Dear Long Island Elite Football,

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to the leadership, coaches, families, and the entire 495 ELITE organization for the opportunity, guidance, and unwavering support you have shown my son and our family throughout this season, especially Coach Carey, Coach Morton, Coach Krapf, Coach Muller, Coach Williams, Coach Confredo, Mrs. Morton, Mrs. Carey, and all of the 12U ELITE REIGN players parents and volunteers.

If I didn’t have the opportunity to thank you in person, I hope this message helps express what words often fall short of conveying. Please extend my gratitude to each coach, volunteer, and family member who poured into this team. What you are building at 495 Elite goes far beyond football. The lessons, accountability, brotherhood, and belief you instill are real, and during our stay in San Antonio, we witnessed that firsthand. We are forever grateful for the role you continue to play in our son’s journey and our family’s future. Thank you for believing in him, for protecting him, and for showing us what it truly means to be part of something bigger than ourselves.

I would also like to extend a special thank you to the players and parents who took the time during tournament weekend to personally acknowledge and encourage my son. Those moments mattered more than you may realize. For our son, being recognized by his peers and supported by families within the program was incredibly meaningful and affirming. As a parent, witnessing that level of respect, sportsmanship, and unity spoke volumes about the culture within Long Island Elite.

The relationships, lessons, and confidence our son gained through this experience will stay with him far beyond the field. While statistics may fade, the impact of the past few months will not. Thank you for believing in our son, for creating a standard he could rise to, and for fostering an environment where young athletes are supported as both players and people.

With sincere gratitude and respect,
Seth Failla

Coach Carey,

Can’t thank you enough for all you do for the boys, everyone should realize that after seeing you at the field all day for two days straight. Beyond the skill-work and development, my son loves playing for you and you have done so much for his confidence and belief in himself. My wife and I see, and appreciate it. I honestly believe he played as well as he did this weekend for you as much as for himself. Thank you!

Mike DeCicco Sr.

As a family traveling from Queens, NY, joining the LIElite Football program has been one of the best decisions we’ve made. Our recent trip to Texas was an amazing experience — not only did the boys compete hard, but they truly came together as a team, learning what it means to work toward a common goal.

Being new to the program, we immediately felt welcomed into the 495 family — both as parents and for our son. The travel can be long, but every mile is worth it. It’s been incredible to meet other dedicated families and see our kids learn from teammates who come from different football programs.

Our son has grown so much as a player and as a person. LIElite’s focus on discipline, respect, and character shines through in everything they do. The coaching is exceptional, but what really stands out is the emphasis on holding yourself to a higher standard on and off the field.

This program truly takes players to the next level. It’s clear how much the organization supports every child — there are no favorites. Each practice challenges the boys to earn their spot through hard work, attitude, and growth. That mindset keeps them focused, hungry, and humble. We’re proud to be part of it!

Thank you again,
The Major Family

I wanted to sincerely thank the 495 organization for the incredible experience provided to the team during the San Antonio bowl games. This was my son’s second year attending, and it continues to be a meaningful part of his growth as both an athlete and a young person.

Prior to joining 495, Connor played two PAL seasons. At the time, he didn’t have much experience—just a deep love for the game. While he has always loved football, it is a sport that hasn’t come easily to him, and that has been one of his greatest life lessons.

Throughout his life, many things have come naturally; he attends a school for gifted students, plays club lacrosse, and previously competed in gymnastics. He is no stranger to hard work, as he balances a rigorous academic load with a demanding sports schedule. However, football has taught him that sometimes you have to work even harder and refuse to give up. He has learned not to quit and to keep trying even when things feel uncomfortable.

Through the 495 Elite program, my son has seen firsthand the importance of effort, consistency, and perseverance. He felt incredibly proud of the progress he made this year. And this reinforced a lesson he will carry forever: hard work pays off, even when progress isn’t immediate.

He may not be a starter yet, but he is steadily working to earn his place. Hearing the perspectives of former players at media day really resonated with him, and the camaraderie of the older kids in Texas—asking about his game on the elevator and recognizing the shared jersey—left a lasting impression. The belief and encouragement his coaches, especially Coach Mellert and Coach Gambino have shown him have been instrumental in building his confidence and work ethic.

Thank you for your time, dedication, and commitment to developing these kids both on and off the field.

With gratitude,

Cheryl Solheim

Dear Elite Football:

The practices these boys had almost daily in the cold gave these boys a layer of tough skin and prepared them for Texas. Coming from the Bronx to different areas of LI was surely a journey but all well worth it. The demands showed RJ how to create a work life balance with traveling on the bus and getting his homework done in between or after practices. The Elite coaches each took extreme detail with the practices and attention given to enhancing the boys skills. The coaches made it fun but they also gave hard truths. Whether about starters, playing time or depth charts, they were deliberate in saying what needed to be said and that shaped them into the players they are.

Visiting Texas for the first time was an amazing experience. I’ll start with the little touches that added to the experience such as the banners welcoming them to the hotel, the travel whites that Elite provided to show off their pride and the 495 shield, the Media Day, The Pep Rally, the videographers and photographers at every event, practice, and game, the hard curfew and rules to keep them disciplined, but most of all the team camaraderie that was built which helped shape them off the field and traveled with them on the field. These coaches, families, and boys grew with one another to value and cherish each other. It showed on offense, defense, and every off-field activity. Going 3-0 together shows the true work paid off!!

Thank you to our wonderful coaches, Coach Chivaughn Williams, Pete Morton, Ken Krapf, Anthony Confredo and Joe Muller, you were all amazing and thank you for believing in our son and pushing him to the skill level he got to be in such a very short time. Thank you to the Long Island Elite Team REIGN boys for welcoming our son with open arms, you all have a special place in our hearts! Thank you to the team parents for cheering on and supporting our son like we did yours and all of us together cheering as a family! Thank you to Corrine Morton for being an amazing team mom and always being aware of the little things to keep us on track. Thank you to Coach Benjamin Carey for your constant words of wisdom, your feedback, and your recognition which helped mold our son as well.

Let’s go LIE 495!!

Ronald & Sheila Rivera

Thank you for the opportunity to provide honest and constructive feedback. Overall, this tournament was an amazing experience for our family, and we truly enjoyed being part of it. The event did an excellent job fostering team building, not only for the players, but also for the coaches and parents. It was a great opportunity to get to know other families, and the sense of community was very evident throughout the weekend.

The event was well organized, particularly with the hotel bookings. Having breakfast included, along with access to a pool and gym, was greatly appreciated. The hotel’s close proximity to both the game arena and the airport made logistics much easier for families. 

Although we experienced a canceled game, I didn’t mind at all. The children were understandably exhausted after traveling on Friday, and these situations happen. I truly appreciated that a meeting was called to communicate this change, as it showed transparency and respect for the families. I also loved that the kids arrived early to the field to warm up, which not only supported preparation but also allowed us to cheer on teams playing before us. Watching the Biggz team play was especially meaningful and provided a positive outlook on the future of this program.

Overall, we had an amazing time and truly value this experience and will DEFINITELY continue to be part of and will continue to participate in anything 495 Elite is apart of. We genuinely want to continue growing with and continue in supporting this organization. Thank you again for the work that goes into creating these opportunities for our children. The love, dedication, determination and commitment to our children and the community at large doesn’t not go unnoticed. Thanks again for allowing our family to ability to have this lovely tournament as apart of our celebrated memories.

Regards,
Silvia Tuthill

Just wanted to say thank you for your dedication and hard work with the team. I’ve noticed how attentive my son is when he’s around you; he absorbs everything you say. His understanding of the game has improved significantly thanks to your guidance. 

Vincent DiPasquale

Coach Carey, thank you for organizing this weekend! And thank you for taking care of my boys!! I appreciate all you do. Feels really good to be a part of this GIANT LI ELITE FAMILY!

This was our first year on a travel team we have had nothing but great experiences our past trip to Texas was so much fun it was great to see all the kids in every age group come together it feels like a football family!! The boys played very hard and couldn’t be more proud as a mother in this league the bonding was real we appreciate all the coaches being patient with my child as he’s happy to keep learning

Thanks Jo Marie

Dear Long Island Elite Football Coaches and Staff,

I want to take a moment to sincerely thank Long Island Elite Football for the incredible impact you have had on Nolan, both as a player and as a young person.

When Nolan joined the program last January, he was a first-year football player who entered the game solely as a kicker and emerged as an offensive and defensive player. What he gained from your coaching, mentorship, and support went far beyond learning a position. Through your passion for the game and dedication to your athletes, Nolan was given the opportunity to truly learn football, challenge himself, and discover strengths he didn’t yet know he had—on and off the field.

In a short amount of time, you helped him build confidence, resilience, and a deeper love for the game. More importantly, you gave him something truly special, a sense of belonging. The family he gained within Long Island Elite Football has left a lasting impression on him, and the lessons, relationships, and memories will stay with him far beyond the season.

Thank you for being such powerful role models and for creating an environment where young athletes are supported, encouraged, and inspired to grow. We are incredibly grateful for everything you have done for Nolan and for the positive impact you continue to have on so many players.

With sincere appreciation,
Brian Tenety

What a extraordinary experience! We have met new people and bonded as football families. How we came together for our kids was amazing. Seeing the work they put in day and night and then the huge payoff has been awesome. How the coaching staff developed my son was amazing and truly one for the books! I had a great time with my son.

This organization is everything it’s presented to be.

There are so many great people from Coach Benjamin Carey to Coach Dave Margulies and his coaching staff. They are always willing to answer questions and help in anyway they can can.

I can’t thank you enough to see where my kid started from and where he is today in such a short time. San Antonio, Texas is one for the history books! Seeing the passion in my kid as he play those tough games was was truly amazing. It was an extraordinary weekend and we all couldn’t be happier. We are glad to be a part of this organization, thank you so much for this opportunity and the journey ahead.

Simon Lennard