Kingston Stockade FC poised for opener
Kingston Stockade FC opens it’s second National Premier Soccer League season at home against Hartford City FC at 5 p.m. today at Dietz Stadium under new head coach David Lindholm.
Lindholm, a Bard College assistant, takes the helm from legendary former SUNY Ulster coach George Vizvary, who led the Stockade to a 5-8-3 mark in the semiprofessional club’s inaugural season.
“A lot of college kids tried out,” Stockade owner Dennis Crowley said. “These kids are playing high level soccer in existing college programs.
“We’ll see if that changes the game a little bit.”
With the addition of most of those college players, Crowley said he’s feeling confident about today’s match. And he added he knows
Kingston will have the support of home fans.
“Having the home fans having our back helped out a lot,” Crowley said. “It’s going to be a challenge for the folks in Hartford.”
Kingston will compete in the NPSL’s newly-created North Atlantic White Conference, created after the addition of three new teams — Hartford, Elm City Express (New Haven, Conn.) and TSF Academy (Wayne, N.J.) — resulted in the splitting up of one North Atlantic Conference to separate North Atlantic White and Blue conferences.
Joining Kingston in the North Atlantic White Conference are Boston City FC, Hartford, New York Athletic Club, Rhode Island Reds FC and Seacoast United Mariners (Maine). Competing in the North Atlantic Blue Conference are Brooklyn Italians, Elm City, Greater Lowell (Mass.) NPSL FC, New York Cosmos B, Seacoast United Phantoms (New Hampshire) and TSF.
Crowley said so far he’s seen strong support for the team online, on social media and in the community.
“Merchants are offering specials to people with game-day tickets,” Crowley said.
Keegan Ales will have a tent selling sandwiches and beer from 3 p.m. to kickoff at 5 p.m., Crowley said, adding that tent, and one operated by Joe Beez will be operating before each of this season’s six home games.
Crowley said he’s not concerned about the forecast from the National Weather Service in Albany which calls for a high of 66 with a 70 percent chance our showers in the afternoon.
“I haven’t looked at it today (Thursday),” Crowley said. “I guess we’ll kind of play it by ear. You never really know. We’ll keep playing rain or shine unless it’s thunderstorms.”
Stockade looked at more than 225 players before settling on its 33-man roster for the 2017 season. Fourteen returning players are joined by 19 newcomers. The roster features 13 current college players, including 10 Division 1 players.
Seventeen players are from the Hudson Valley, while four are from overseas.
Returning are David Giddlings, Steve Skonieczny, Matel Anasta, Phil Barrett, Hyde Park’s Joe Bogart, Juan Gatti, Jamel LisSimmons of Highland, Tom Steigerwald, Matt Koziol of Poughkeepsie, Roos Macklin, Michael Creswick, Scott Zobre of Poughkeepsie and Eric Fortier.
New to Kingston are New Paltz’s Victor Guirma, Gianni Carillo, Lyle Howe, Eamonn Conway, Kevin Davis, Kevin Kappock, Nick Kolaj, Kyle LeClerc, Ernest Mitchell, Daniel Alvarado, Mikey Lanzetta, Mike Nittolo of Poughkeepskie, Mike Crob, Mike Konicoff, Brandon Curtis, Alessandro Persampieri, Victor Guirma and Marco Kloster.
After today’s opener the Stockade travels to face the NYAC at 2 p.m. on May 20 before returning home on May 21 to face the Rhode Island Reds at 5 p.m. Kingston closes out it’s May schedule with a road match at Hartford at 6 p.m. on May 27.
A busy June calendar includes a home match against NYAC at 5 p.m. on June 3; an away contest at Rhode Island 5 p.m. on June 4; a home match against Boston at 5 p.m. on June 10, before road contests against Brooklyn at 7 p.m. on June 17 and the Mariners at 2 p.m. on June 24.
The Stockade returns home to face the Mariners at 5 p.m. on July 1 and TSF at 6 p.m. on July 3, before closing out the regular season at Boston at 7 p.m. on July 8.
Crowley feels good about the team’s chances of making the playoffs.
“We only have six home games this year, a slightly shorter season, that means fewer teams competing for playoff spots,” Crowley said. “The mathematical odds are better, and I think the team is going to be better this season.”
He added he’d love to see the Stockade make the playoffs, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they didn’t.
“If we make it, fantastic,” Crowley said. “If not, great.”
Playoffs or not, Crowley thinks attendance will grow from last year’s average of 750 fans per game.
“Last year, as the season wore on, we had more and more people showing up,” Crowley said.
He added that a lot of people told him after last year’s season wrapped up that they hadn’t heard of the club and that they wanted to go to a match.
“It’s family-friendly, great to take your kids to,” Crowley said. “Many people want to be part of that, Hopefully the crowds will be a bigger.”
“I think that the community will stick with them through good and bad.”
IF YOU GO:
What: Kingston Stockade FC home opener vs. Hartford City FC.
When: 5 p.m. today, tailgating starts at 3 p.m. and gates open at 4 p.m.
Where: Dietz Stadium 170 N. Front St., Kingston
How much: Adults, $8; Kids $5, $2 if wearing anything soccer related; Online $7
Contact: http://www. stockadefc.com/ news/2017/3/21/kingstonstockade-fc-announcesroster-for-2017-season