Roosevelt Island Youth Program Soccer League Opening Day Off To A Good Start With Cops and Kids Partnership Between RIYP And RIOC Public Safety Department - PSD Director Jack McManus Coaching One Of The Teams

The Roosevelt Island Youth Program (RIYP) 2013 Soccer Season began last Saturday at Octagon Field

RIYP Soccer Season Opening Day At Octagon Field September 13

with over 250 children participating under the direction of Executive Director Charlie DeFino and Soccer Directors Adib Mansour and Andrey Ganeev. This year the RIYP soccer league is collaborating with the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Safety Department (PSD) in a Cops and Kids program

RIYP/RIOC Cops and Kids Soccer Program with Players and PSD's McManus (in hat) and Officer Martinez

described by RIOC President Charlene Indelicato as:

... the beginning of a new partnership between the Roosevelt Island Youth Program and RIOC PSD. This fall a PSD officer will serve as an assistant soccer coach with the Youth Program. I would like to thank all involved, especially Interim PSD Director McManus and Officer Martinez for all their help in organizing this event....

PSD Director Jack McManus is coaching one of the teams.

RIYP's Mr. DeFino adds:

Both the Roosevelt Island Youth Program and the Public Safety Department are fully committed to bringing the youth community and the PSD closer through sports and a wide-range of activities to be detailed in the future. The RIYP/RIOC Cops and Kids Soccer collaboration is a great start and I think in about six months everyone will notice a difference in the interactions of PSD and the community.

PSD's McManus and Martinez with RIYP's DeFino and Soccer Players

Here are some scenes from last Saturday's RIYP soccer games



and the after game handshake between the teams which includes  a sportsmanship lesson in



appropriate game language from RIYP Soccer Director Adib Mansour.

The kids had fun playing soccer and the RIYP/PSD Cops and Kids partnership is off to a good start.