Nashville

On my way to Nashville, TN for the PBEO Job Fair at the MLB Winter Meetings. While I have already accepted a communications internship with the Boston Breakers I just want to go to see the current openings. Also it is a good chance to network with possible future bosses. There are also some workshops, which I want to go to since I need to gain more skills if I want a career in communications.
Yesterday I interviewed with the New England Revolution. They are looking for a communications intern to work 2 to 3 days a week and game days. This means I can do both the Breakers and Revolution at the same time. It would be interesting to work for the MLS and the new women's pro soccer league at the same time.

Notre Dame wins BIG EAST Championship: Notre Dame Defeats Georgetown in Double Overtime Thriller

This weekend, PPL Park hosted the 2012 Big East men’s soccer championships. 

No. 7 Notre Dame came out on top winning, 3-2 in double overtime over No. 4 ranked Georgetown in Sunday's final.

PPL Park hosted the event due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy and its impact on Red Bull Arena, who was unavailable to host the event.

The Fighting Irish (16-3-1) took control of action early on in the game, but were unable to beat Georgetown (17-3-1) sophomore goalkeeper Tomas Gomez. Georgetown settled down and play evened out between the sides. In the 39th minute Hoyas senior Andy Riemer opened the scoring after he headed a cross from sophomore Tyler Rudy.

In the second half, Notre Dame senior Ryan Finely equalized when he finished a cross from junior Luke Mishu just inside the penalty area in the 51st minute. The game continued with good chances for both teams until the 82nd minute when senior Jimmy Nealis crossed it to Riemer to put Georgetown up, 2-1. In the 90th minute, Notre Dame sophomore Nick Besler scored via a pass from senior Danny O’Leary to send the game into overtime. The game remained tied until late in the second half of overtime when Notre Dame received a corner. This led to the game winning goal in the 109th minute on when Powers crossed the corner to Finley who put it into the back of the net to win the championship.

To get Sunday's championship match, Notre Dame knocked off top-seeded Connecticut, 1-0 in the nightcap after a goal from junior Alex Priede in the 11th minute secured a berth into the final.Also Friday night Georgetown defeated Marquette (16-3-1) 2-1 in overtime kickstarted by a goal from junior and Philadelphia Union season ticket holder Steve Neumann, who took a cross from Nealis and scored with 23 seconds remaining in the first half to put Georgetown ahead, 1-0.  Marquette tied the game in the 57th minute when junior Adam Lysak worked a perfect one-two ball with junior Bryan Ciesiulka and shot it just inside to penalty area.  The game remained tied until late in the second half of overtime when Georgetown received a corner.  Neumann took the corner, which found Tommy Muller (Senior) who headed it to Big East Rookie of the Year Brandon Allen (Freshman) who put it into the back of the net to give Georgetown the win and a trip to the final on Sunday.

While Marquette came up short in the thriller, Golden Eagles goalkeeper Charlie Lyon still raved the experience.

“To step into an MLS stadium...it's a place were we all want to be someday," Lyon said. It was something special.”

Marquette head coach Louis Bennett added, “It’s a great surface and a great stadium, it was great to have the event such a fantastic facility."

Georgetown’s Steve Neumann said “It was great, I actually have season tickets to the Philadelphia Union so I am used to being around the stadium. It’s just how I imagined it. 

College soccer returns to PPL Park in 2013, when Villanova University hosts 2013 Men’s College Cup on Dec. 13 and Dec. 15.

"We are thrilled to have been selected by the NCAA as the host institution for the 2013 College Cup," stated Villanova director of athletics Vince Nicastro in May. "PPL Park is the finest soccer facility of its kind in the nation and together we have forged a partnership with the leadership of the Philadelphia Union and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau that will allow us to create a first class experience for the fans attending this outstanding event. This is an exciting opportunity for all of us in the Philadelphia region and we look forward to serving as host."

A Fulfilling Partnership: Union Pair with Independence Blue Cross Foundation to Thwart Childhood Illness

The Philadelphia Union is proud to be joining forces with the Independence Blue Cross Foundation.  During a press conference held at the People for People Charter School in Philadelphia, the Blue Cross Foundation announced the launching of the "Healthy Futures" initiative.  The initiative has three objectives which are “Eat Right”, “Get Fit” and “Stay Well”.  Also joining the Healthy Futures initiative is the Vetri Foundation for Children and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The pilot program for the “Get Fit” objective will focus on children in the fourth grade in southeastern Pennsylvania.  The goal will be to improve awareness of the importance of fitness and physical activity as well as recognize and reward children who have achieved fitness and health goals.  One of the ways the Union plan to help with this initiative will be setting up soccer-related activities and exercise for the students both indoors and outdoors.  The Union will also be going into the classroom to speak to the students about the importance of physical activity at school as well as outside of school.

The “Eat Right” objective will implement an “Eatiquette” program at five local schools over the next two years.  This program has already had success at the People for People Charter School.  This program helps train schools on the preparation of nutritious meals for children in a family dining-style setting.  In addition, the objective will work to improve schools preventive health screening rates, which is aimed at reducing the days children miss school due to diabetes, asthma and unmanaged chronic illnesses

The Union is excited to join efforts like Healthy Futures to help reverse the childhood obesity epidemic.  We aspire to reach more children and help decrease their risks for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, strokes in addition to certain types of cancers and osteoarthritis. 

To learn more about "Healthy Futures," click here.

First Month Working in the MLS

When I arrived in Philadelphia I did not know what I was getting myself into.  I had no idea what to think about the MLS since I had not followed the league very closely since the late 90s.  The addition of David Beckham in 2007 seemed like a last gasp to me, but I have been proven wrong in my first month here.  I am a huge fan of soccer (international football), but I had always seen the MLS as a low level minor league.  The two teams I follow closely are FC Barcelona of La Liga and Hibernian FC of the Scottish Premiere League.  While Barca is one of the world's strongest teams and annually compete in the UEFA Champions League, Hibernian has been a near bottom of the table team most of the time I have been a supporter.  I have been lucky enough to see two games at Easter Road and ranked them as one of the top in-person game experiences in my life.  Now I have experienced the true MLS.  PPL Park is a wonderful venue to watch a match.  The new soccer specific stadium movement in the MLS I believe could lead to a great rebirth of the league.  Having 20,000 fans in a stadium that holds 20,000 make it extremely louder than 20,000 fans in a 60,000 seat stadium.  I am thankful I got the offer to work here in Philadelphia and more thankful I took the risk in accepting it.  This has been a great experience so far.

Living a Dream

Today I got to fulfill a dream I have had since I was a little kid.  When I was young my father used to say "Luke you should be the guy handing the play-by-play guy crazy stats".  Well today I was that guy.  I worked with Brad Feldman and Jeff Causey during their broadcast of the game between the New England Revolution and the Philadelphia Union.  They are the play-by-play team for Comcast Sports-New England.  This was an amazing experience, one that I even got to share with my father since he was watching the game at home.

First Day with the Philadelphia Union

Today is my first day with the Philadelphia Union and I am both excited but nervous.  While the MLS is not widely considered a major sport in the US, this is the big leagues.  I have only worked in the minors or amateur level before today.  This will be a big step up for me and I will have to be on my game when it comes to writing and other assignments.  The connections I make here, while not being near my hometown, could help me find a full-time position in the future.

For Nashua

Nashua, NH - In the nearly 75 year history of Holman Stadium there have been many great teams and great individual games, but tonight will stand out as the first championship celebration in Holman Stadium History.  For the first time ever a championship team won the clinching game here at Holman Stadium.  The 1946 and 1948 Nashua Dodgers won the Governor's Cup in Lynn, Massachusetts.  In 1947 the Nashua Dodgers won the Governor's Cup in Manchester, New Hampshire.  The 2000 Nashua Pride won the Atlantic League Championship in Bridgewater, New Jersey.  In 2007 the Nashua Pride won the CAN-AM League Championship in Lynn, Massachusetts.  Then the 2011 Nashua Silver Knights won the inaugural FCBL Championship in Torrington, Connecticut.  In 2012 the FCBL more than doubled in size and Nashua was not expected to repeat as champions due to the rosters of the other teams in the league.  When the managerial reigns were given to a son of Nashua, BJ Neverett, something special was in the air.  Tonight he was able to bring something even hall of fame manager Walter Alston was not able to do during his career with the Nashua Dodgers.

When Drew Weber, Tim Bawmann and Jon Goode created the Nashua Silver Knights their mission was to provide long-term and sustainable affordable family entertainment for the Greater Nashua community at Historic Holman Stadium through baseball.  While time will tell about the long-term success of the team one thing is certain, they have made a team Nashua can be proud to call their own.  Historic Holman Stadium's first championship celebration comes 39 days before its 75th birthday.  Our fans have been a big part of the team's success this season and it is evident in the Silver Knights home record of 24-4 (.857 winning percentage) this season here in Nashua.  This championship is for all of you fans reading this right now and hopefully some of you were there to experience Historic Holman Stadium's first championship celebration.  We hoped you enjoyed the 2012 FCBL Season as much as we did and we hope to see you next year when the Silver Knights try to become the first Nashua team to three peat since the Dodgers did it in 1946-1948.