FC Sonic – Lehigh Valley NPSL Soccer

The NPSL soccer season is fast approaching and your FC Sonic squad couldn’t be more pumped up about it. Try-outs were held at the beginning of March, where players from all around the area competed for a spot on this year’s team. At the end of the try-outs, there were fifteen returning players as well has twenty new players accepted for training with the Sonic for the 2011 NPSL campaign.

“After several practices, the team is looking solid this year,” said James Graf, a veteran central defender for FC Sonic. “It looks as though we have attracted a diverse group of players from a broader geographic area. I would credit the success we had last year (NPSL Semifinals) for the large numbers coming out for tryouts and preseason,” explained Graf.

“I feel like the newcomers have really taken to our philosophy and our determination to be the best team in the league. The veterans as well as the coaching staff really have set lofty expectations. Credit the new guys who have done very well to match those expectations so far,” stated Charlie Sales, goalkeeper for the Sonic.

After winning the NPSL Northeast Region title, and making it to the national semis last year, the FC Sonic players have high hopes for the upcoming season. “Our goal is simple, win a national championship, “stated Ryan Hess, a Sonic midfielder and last season’s team captain. Hess went on to say, “We understand that we cannot just expect championships to happen, and in order to win in this league, we need to challenge each other and compete at every training session to prepare for the season.”

Get psyched, along with the team, for the season opener on May 16 against the New York Red Bulls, last year’s playoff opponent!  The friendly will be held at Lehigh University’s Ulrich Sports Complex at 7PM.  Be there, and watch out for a Sonic “Blast” !!!

On Friday, April 29, 2011, FC Sonic will be playing a friendly match against Lafayette College at 7:00 p.m.  The Game will be held at Lafayette College’s Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex.  You can get directions by clicking here.

The qualification process has been set for the second of the four National Premier Soccer League’s automatic berths into the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The Northeast Division’s spot will feature a three-team tournament May 7 and 27.

The opening game will feature 2010 US Open Cup qualifier Brooklyn Italians playing host to FC Buffalo May 7 at James Dewey High School. The winner of the contest advances to play 2010 NPSL Finalist FC Sonic Lehigh Valley May 27 at Lehigh University’s Ulrich Sports Complex in Bethlehem, PA.  Sonic received the bye as the defending NPSL Regional Champion. Buffalo and Brooklyn were the only other clubs in the 14-team division who chose to enter.

Previously, NPSL clubs needed to qualify through the USASA Regional tournaments. Only two clubs from the league entered for Region I a year ago. The Erie Admirals (PA) withdrew prior to the first match while the Brooklyn Italians went on to qualify from the region courtesy of a reprieve. After falling in the opening round to Imigrantes Das Ilhas, administrators overturned the result due to an ineligible player. With their second life, Brooklyn went on to defeat Go Soccer FC and Fenerbahce USA to earn one of the region’s two berths in the US Open Cup.

The Italians acquitted themselves well in the First Round of the 2010 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, taking the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Second Division (pro third division) to overtime before falling 4-2. They took the lead once in each half only to see their hosts equalize both times.

About the Teams

Brooklyn Italians: New members of the NPSL in 2010, the club’s history is lengthy and dynamic. The club played in the second edition of the American Soccer League from 1956-64 before playing as an amateur club since. All along, the club has played under numerous names. While its recent history is as an amateur club, it was one of the premier teams to play in the US Open Cup over the course of 12 years during the tournament’s amateur era. The side won the tournament in 1979 and was runner-up two years later. They returned to prominence in 1990 as runners-up, following it up with a second US Open Cup title the next year that led to appearances in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup in 1991. Head coach Joey Barone is no stranger to qualifying, but was unable to lead the West Michigan Edge into the US Open Cup in two attempts (2005-06) in the PDL. Last year, Brooklyn finished second in the Northeast Division’s Atlantic Conference, losing out on the playoff berth via a tiebreaker. The club was level with New York Red Bull NPSL (10-1-1, 31 points) in the conference table as well as having the same totals as the division champion FC Sonic Lehigh Valley.

FC Buffalo: Entering their second season in the league, FC Buffalo is in its first campaign to qualify for the US Open Cup after finishing third in the Keystone Conference of the Northeast Division a year ago. The club is led by new coach Daniel Krzyzanowicz, who has served as the head coach of local Medaille College the past nine years.

FC Sonic Lehigh Valley:  New to the NPSL a year ago, the club performed well in its debut, finishing first in the division’s Keystone Conference and winning the divisional playoff game to advance to the league semifinals. After falling to eventual champion Sacramento Gold, they rebounded to finish third. This is the team’s first attempt to qualify for the US Open Cup. They are led by head coach Dave Weitzman, a local high school and former collegiate men’s assistant coach.

FC Sonic head coach Dave Weitzman is feeling very confident about the 2011 season. The Northeast Conference Champions, who open the season at home on May 16th against the always tough New York Red Bulls, had their first preseason training session and already looked sharp.

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“The boys worked very hard during the two-hour session,” he said. “They had a lot of energy and pushed each other to work hard throughout practice. Our expectation is to win the Keystone Division, the Northeast Conference and, finally, capture the NPSL Championship.  But, our players know that the immediate challenges are to bond as quickly as possible as a group that shares common goals, work hard in training and games, and take one game at a time.”

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For many of them, the bonding began last year when they finished at 11-2-1. The team has 15 returning players, including Charlie and Joe Sales, Jordie Ciuffetelli, Dan Odenwelder, James Graf, Ryan Hess, Carlington Lamont, Leslie Fraser, Ryan Wetherhold, and AJ Barnold are all players who made significant contributions last season.

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This season, there are also 20 newcomers, including Ali Famili, Tucker Sandercock, Chris Roell and Sean Baker. Other players whom Coach Weitzman will evaluate are Todd Ervin, Brett Crompton, Joe Puleo, and Mark Whitmeyer.

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The secret to the team’s success boils down to four requirements, explained Coach Weitzman. “1. Come into pre-season fit. Soccer is an aerobic activity and to play at this level we need to have players that understand the importance of taking care of their bodies so they can perform at a high level for an entire match and an entire season;  2. Come in with a positive attitude willing to learn and willing to compete every day;  3. Respect all staff members of FC Sonic, our terrific fans, and our opponents;  4. Take one game at a time, but have our teams’ goals always at the core — win the division, win the conference and win the NPSL Championship!”