The president of the Long Island Junior Soccer League, one of the nation’s leading youth soccer organizations, for more than 27 years.
Collins, who was born in Ireland, served as president of the LIJSL from 1977 to 2004, and during that time oversaw the growth of that league from 300 teams to more than 1,200. In 1997, he established the Long Island Soccer Park, which over the years has grown into a 22-acre facility with fields for use by players of various ages. A hallmark of his tenure at the LIJSL was the founding of a series of joint tournaments between teams from his league and youth leagues in Russia, Ireland and Italy.
Inducted in 1998.