Ross R. Riley, 55, of Endicott, died on October 15 after a prolonged fight with cancer.

Mr. Riley, who was called "Uncle Ross" by the girls on the soccer team, had been the assistant Union-Endicott girls soccer coach since 1999, when his brother-in-law, Bill Stepanovsky, became head coach.  "Nobody had a rapport like he did, with the kids," Stepanovsky said. "Definitely the kind of guy you would want on the sideline."  Mr. Riley was on the sidelines as often as he possibly could be, his son Chris, 24, said.

The elder Riley coached soccer teams before either of his sons were able to walk, and he continued after they moved to college, and even when he was sick, Chris said.  Mr. Riley was always willing to help someone who asked for a few pointers, Chris said.
"He’d beat the person to the field," said Chris, who now plays professional soccer for the Wilmington Hammerheads of the United Soccer Leagues.

When one of Mr. Riley’s players, Joe Santacrose, died of a heart condition during an indoor soccer game in 1999, he used his love of soccer to give back to the community. He and Santacrose’s father, Jim, founded the Joe Santacrose Memorial 4v4 Soccer Tournament in 2000, Stepanovsky said. The tournament raises money for the Joe Santacrose Foundation, which gives annual college scholarships to graduating Union-Endicott seniors and helps pay expenses for low-income kids on local soccer teams, Jim Santacrose said.

Mr. Riley was a long time coach of the Endicott United Attack and the Endicott United/BC United Force (both boys teams), and he also worked with TOPSoccer, a soccer program for disabled kids. "Those kids adored him," Chris said.

Mr. Riley retired as assistant vice president and branch manager at HSBC bank in 2004. He also was on the board of directors for Meals on Wheels.