User:Mineolaportuguese/Mineola Portuguese Soccer

Mineola Portuguese Soccer Club (MPSC) is a non-profit amateur soccer club located in the Village of Mineola, New York. The team is owned, in principle, by the Mineola Portuguese Center; a Portuguese cultural organization formed to preserve immigrant culture in the United States.

Notable Players/Coaches
Head Coach Jack Dafonte Team principal from the late 1970's through the early 1990's. As president, coach, and recruiter Jack has been considered arguably one of the best amateur coaches in Long Island Soccer Futebol history, as well as perhaps the best for a Portuguese club on Long Island. His multiple decade career has seen a conquest of every possible local championship and trophy, as well as numerous state bids and qualifications. Jack also sponsors a third division team in Portugal. He was recently honored by Village of Mineola Mayor Jack M. Martins for all his acomplishments in youth athletics for Mineola.

President Marco Dafonte was selected as a midfielder in the 2002 Nassau County's All-Star Boys High School Soccer team. As team President from 2006-Present, Marco was recently honored by Village of Mineola Mayor Jack M. Martins for all his acomplishments in youth athletics for Mineola.

Defender Carlos Mendes (Old Dominion University from 1998 to 2001), as a midfielder, he started 72 games, scoring 11 goals and 25 assists. Upon graduating, Mendes joined the Long Island Rough Riders of the USL Pro Soccer League, who converted him into a defender. After playing sparingly for the Rough Riders in 2002, Mendes moved up to a division to play for the Rochester Raging Rhinos, where he became a consistent starter for the next two seasons. Mendes signed with the MetroStars before the start of the 2005 season, and surprised by becoming a starter in central defense, filling the position formerly held by Eddie Pope. During the 2006 MLS campaign Mendes started every game on the season but one, which was due to caution point accumulation. For his efforts, he was voted team Defender of the Year by members of the soccer media. Mendes continued his solid play anchoring the clubs backline during the early part of the 2007 season with Red Bull New York. However he fell out of favor with coach Bruce Arena and was in and out of the lineup during the latter part of the season. He concluded the campaign appearing in 23 matches (19 starts), his lowest totals since joining the club. For the 2008 season Mendes was converted into a defensive midfielder and appeared in 17 regular season matches. He returned to central defense in the MLS Playoffs starting in the clubs 1-0 victory over Real Salt Lake, helping the club reach its first ever MLS Cup Final.

Forward Maciek Serafin 🇵🇱 (Lehigh University), Midfielder George Spanos (St. Johns) and Goalkeeper Jason Landers 🇺🇸 (St. Johns- All Big East 05-07) were all apart of the United Stated Soccer Federation Boys National Teams U-14, U-18, and U-21.

Forward Andrew Herman 🇺🇸 (Rutgers) is a native face on Long Island where he currently plays for USL development team the Long Island Rough Riders. Prior to 2008 Herman also played for English 2nd Division team Crystal Palace F.C..

Midfielder Peter Antoniades 🇨🇾 (NYIT) was a 2006 College All-American and played professionally in both Cyprus and England for a period before returning to play in the USL here at home for the Westchester Flames.

Overall the team’s dynamic contains over 18 players from top NCAA Division 1 and 2 University’s such as St. John’s University, Rutgers University, Loyola College in Maryland, Long Island University, and NYIT.

History
1950's - Mineola Soccer Club

The Village of Mineola has had many clubs, known by many names, over many years since its inception in 1936. Although the exact date of the inaugural season of Mineola soccer is not know, the "Mineola Soccer Club", coached by LISFL life member John Pereira won their first championship, the Theodore Joseph Memorial Trophy (Div 1), in 1954. That legendary team started the heritage that we today seek to grow, having won the league by only the 8th season in LISFL history. Mineola S.C. returned to prominence only two years later, winning the division 1 league again in 1956.

1960's

It is unknown how the great team of the 50's declined to the third division, however 8 years passed since the team would again hoist a trophy. In 1964 the Mineola S.C. finally escaped the 3rd division by winning the Fred Edwards Cup. After the league underwent restructuring in 1965 the team was again placed in the first division and spared no time in winning the league division 1 championship for the third and forth times in '65 and '66. It was also in 1965 that the team reached new heights in winning the "LISFL Major Division" championship, a league version of UEFA's Champions League.

1980's - Mineola United

After a relative absence in the 1970's, thought to be in part due to the massive emigration of Portuguese to the United States that caused displacement among players, the team returned again in the 80's. New on the scene was present M.P.S.C. Hall-of-Fame Coach Jack Dafonte. The second dynasty had emerged under the name "Mineola United", and in the first year of the decade raised the bar yet again. During the 1980/81 season Jack Dafonte led the reinvented team to its first New York State championship, winning the Eastern New York Manning Cup. By the end of the year Mineola Utd. had gone on to win the New York State division 1 super cup, called the NY Knickerbocker Cup and qualified for their first spot in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. As the decade rolled on Coach Dafonte and company would add division 1 premier championships number 4 and 5 and Mineola's first and second reserve championships, back-to-back in 1983 and 1984. Another club first was their fair play award, received in 1983 for the reserve team receiving the fewest amount of penalties during the year.

1990's - Mineola Portuguese Americans

With the players from the 1980 dynasty aging, Mineola would see its largest faction, with 3 team represented in the league. Two new Portuguese clubs, Mineola-Alheirense and the Lusitano Soccer Club, would divide the newest class of Portuguese players. The team changed its name for the third time in 1990's to the Mineola Portuguese-Americans, in order to distinguish itself from the other two clubs. In 1992 MPA coach John Pereira was duly honored with life membership in the LISFL and had the division 2 trophy named in his honor. The club would recognize Mr. Pereira's honor by seizing two trophies during that year, the third division Edwards Cup and the cup that still bears his name, the 2nd division Pereira Cup.

The Modern Era - Mineola Portuguese Soccer Club What is now the Mineola Portuguese Soccer Club is a different breed than its predecessors. The hall-of-fame coach from the "old guard" had since retired, but his contributions to the history and culture of the club lived on through his son, Marco. Having recently graduated from university's across the East Coast Marco and his friends, once coached by Jack Dafonte during their little league years, returned to the "coach" with a proposition. The team would reestablish themselves as the descendants of the legendary Mineola teams of the 80's. Mineola had a few teams scattered through the 90's, but no team could sustain more than a couple of years before folding. Jack accepted Marco's proposal and the team was officially registered under its current form in 2007, as the Mineola Portuguese Soccer Club. The team was an instant success, winning the second division cup and indoor tournament in 2008. No words, however, could illustrate the breathless artistry that was executed by the MPSC during the 2008/09 season. Having a largely successful recruiting season, these young men marched all over the LISFL, fearless and resilient. The team management would leave the 2009 awards dinner with 5 trophies, having won the division 1 Eastern Division, division 1 Championship, division 1 fair play award, and division 1 super cup. The team also returned to the Eastern New York State finals and walked away with a runners-up trophy. For the second time in its history the MPSC qualified for the preliminary qualifying round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. During the 2008/09 LISFL season 2nd Division team REAL MINEOLA, also based out of the Village of Mineola, NY officially went defunct after they could not secure financing for the 2nd half. After much discussion the Mineola Portuguese Soccer Club assumed the liability of the bankrupt club and in 2009/10 assimilated those players into their reserve team. This takeover marked the first time in this decade that Mineola residents joined to play on one team in the LISFL. For this accomplishment the team was honored by Mayor Jack M. Martins on November 12, 2009.

Sponsors
And-Go-Sports (.com)

Rite-Way Demolition

NYCON Supply Corp.

Marques Marketing (.com)

Sunrise Chiropractic (Dr. Fred Jones)

Long Island Soccer-Futebol League
Long Island Cangero Super Cup
 * Champions: 2008/09

Long Island Sportsmanship Award/Fair Play
 * Premier Winners: 2008/09
 * Reserves Winners: 1991/92

First Division/Premier League
 * Champions: 1964/65, 1965/66, 1982/83, 1983/84, 2008/09

Second Division
 * Champions: 2007/08

John Pereira Memorial Cup
 * Champions: 1991/92

Joseph Goldberg Indoor Tournament
 * Champions: 2008

Third Division
 * Champions: 2006/07

Fred Edwards Cup
 * Champions: 1964, 1992

Theodore Joseph Memorial Cup
 * Champions: 1954, 1956

Eastern New York State Soccer Association
[New York State Manning Cup, First Division]
 * Champions: [1980/81]
 * Runners-up: [2008/09]

[New York State Knickerbocker Cup, First Division]
 * Champions: [1980/81]

United States Soccer Federation
[Lamar Hunt United States Open Trophy]
 * Qualified: [1980/81, 2008/09]