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not number one, certainly one of the DeAngelo, who has coached youth
best girls’ clubs in the entire country,” soccer for 19 years, added, “When people
Donigan said. “I’m sure there’s going to ask, ‘Who is the guy running the show,
be interest on the girls’ side as well but how’s he gonna help my kid play soccer?’ GRAND
right now it’s strictly the boys’ side at the answer is a good one. He’s the coach
the Hibernian club. I want to establish at Rutgers, he can give your family some
the boys’ side first because that’s what direction, he knows the ins and outs, he
installing a turf field at the Hibernians ably the most important detail. There are OPENING
I know best and what I’ve been able to can get guest speakers, bring in the right
do. I’ve never been on the girls’ side. But people, talk to families who have ques-
tions about getting to the next level.”
we’ll look into that down the road.”
Knowing the ins and outs is prob-
The biggest mission at present is
complex to allow more teams to play at plenty of less-experienced folks starting
the Kuser Road facility. The process has what they think is an academy program
already started. without having any true knowledge of State-of-the-Art Facility
“Turfing out the field is in the plan,” what it entails. That often leads to disaster.
DeAngelo said. “You have to have turf And then there’s Donigan, who pro-
with that number of teams. You need to vides a direct link to the glory days of Mer- 24 Hour
have stability with your field so if it’s rain- cer County soccer and has spent a lifetime
ing you can still have games and practice. involved with, or observing, every level of Emergency
That’s gonna come. That has to come.” the sport. He understands not every fam-
PDA falls under the umbrella of U.S. ily can afford academy soccer but is will- On Call
Soccer with academy ing to work with them if
level teams. Much of that’s the direction they
that criteria is based on ‘This is the most want to go. He has also
coaches, facilities and, built some of the best
of course, players. This exciting thing connections a coach
makes the Hibernians I’ve seen in can have nationally and
one of the few true area within the state. His right-
academy level programs, my time at the hand man is Director of
along with the New York Hibos.’ Coaching Paul Tanimae,
Red Bulls, Philadelphia a coach with the former
Union and North Jer- –Assemblyman PDA-South.
sey’s Cedar Stars. PDA “I’m well connected
has been one of the Wayne DeAngelo, with a lot of local guys
highest ranked clubs president of who are very reputable Call Us Today, See Us Today!
nationally, based on the coaches and trainers that
youth national team play- the Hibernian have been very success- 609-800-2018 I CAPITOLSMILESNJ.COM
ers it has produced and Athletic ful for a long period of
national championships time, and I certainly aim 101 South Warren Street,
it has won, along with Association to get those individuals Trenton, NJ 08608
its success on the acad- involved in the club,”
emy development side of said Donigan, who was
things. still recruiting his staff
There are three PDA clubs in New in mid-July. “I don’t want to bring in just ACCEPTING
Jersey, including PDA-Shore in Ocean anybody just to have more kids and more MOST Easy access from Rt. 29, Rt. 1,
County and PDA-North, which plays in numbers, I want to bring in the right peo- Rt. 206 and State Street
the Piscataway area. Being on the PDA- ple and build this thing from the bottom INSURANCES,
Hibernians does not mean instant acad- up through its core. We’ve got to focus on INCLUDING • Oral Surgery
emy status for players this year, as PDA- some of the younger teams for sure so we • Invisalign
North is the only one of the three clubs have something for years to come.” NJFAMILYCARE
considered an academy. It is a move that had to be made in a & ALL NJ STATE • Root Canal
There is a major “however” to this. county like Mercer, which was one of
Since all three clubs are under the the nation’s largest youth soccer hot- EMPLOYEE • Implants
PDA name, each can share players beds from the 1960s through the 1980s. INSURANCES • Dentures
with another. Therefore, if PDA North “Not every kid wants to be an academy • Crowns and More
needs a player, and Donigan feels he has player but they should have the oppor-
one at that age level who is worthy, he tunity here in Mercer to go from rec to
can share him with North and give the travel to academy,” DeAngelo said. “With No Insurance?
player a true academy experience. Con- what we’re doing now, a player can go
versely, North can send an academy from a rec league in Hamilton to travel In-House Discounts
player to the Hibos if needed. at the Hibos and if you want to go to the and Financing Available
“It’s a very easy pathway for our kids next level, you’re doing that internally.
to get to the ultimate level,” Donigan You’re not going out of the area. I see
said. “Everybody wants to get to acad- that as being a positive growth in Mercer
emy level. Right now any of my kids County. This is the most exciting thing
within PDA Hibernian can guest play I’ve seen in my time at the Hibos.”
and have opportunities to go and train There will obviously be financial and
up there. It’s almost like a feeder system recruiting awards for Donigan if all goes AMERICA’S TOP DENTISTS
in place. And I don’t want to get ahead of well. But he is adamant that his main
myself, but I’m hopeful at some point our purpose is to provide a high-level pro-
PDA-Hibernians get academy status.” gram for his own sons, as well as the rest
PDA-Hibernians has a good founda- of Mercer County. SPECIAL OFFER
tion to build from thanks to its techni- “I’m gonna do what I do to provide
cal director, whose duties are to oversee quality training and coaching with good
the training schedule, identify academy- people surrounding me,” Donigan said.
quality players, set the soccer curriculum “Hopefully people find the value and the Free Exam and X-Ray
and hire the staff. As head coach at New benefit of it for their kids.”
Jersey’s state university, Donigan’s name For information on joining PDA- For new patients without insurance
itself should draw quality talent among Hibernians, email admin@pdahiberni-
kids who want to impress a Big Ten coach. ans.com or call (609) 498-5700.
August 2017 | Hamilton Post35