NYPDSOCCER.COM: Welcome

                           2008  

      NORTH AMERICAN POLICE SOCCER CHAMPIONS

                                       AND      

          NEW YORK STATE POLICE OLYMPICS 

                  GOLD AND BRONZE MEDALISTS

                              TRYOUTS PLEASE CONTACT RON MEJIA: 

                                       WWW.RON@NYPDSOCCER.COM

                                           OR CALL 347-585-1186  

 LEAGUES: Cosmopolitan League Metro 1 and Metro 2  

                                (Home Field Is Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Field #9-)                    

                 League Website:  www.cslny.com

                     2008  ACCOMPLISHMENTS                           

JANUARY-CLARKSTOWN INDOOR MENS OVER 30 -2ND PLACE

MARCH- STONYBROOK UNIVERSITY MEN'S OPEN FUTSAL-2ND PLACE 

APRIL-SECRET SERVICE INDOOR CHALLENGE MEN'S OVER 35 CHAMPS

APRIL-FINEST  YOUNG GUNS WIN 2ND PLACE IN THE FIRST ANNUAL SPRING SHOOT OUT  6 VS 6 INDOOR

APRIL-FINEST SENIORS WIN 2ND PLACE IN OVER 30 INDOOR WINTER LEAGUE AT CUNNINGHAM SOCCER CENTER

MAY--FINEST WIN 3RD PLACE OUT OF 20 TEAMS THAT COMPETED IN THE 2008 COSTA RICA CUP IN JACO BEACH

MAY--FINEST TRAVEL TO ECUADOR FOR A ROUND OF FRIENDLIES AND RETURN UNDEFEATED WITH 2 WINS AND 1 DRAW

JUNE--NYS POLICE OLYMPICS, WINNERS OF THE GOLD AND BRONZE MEDALS

JULY-- "BATTLE OF THE BADGES"--- CHAMPIONS

AUGUST--BRONX COMMUNITY AFFAIRS CARIBBEAN CUP-CHAMPS  

SEPT--- NORTH AMERICAN POLICE SOCCER CHAMPIONS

                     ON TOUR AROUND THE WORLD                

BERMUDA/  HOLLAND/  LAS VEGAS/  OTTAWA

COSTA RICA/  TRINIDAD & TOBAGO/ SEATTLE

LOS ANGELES/  TORONTO/  PHILADELPHIA

ST LOUIS/  VANCOUVER/  CALGARY/ OREGON

NEW JERSEY/  ALBANY/  FLORIDA/  D.C./  BURNABY-CANADA

ECUADOR

This is the official website of the NYPD’s Men's Soccer Team. It is not an official City of New York or NYPD   website. The NYPD does not Fund the team and all partcipation is done on a voluntary basis where team members participate on their own time. All information shall not be considered that given by the New York City Police Department or NYPD. The  NYPD acronym and the NYPD Shield Design are federal registered trademarks owned by the City  of New York  and are used herein with permission.                                      

The New York's Finest Soccer Club is a Non-For Profit organization that consists of New York City Police Officers of different ranks and ethnic backgrounds. We love to play the game of soccer and are always looking for a challenge. Our team currently has over 40 members which make up two very competitive teams. The team is a tight family on and off the field. We enjoy helping others and we participate in several charitable tournaments throughout the year here and abroad.

The NYPD does not provide any funding for our team. All expenses are out of pocket and team members use their own time to participate in games and tournaments. Expenses to team members include Uniforms, equipment, league fees, training facilities, referee fees, transportation and Donations contributed to charitable events.   

 Interested in making a donation: Please send a check to C/O:

 The New York's Finest Soccer Club--

P.O. Box 51. Thiells, N.Y. 10984-0051 

Tax I.D. # available upon request E-mail requests to www.ron@nypdsoccer.com 

Donations of over $200.00 will appear on our "Sponsors Page"  

           NYPD Soccer has made Contributions to the Following:        

Dirk Wrede Fund // Sergio Villanueva Fund// D.C. Scores// American Cancer Society//Missing and Exploited Children's Fund// Victims of Domestic Violence//"Stop the Violence Program" // Police Officers orphans and widows Fund//Lindenhurst "Kennedy" Memorial S.T.// Police Activities League-Portland// Barwick Newton National Law Enforcement Memorial-St Louis // American Cancer Society

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           In early November the Men's and Women's team sponsored a free kid's soccer clinic at Cunningham Park in Queens in conjunction with the Auburndale Soccer club. Tom Debonis (retired mos) and Amadeo Pulley (active mos) representatives of the Auburndale Soccer club were very instrumental in promoting this event throughout the club and getting access to the field. 

           There were approximately 300 kids that registered to be present at the event but do to the drizzle and cold weather early that morning only approximately 100 die-hard kids reported to the field ready to learn. The smaller group was advantageous to the kids because they took full advantage of the NYPD coaches and received some one on one training. Drills that the kids were run through included, ball control, passing, heading, throw-ins and dribbling. The U13-14 Travel team were run through tough drills and tactics well into the afternoon by some of the younger NYPD coaches. The Goal keepers learned some new techniques and how to take command and be vocal on the field.

           Towards the end of the sessions the kids were asked to incorporate all the techniques and drills  they had learned and put them into match play situations as the groups were broken down into even smaller teams during in scrimmages. 

           At the end of the clinic the kids displayed their appreciation of the NYPD Soccer team that they rallied around their coaches and gave them a cheer. The NYPD team gave each player NYPd patches and thanked the kids and their parents for their dedication and commitment in participating in the soccer clinic.

          The NYPD Men's and Women's Soccer team is scheduling more soccer clinics in the near future with clubs throughout the city.  

                                  The Finest return victorious from Seattle Washington where they participated in this year's North American Police Soccer Tournament.

                                 The NYPD Men's Soccer team traveled to Seattle Washinton to participate in the 2008 North American Police Soccer Tournament. This soccer tournament has been in existence since the 1980's and is heralded as the top Law Enforcement soccer competition throughout Canada and the United States. It is held once a year and is participated by Law Enforcement teams from Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. There are several other tournaments held in places like California that claim to be top rated, but as evidenced this year many of the west coast teams that excel in these so called tournaments, were sent home early, not making it past regular play. It is  a display of the talent and competition that the North American Police Soccer Tournament attracts.

                                  This year the Seattle Police Department hosted the competition in their city and the benificiaries of this event were two children's programs "Tree House" and "Child Haven".

                                  This was a record breaking year for the NAPST, where it was the largest gathering of Law Enforcement Agencies participating in a Soccer Tournament to date. There were 40 teams that participated in this event. They were as follows: Masters=5, Women's Rec=8, Men's Rec=10, Women's open=5 and Men's open=12. Amongst the men's open teams were representatives from, Los Angeles, Peel, Saint Louis, Chicago, Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle, Toronto, New West, Washington, Florida and the NYPD.

                                   The Finest finished off regular play with a 3-1 record allowing only two goals and putting 10 in the net. Making it to the semi-finals the Finest were matched up against a revamped Toronto team that looked like a new team. With a slew of new players they looked impressive during regular play as they sported the benefits of having a sponsor by having three new kits, knapsacks, sweatsuits and matching training cones. After all was said and done the Finest outscored the Blues 3-1 thereby advancing to the final. Goals were tacked on by P.O. Jorge Bedoya-23rd Pct(4 goals in competion, all headers) and P.O. Steven Fadugba-63 Pct, who scored two goals minutes apart.

                                 Moving on to the final game, the Finest were matched up against Vancouver. This team not only outsized the Finest in height but by their impresssive collection of championship trophys won in the history of this tournament. The Finest had put them away during regular play 2-1, but not after taking a beating by their physical play on the field and their relentless pressure in the air.      

                                Shortly after the start of the game the Finest went on top 1-0 after P.O. Carlos Villacres-90 Impact sent a shot into the net after the keeper could not handle the ball letting it go through his hands. Several minutes later however the Vancouver team equalized when a rocket shot was sent into the net by one of the players that was left unmarked just outside the box. The game ended in a 1-1 draw but not after several opportunities to score were thwarted by the Vancouver keeper and his friend the goalpost. The game went into a 10 minute sudden death showdown where the Finest bombarded the Vancouver net with shots but the ball could not and would not find its way in the net. Due to the Deep bench that the Finest carried, the team kept fresh legs in on offense and the midfield thus wearing down the Vancouver team.

                                 With no score in the first 10 minutes of overtime, the game went into its second 10 minute sudden death match. After the 8th minute, substitutions were made to prepare for the ensuing round of penalty kicks. With 5 seconds left in the game, P.O. Jose Sura-P.A. lofted in a long and accurate throw-in that connected with P.O. Jorge Bedoya-23 Pct. who outjumped the taller Vancouver players. His header sailed past the defense to the back post where it was tapped in by a sprinting P.O. Carlos Villacres of the 90 Impact. Just before the celebrations started everyone could hear the referees watch beep that time was up.-NYPD Soccer Team are the 2008 NAPST Champs

                                  This is the second time the Finest capture the NAPST Trophy-The last time was in Los Angeles in 2002.  In 2004 the Finest Made it to the Final at Calgary Canada but lost to New Jersey Strikers 2-1 during a tough match. 

                   See albums page upper left corner for Photos

         In May The NYPD "Finest" Soccer Team  traveled to Ecuador to play a series of charity games and to conduct soccer clinics to local school children. The New York Red Bull's donated 150 soccer balls and 700 Red Bulls t-shirts and gear that were distributed to the students at several schools including Republica De Estados Unidos, a public school that provides education to underprivileged children in the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil.

               For their humanitarian efforts the Red Bulls New York as well as the Ecuadorian Consulate of New York presented the NYPD Soccer team with a plaque in appreciation of their humanitarian efforts in Ecuador. This Plaque was presented to the team on the field during halftime  of the match between the NY Red Bulls and Barcelona held at the Meadowlands on August 6. The NYPD Soccer team was honored to provide security for the Barcelona Players during their training session at Central Park on August 6th and took photos and donated NYPD Soccer T-shirts and hats to the Players at Central Park.  -See Albums Page upper left hand corner for photos

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwfQZmzUyp4

           The New York's Finest Soccer Club captured the Gold and Bronze medals at the 2008 New York State Police Olympics held in Albany New York June 10-13, 2008

           This now brings the Finest Soccer Club total medals won at these olympics to 

                                    Gold: 8, Silver: 5, Bronze: 1-

This is the most medals ever won by one team since the inception of the Police Olympics in New York State.

          This year the team again was split into two squads competing against police teams from Rochester, the NYS Police, Nassau and Suffolk . Also competing was the NY Enforcers, a team of NYC Police Officers, that is not affiliated to the NYPD Soccer Team.

           After the competition was over the Finest "White" came away unbeaten, winning 5 games and tying one game against their sister team , NY's Finest  "Blue" to a 1-1 draw.  The Finest Blue suffering from injuries never looked back and through their determination captured the Bronze. The Suffolk County Police Soccer Team, led by former NYC P.O. Anthony Ferrara came away with the Silver medal. The NY Enforcers, NYS Police, Nassau County and Rochester Police Teams failed in their bid to capture any of the medals and will have to wait for the 2009 Police Olympics.