The Long Island Rough Riders have some goals with their USL Y program, and it goes beyond scoring goals.

It is also about winning and developing players.

The club has acquitted itself well in recent years, participating in the USL Y finals in various boys and girls age groups.

This year, the Rough Riders will become the biggest USL Youth club in the United States for the second year in a row.

“The USL Y program is the youth element that leads into the USL pre-professional platforms that lead into the professional setting,” Allaway said. “Being a valued USL member, we gain access to this prestigious summer plan. It enables us to supply two teams per age group to compete in a summer league, which are then competing for opportunities in the USL Y finals at Tampa.”

Allaway added that the club has been able to expand to be of the leagues to have dual sites on Long Island. Teams included Boys and Girls, U-10 through U-19.

“Over the past 24 months, we’ve been able to expand to be one of the leagues only dual-sited club with a club in West and East Long Island,” he said. “We’ve been able to almost expand our opportunities throughout that process to just provide better education, better training, and overall a better soccer service to more players centered here on Long Island. Over the past 12 months and continuing on into this year, we are the largest USL youth club in the country. We want to try and turn that into the most successful this year.”

The Rough Riders’ USL Y West (Nassau County) is at the club’s headquarters in Uniondale, N.Y., and East (Suffolk County), at both Suffolk County Community College locations in Brentwood, N.Y. and Selden, N.Y.

“We’re looking to try and build that to a stage where we can confidently say that we have maximized both locations providing opportunities for a maximum amount of players that the elite platform allows,” he added.

Needless to say, Allaway said that he is “extremely proud” of the Riders’ USL Y program and his team of staff. 

“We built this program from the ground up,” he said. “It’s based on the fundamentals of doing the right thing for the players on each and every step. Whether that’s hosting club events or tailoring player development to each individual, while also recognizing that we do things slightly differently here. The values of learning, integrity, relationships, and respect. That’s what we really try and build in each of our players. It’s done well for us.”

Onboarding night was a hit hosted on Sunday, May 17 at the Rough Riders facility in Uniondale, N.Y.

“It is a family event where we introduce and welcome all of our players for the summer ahead,” Allaway said. “We have over 600 players coming into the program with their families. This will give a chance for one, us to meet the players, and two, for players to meet coaches. We’ll have some other activations for families to understand what sponsor benefits that they get throughout this year. It’s all tied with the purpose of connecting our first team players and coaches with our youth community ahead of the 2026 season. That has our youth side to it, but also is the platform for our pre-professional men and women’s teams.”

The competition begins at the end of the school year on June 22 as teams will perform through the summer. Given the club’s track record, it would not be surprising if the Rough Riders send several teams to the national tournament.

“Teams that successfully advance to the USL Y finals regroup in early December to head down to Tampa,” Allaway said.

USL Y League

For more information about the Long Island Rough Riders USL Y program and opportunities in Nassau and Suffolk County, visit the official USL Y page.