Page 36 - 2018 July Newsletter

CPD Enforcers play for the championship
The Enforcers
Spotlighting some of the members who led the way to the championship game
Officer Adam Tapling, 1st District
Officer Adam Tapling couldn’t wait to be part of the Enforcers – but team rules meant he needed to be on the job for a year before that could happen.
“The second I was able to join, I said, ‘I can’t wait,’” related Ta- pling, who played high school football at St. Laurence High School and Eastern Illinois University.
On his first day in this uniform, Tapling was all over the field on both sides of the ball and special teams in the National Public Safe- ty Football League National Championship game. He pounced on an NYPD Finest fumble to start the second half when the Enforcers went with a squib kick.
“We were thinking about it. I told the coach, kick it and I’ll get the ball,” Tapling explained. “Great kick, everything was executed perfect. The ball was right there for me.”
Despite his background as an offensive skill player, he stepped up on defense. In one series, Tapling made a sure tackle on a wide- open receiver, then broke up a pass attempt to stall a New York drive.
“It was a blast. It’s the first time I’ve ever played defense in tack-
Officer Chris Williams, 18th District
As a seven-year veteran of the En- forcers, Officer Chris Williams put the NPSFL National Championship game into perspective.
“It was a big accomplishment, win
or lose,” he began. “Of course, we
wanted to win, but it was definitely a
big accomplishment to even be here
and to have another game to give these
fans something to cheer about and money to raise for our chari- ties.”
Williams, a key part of the running attack, has played in his fair share of important contests for the Enforcers, but this one stood out.
“This was probably the biggest game I’ve experienced in my seven years. It’s great to have another team out here that goes as physically hard as you and is as physically strong as you,” added Williams, who played football for Morgan Park High School. “(The loss) hurts right now. Physically, too; I kind of got hurt on the third play of the game and tried to fight through it. Next year we’re just going to do the same thing.”
It’ll take some time to figure out the lessons from the loss, Wil- liams submitted. But what he does know is the value of being part of this team.
“Football in general has always been a brotherhood for me,” he explained. “This team has a little more of that because each day we go on the street, we put our lives on the line and we have each oth- er’s back. Things happen, and we come out here and come together for a greater cause. It’s amazing.”
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le football,” he said with a bright smile.
Right from the start, he recognized NYPD was a “real tough” team intent on hitting with authority. But he knew the Enforcers weren’t going to back down.
“We just played great to- gether and we fought real hard. Next year we’ll get it,” he commented after the game.
Wrapping up his first season, Tapling wouldn’t change much about the opportunity to make new friends and earn their respect as a teammate.
“As long as you give everything you have, everything with your heart, everyone loves you,” Tapling explained. “It’s a brotherhood. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Officer Bob Slechter, Unit #189
As one of two origi- nal Enforcers who have been with the team for all of its 13 seasons, Of- ficer Bob Slechter took in the championship moment on a personal level.
“I got goosebumps walking out of that tunnel,” he said. “It’s the most excited I’ve been to play a football game in a long time.”
Slechter has been a stalwart wide receiver during his tenure, but he was pressed into quarterback duty after starter Josh Rodri- guez was sidelined with an injury in the second half. Slechter held himself accountable for not getting the job done against an NYPD Finest defense which hit him with pressure and quickness all af- ternoon.
“We could always do more. I didn’t get it done. I’m not happy with the way I played. I always could do more,” he said. “I’m at a loss for words right now – disappointed.”
Slechter and defensive lineman Paul Habiak are the longest ten- ured team members and certainly well aware of the Enforcers’ long road to such a big moment.
“It feels awesome to get here,” he revealed. “The younger guys on the team who just started think this is a regular occurrence – It’s not. We busted our butts to get here.”
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