

Second, Albert Cyprys believes in the values that playing soccer teaches. When he played as a child, he learned many important lessons. Soccer was integral in building Albert Cyprys’ love for teamwork. You cannot successfully play soccer without functioning as a seamless team, and learning to work with others is an important skill that translates to many other facets of life. Also, playing soccer encourages good sportsmanship. Albert Cyprys attributes much of his easygoing attitude about life today toward what he learned from soccer. He knows that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but it is always important to respect the other players and their skill.

“You don’t only respect the game. You respect the other players. You respect your team, but more importantly, you respect the opponent,” Albert Cyprys says. “It’s about playing and good sportsmanship, not about hating your enemy.”

Third, Albert Cyprys started a youth soccer league because, although leagues already exist in the city, he did not see the need being filled. He wanted to build a mostly informal league that did not require stringent dues or rules for membership. Rather, Albert Cyprys is more interested in teaching kids that soccer can be fun, not something that has to be another stressor in what are often already busy or difficult lives.