Boca U23 Teams Prepare For MSSL Season
May 14, 2007
With the beginning of the 2007 MSSL season rapidly approaching, the Boca U23 men’s and women’s teams have been busy during the past few weeks identifying potential players to help solidify their summer rosters as both teams have begun regular weekly training sessions at the John Patrick Sports complex in Lakewood.
Boca U23 Teams Prepare For MSSL Season
Men’s and women’s teams looking forward to summer competition
LAKEWOOD, NJ (May 14, 2007) – With the beginning of the 2007 Mid-Atlantic Summer Showcase League (MSSL) rapidly approaching, the Jersey Shore Boca U23 men’s and women’s teams have been busy during the past few weeks identifying potential players to help solidify their summer rosters as both teams have begun regular weekly training sessions at the John Patrick Sports complex in Lakewood.
Boca will participate for the fourth consecutive year as one of the inaugural founding members of MSSL, a regional summer soccer league, which is specifically designed for collegiate players under the age of twenty-three and is fully sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), the national governing body for adult amateur soccer.
The 2007 MSSL season begins on Sunday June 3rd.
“This will be the first time in several years that we have put together a women’s program for the summer. The interest has been very good. We have a solid group of college players on the women’s side with a core of them being from Monmouth University, Georgian Court University and The College of New Jersey. We are however, still continuing our search and evaluations for anyone still interested in joining us” mentioned Walt Konopka, a Director with the Club who also manages Boca’s U23 summer program.
“Our men’s side, for the most part, will return some of the top college players to come out of the shore area. We will have to rebuild in some positions, but should be solid again all the way around this year when the season begins” Konopka added.
All college age players and high school seniors who are born on or after August 1, 1983, are eligible to participate on the Boca summer teams provided they have not signed a professional contract with the US Soccer Federation.
Boca’s MSSL home league games for 2007 will be played at the John Patrick Sports Complex in Lakewood.
“During our Club’s history, we have always provided a competitive environment for our college players to stay active over the summer months when they return to the shore. MSSL allows us to continue our college-age program this year at the highest level of soccer available with the most affordable cost. This is not a Sunday tavern league. There are very good players in this league and excellent soccer is played as we have seen over the past three years”
“Add the fact that we will have a women’s team this year, will be playing all our home games at the new John Patrick Sports Complex and are planning to schedule some extraordinary exhibition games for both teams during the season, makes this summer’s college program more exciting than ever” Konopka concluded.
In 2006, the Boca U23 men’s team finished with an overall record of 16-5-1 which included a 10 game league unbeaten streak and second place finish in the MSSL regular season and semi-final appearances in both the U23 USASA Regional Tournament and MSSL Cup Championship.
During 2005, the Boca U20 men’s team also advanced to the USASA Regional Tournament semi-finals as well as the MSSL Cup Championship semi-finals while finishing fifth overall in league play.
Also, two members from Boca’s men’s team last summer, Chris Konopka (Toms River), goalkeeper from Providence College and Teddy Niziolek (Clifton), midfielder from Seton Hall University, were selected by Kansas City and Columbus of Major League Soccer in the MLS 2007 Supplemental Draft held on January 18th.
Konopka was selected by the Wizards in the 3rd round as the 29th overall pick while Niziolek was tabbed by the Crew in the 4th round as the 41st overall pick.
The Boca U23 men’s and women’s teams will continue their preparation for the summer season with training at the John Patrick Sports Complex this weekend May 19th and 20th.
Any player interested in joining the Boca U23 men’s or women’s teams for the summer should to log on to Club’s official website at www.jerseyshoreboca.com for information about the program.
The Jersey Shore Boca summer soccer program is officially sponsored by Surf Taco, a popular Mexican themed restaurant chain with locations throughout the jersey shore.
Boca has been a fixture in the soccer community since 1978 and is one of the most respected soccer clubs on the East Coast.
The Club is celebrating their 29-year anniversary in 2007.
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