Long Island Football Influencer
[These are the movers and shakers of Long Island Youth Football that we wish to honor. They are Coaches, Recruiters, Parents, NFL/NCAA players, and dedicated people doing things in and outside their communities to elevate the level of football on Long Island. These people do not all have 20 years of experience, fancy alma maters, or superstar backgrounds. Many of them do; but what they all have in common is more important than that: they all put in many hours dedicated to the cause. This is time spent away from their families, sacrificing, working hard to to gain more exposure for players on Long Island, and creating new opportunities for them. Their passion and dedication is fueling the new movement that is getting people on Long Island excited about football. #JoinTheLiyfaMovement]
Rich Platia is the director of officials for Suffolk County. He is a well known figure in long island football and donates a significant amount of time to the sport at all levels. What we like most about Rich is that he strives to protect the integrity of the game, while bridging the new rule changes in a tactful and impartial manner. Football is by nature a violent and physical contest. Rich is a constitutionalist, believing the game should be played the way it was designed; but he has done a great job of incorporating the progressive safety changes that have come about to ensure the longevity of the sport. Rich is a helpful resource to all coaches. He is looked up to by youth coaches, and respected by high school coaches across Long Island. He is always willing to give his time to listen and offer advice.