Ironmen Proudly Announce Involvement In Local Charity Game
Published on October 11, 2007 under Major Indoor Soccer League 2 (MISL 2)
New Jersey Ironmen News Release
NEWARK, NJ (October 11, 2007)- The New Jersey Ironmen of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) continue to expand their visibility in the local community. The Ironmen proudly announced today that they will participate in the PASCO Soccer Club Annual Charity Game this Saturday in Nutley Township.
The game will be played to benefit the Keith Engelhardt Rehab Fund and the Phil Diffley Family Trust Fund. The game, which will be played at Father Glotzbach Park in Nutley, is slated to kick off at 8:00 p.m. The friendly match will include former Major League Soccer (MLS) and World Cup national team players such as former U.S. captain Tab Ramos, three-time MLS champion Marco Etcheverrey and 18-year professional player and current Ironmen Head Coach and Vice President of Soccer Operations Omid Namazi.
"Keith Engelhardt played for me with the Philadelphia KiXX, and Phil Diffley's brother was an old teammate of mine," Namazi stated. "Both of them mean a lot to me, and I hope my participation will bring more attention to their situation. Hopefully, we can even have a little fun out there."
Keith Engelhardt was a two-time All-State goalkeeper for Freehold (NJ) Township High School. He also received All-State accolades after recording 14 shutouts during his junior year. He then attended Mercer County College where he backstopped the 1991 national championship team, recording 20 shutouts along the way. His play there led to an induction into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall in Fame in 2002. After junior college, he attended Penn State and Virginia Commonwealth where he earned All-Metro Conference honors. After training with the U.S. national team in 1991, he was named a reserve on the 1992 Olympic team. He then proceeded to play professionally in Europe, as well as with the Pittsburg Stingers of the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) and the Philadelphia KiXX of the MISL. In an unfortunate turn of events, Engelhardt was involved in an automobile accident in 2002 that caused him to hang his spikes and enter an extensive course of rehabilitation.
Phil Diffley, who once played in the USL with the New Jersey Stallions, is the current head coach of the Clarkstown Soccer Club boys' team. The father of five was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease in 2005. The diagnosis forced him to retire as a construction contractor, but he never gave up coaching. He may use a wheelchair and communicate with the help of a vocal machine, but he still makes the calls for his club alongside Assistant Coach John Magner.
"It's always been his passion," his wife, Eileen, commented about her husband's love for soccer. "It's something that keeps him going."
Anyone interested in donating to either of these funds can do so by sending them directly to the following addresses:
Keith Engelhardt Rehab Fund 884 Yellowbank Road Toms River, NJ 08753
Phil Diffley Family Trust Fund 34 Crocus Avenue Floral Park, NY 11001
The Ironmen are set to open up their inaugural season on December 1st at Prudential Center in the Downtown Core Redevelopment District of Newark. Soccer legend Pelé will serve as the club's first-ever honorary captain. Group and season ticket packages can be purchased today by calling 1-800-IRONMEN.
Major Indoor Soccer League 2 Stories from October 11, 2007
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- Ironmen Proudly Announce Involvement In Local Charity Game - New Jersey Ironmen
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