Check out this link to see 2010 highlights of goals!

NewPaltzMensSoccer

NEW PALTZ MEN’S SOCCER

“FOOTNOTES”

FROM COACH VENTRIGLIA

I’m extremely excited to begin our Non-Traditional season on Monday, March 28.  Our team mission is to begin preparing to make a run at the SUNYAC Tournament and a conference championship in the upcoming Fall season.

Spring workouts will culminate with a game at WEST POINT against ARMY on Friday, April 29 at Clinton Field.    Kick-off is 7PM.  If you live within driving distance, come out and enjoy the game!  Spring Soccer will conclude on Saturday, April 30 with the Alumni game.  The game is set to start at 12:30 at Alumni field.

A PERSONAL INVITATION

As the new head of the men’s soccer program at New Paltz, I’m extending a personal invitation to all New Paltz Alumni to participate in the 2011 New Paltz Alumni game.

The game is scheduled for a 12:30 start on Saturday, April 30 at Alumni Field. Please e-mail me at ventrigg@newpaltz.edu or call me at 845-257-2691 to confirm your attendance.

I look forward meeting you and catching up with old friends at the scheduled reception (4-6PM at the College Terrace) following the game.

During this past December, junior, Brandan Ujvary and senior, Frank Tlczkowski realized the dream of watching their favorite team, Liverpool, in a  live game at Anfield, the home of Liverpool Football Club.  The following is an article, by Brandan Ujvary, describing his experience.

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Soccer has been part of my life as long as I can remember.  I’ve grown up with soccer as if it were my best friend.  The experiences I’ve taken away with me are many, from the mini-goals of my hometown to the high school fields of Long Island, to the colleges and universities throughout New York and now most recently to Anfield, the home of the Liverpool Football Club.  When I think about it, it’s amazing how soccer has evolved in my life and has taken me from my little town of Kings Park, NY all the way to a city some three thousand miles away in England.

For the past ten years now, I’ve come to love and support Liverpool Football Club.  They are a club rich in history and tradition, but most of all success.  After watching many games on TV and seeing and hearing the fans sing their hearts out with such passion, emotion and joy, I just had to go to Liverpool!  I just had to be part of it and had to experience it for myself.

Match day, December 29th, 2010, Liverpool vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers.  The day finally arrived.  The buzz around the city was clear, the color red was everywhere.  Walking up to the stadium, I began to get the chills, I couldn’t believe it was really happening.  I was really about to set foot in Anfield.  I went to the window to pick up my tickets and believe it or not it got better.  Our seats were in the KOP end, the section only given to those who are devout fans, club members and season ticket holders.  I had died and gone to heaven.  I entered the stadium and saw the simplicity.  No flashy billboards or advertisements.  No cotton candy or hot dog lines.  Just fans shuffling through to their section and seats to get situated for the warm up.  Shortly after, we finally made it out to field view.  For this moment I felt like the best way to put it would be to steal the line from the famous movie “Rudy”.  When Rudy’s father enters Notre Dame stadium he says, “this is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen!”  It was unbelievable!  There they were, Steven Gerrard, Pepe Reina, Fernando Torres, right before my eyes.  For starters, the TV does no justice at displaying these players’ skills and speed.  Playing forty yard balls like it was nothing, and controlling it with ease.  I could have just watched warm ups and would have been satisfied.  Turns out I probably would have been better off, considering the game ended up with an awful 1-0 defeat to Wolves in a game with few chances and relatively sloppy play. But the sheer atmosphere and experience was still something I’ll never forget.  On the bright side, I still got another game to go to in two days.

The next day we had a free day in Liverpool so we decided to do the tour of Anfield.  It was awesome.  We got to all the facilities and sat in the director’s box.  next, we went down to the locker rooms and got to walk out the tunnel onto the field.  The whole time I just kept envisioning the great players who have walked out the same tunnel onto the field which was something truly to appreciate as a soccer player and a fan of the game.  The tour ended with the museum showcasing the history and success of the club over the years.  this was something I really took away with me on my trip…. the history of Liverpool Football Club.  It was so much more than a game.  It was a way of life for these people, these fans, and these players.  I really don’t think there is anything comparable to it here in the United States.  If I haven’t convinced you yet, then maybe after this next game you might see just what I’m talking about.

New Years Day, Liverpool vs. Bolton Wanderers.  Despite such a poor performance and result just two nights ago, we were back and so were the faithful fans still standing behind their club.  For this game we were also in the KOP end but a bit higher up, right in the middle of the most avid supporters.  The game started off much better and the buzz around the stadium was much different than the last.  I’d say over the course of the ninety minutes match there had probably only accumulated five minutes without some type of chant or song.  The passion cannot be matched anywhere.  Every pass, every tackle, every shot, every corner kick had meaning.  I felt as if I was in the game.  For a brief portion Liverpool looked a little dull and needed some picking up.  I noticed a roar erupt throughout the whole stadium, Steven Gerrard had come off the bench to begin warming up.  The man is god, a legend to the Liverpool fans as well as me.  Unfortunately, right before halftime, Bolton took the lead.  I’ve never felt so deflated and upset.  I stood there in amazement.  I began thinking; did I really just travel all the way to England and watch my team, lose two games back to back?  The second half began and the fans were even louder than before.  It was then that I realized it was us the fans who were singing and putting those players on our back and carrying them forward.  I get the chills just thinking about it now, I can’t explain it.  It’s a feeling that I never felt before.  GOAL!! The place erupted.  A beautiful goal scored right in front of us.  We had hope.  The players answered us fans and something special was about to happen.  We kept on singing.  They kept on playing and my heart was pounding.  The game entered extra time and Liverpool was attacking.  GOAL!!! At this point I may have blacked out from pure elation.  A classroom of four year olds would have been easier to control.  No one knew what to do.  Jumping, singing, hugging random strangers, but it was at that moment we weren’t strangers.  We were all fans and we were all sharing the same joy and emotions.  When that goal was scored, we were all Liverpudlians!

The last few minutes of the game were drowned out with the singing of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” which is Liverpool Football Club’s song.  And nothing sums up Liverpool Football Club better than that.  The song is sung by the fans ensuring their commitment to the club and players through all the ups and downs of the team.

Now, as an athlete and member of the SUNY New Paltz men’s soccer team, I understand this special bond of belonging to a part of a team.  Working together to achieve our goals, that’s what it is all about.  By not letting anyone “walk alone” we accomplish so much more together than any one individual.  For the past three years, I have had the privilege of being an athlete here at SUNY New Paltz, and I am looking forward to another rewarding year with my teammates.  We want to continue competing and contributing our best so that no one will ever “walk alone”.

At our end of season team banquet the team watched the 30 minute highlight video that assistant coach Kyle Clancy put together. A shorter version is now avaliable to view on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/newpaltzsoccer

Junior Anton Shipman was chosen as a Face of New Paltz. To read more about Anton please click on the below link.

http://www.newpaltz.edu/faces/nov08/anton.html

Hello and welcome to the SUNY New Paltz Men’s Soccer blog. This blog is intened to provide information and activities that the men’s soccer is involved in on and off the field.

Our 2008 highlight video will be ready the 2nd week in December but for now here is the 2007 version.