by posted 01/18/2012
 
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Marist College forward Krystian Witkowski took the next step in his career when he was selected by the Philadelphia Union in the MLS supplemental draft on Tuesday.

A three-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Region and All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference honoree, Witkowski was chosen 13th in the second round as the 32nd overall pick. This is the first time in program history that a Red Fox has been drafted in to the MLS.

“I am so excited, this is such a great honor," Witkowski said. "I would like to thank everyone who got me here, especially coach [Matt] Viggiano, my fellow seniors Troy, Fred, Lucas, Alex and Tim, my agent Ted, my high school coach Howard Allen, the Nelson Cupello family, Ian McGinisey and my family. This core of people helped me get to this point and I really appreciate everything they’ve done.”

During his four years on the pitch at Marist, Witkowski scored 21 goals and had assists on 12 for 54 points. Known for his ball-handling and play-making abilities, the Rochester, N.Y. native will ply his skills with the Union. Philadelphia finished last season in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 11-8-15 record.

“I am so proud of Krystian," Viggiano said. "He has given so much to the Marist program over the past four seasons. I can’t wait for him to represent Marist in the professional ranks. I wish him nothing but the best and hope that he has a great career. Krystian was a total student-athlete throughout his four years and this is a great way to cap his career."

Article courtesy of Bigapplesoccer.com / Photo courtesy of Marist SID

by posted 01/12/2012
 

RFC supports the NYPS Host a Coach Program which pairs local families with international coaches in the hopes of easing their assimilation into the United States. All of the NYPS coaches are carefully selected at interview based on their vibrant personalities and can-do attitudes as well as their coaching experience and educational background.

There are 2 main time-scales that families can host. The majority of the NYPS staff require hosting for the duration of the spring, summer & fall periods. They also have staff who require hosting for the fall period only. Preference is always given to those families who can commit to the full duration of the coaches stay to provide consistency for both the coaches and the family.  [Click here for more information]

Host Period

Spring	April - June
Summer	July - August
Fall	September - November
Winter	December - March

NYPS has appointed a Host Family Coordinator (Brian Patterson) who will act as your first point of contact throughout your coach hosting program.  He is also responsible for all correspondences regarding issues with a placement.

Brian can be reached at or by calling 585-292-0788

by posted 01/01/2012
 
We want to see you in pictures!
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Please send us your digital pictures from this past season so we can use them on the website and during our annual banquet. Send your submittals to no later than 1/10/2012.  Thanks.

by posted 12/28/2011
 
Alex Sahlen, player and president of the nation's best women's soccer team, the Western New York Flash, is the featured speaker for the Rochester Futbol Club's annual banquet on Sunday, Jan. 29th at the Diplomat Banquet Center in Rochester. The banquet starts at 4 p.m.

The soccer star played with the W-League club team, the Rochester Rhinos from 2005 until 2008. She then helped establish a new professional W-League club called the Buffalo Flash in 2009. Sahlen played for the Flash as it won the 2010 W-League Championship and remained on the roster when the team changed its name to the Western New York Flash and entered Women's Professional Soccer. The Flash won the WPS Championship at Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester on August 27.

The Flash season in 2011 was marked with setting national fan attendance records at the Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester, and the team made many generous sponsorships and bonding events available for the players and families of the Rochester Futbol Club during the season that were overseen by Sahlen and her organization.

Sahlen, who also serves as president of the Sahlen Sports Park in Buffalo, was a recognized collegiate athlete and coach. She was a member of the Niagara University Purple Eagles, where she completed her collegiate career with six goals and 10 assists, placing her 20th on Niagara's All-Time Scoring list. She helped guide the Purple Eagles to its first MAAC Championship appearance in 2003. Upon graduating from Niagara in the spring of 2004, she returned to her alma mater to accept an assistant coaching position. In her two seasons of coaching the Eagles, she accumulated a 38-17-5 coaching record, and the team made two consecutive MAAC Championship appearances, winning the title in 2006.

by posted 12/20/2011
 
iSoccer is motivating players and teams across the country to raise their level through time, technology and competition. RFC is introducing iSoccer to provide coaches, players and parents an objective measure of how players are developing within our program.  Implementation of the program will begin in January. 

Player assessments will:

• be age specific
• will include technical and physical testing
• provide valuable data on how a player is progressing
• be conducted 3-4 times throughout the season

The data collected will allow enable our club to do several things:

• Benchmark performance standards by age group/gender within the club.
• Enhance our curriculum to increase technical and physical proficiencies.
• Provide objective data for coaches, parents and players to better assess individual player development
• Tailor training sessions and set realistic goals

We will be providing additional updates in the coming weeks that will include information on how Players can joining the RFC/iSoccer website to track their information and compare themselves to other players across the nation. 

For more information about iSoccer and how it is changing the game across the US from the ground up, click here. www.iSoccer.org