The Long Island Soccer Football League has opened early registration for the 2019 Ryder-Vass men’s and women’s Under-23/U-20 soccer tournaments.

Teams interested in registering can access the registration form by clicking here and send it with payment to the LISFL office. The tournament rules can be accessed www.lisfl.org.

Early registration fees are $550 for teams affiliated with ENYYSA, ENYSSA, or U.S. Club Soccer. Non-affiliated teams will be charged $600.

Early registration ends Saturday, April 6. Any teams that register after that date will be charged $650. No exceptions will be made.

The tournament kickoff meeting will be held on Friday, April 5 at 8 p.m. at the LISFL office, located at 684 Broadway, Massapequa, N.Y. 11758.

Tournament packets will be distributed at the meeting if payment has been received. Members of the LISFL board of directors will be present to answer questions about the tournament.

Registration must be completed by Saturday, May 18 for all teams. If any spots are available after May 18, teams will be accepted on a conditional basis.

The tournament will begin in early June and continue through to July. Each team will be guaranteed a minimum of six games plus playoffs.

The conclude will conclude in July (date to be determined).

“As summer draws closer many teams are finishing their game schedules, many former players are returning from college. For some teams, it may be the last year in a league competition, for others fond memories of their former team,” LISFL president Gus Xikis said.

Xikis described the tournament as “the perfect venue to keep your team together” and how “the competition is outstanding with some of the best college players competing in the tournament. It’s the premier tournament of it’s kind in the region.”

Players must be born on or after Jan. 1, 1996 to be eligible for the U-23 tournaments, although teams are allowed to field three over-age players. For the U-20 tournaments, players must be born on or after 1/1/99. Over-age players are not permitted for the U-20 tournaments.

Players looking for a team can send an e-mail to Xikis at [email protected].

Include your contact information and a brief listing of your playing experience. Your information will be sent to all of the teams in the league and they will contact you if they are interested in adding you to their team.

For more information on the 2019 Ryder-Vass Tournament, contact the LISFL office at 516 433-1880.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.