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By Ed Hagerty (Mike Petri will be a leader for Winged Foot. Ed Hagerty photo)
Super League Champions in 2005 and 2008, the New York Athletic Club concluded the 2009 Super League season with a 5-3 record, including playoffs.
As one of the most successful Super League clubs, such a finish wasn’t their best, but with a 2010 roster containing 7s and 15s Eagles, Eagle Pool players, TU players, former Collegiate All Americans and experienced players from overseas, the NYAC should be a force to be reckoned with.
In preparation for the 2010 Super League season, the NYAC held its first practice on January 20th. The AC practices twice a week, plus midweek fitness sessions for players who can attend. In addition, the NYAC has a strength and conditioning program, strategy meetings and pre-season matches.
They’ve worked hard to recruit new players; the NYAC communicates with foreign players who are thinking of relocating or living in NYC and keeps in touch with college coaches and players from around the country, and those connections have paid off in the list of new recruits. NYAC’s coaches also attend the Collegiate All-Star Championship.
The club does not have formal affiliations with local college sides, but keeps its eyes open for college players, invites them to home games and encourage them to play for the AC.
This year they’ve added an impressive list of players. Leading the way is USA prop forward Jacob Sprague, who moves to New York from Boston, where he was with the Boston Irish Wolfhounds. Also in the front row is St. Mary’s all-star Conor Coyne. Joining from Cal is lock/back-rower Paul Jesseman, while Brian Doyle returns to the second row after a year in Australia.
They join a solid forward group that includes Troy Bartley and former Cal skipper Andrew Lindsey. Meanwhile Lou Stanfill has moved from New York for a new job on the West Coast.
In the backs, Troy Hall joins NYAC with his eyes on a USA spot, while Peter O’Brien steps in at flyhalf from Clontarf in Ireland. USA scrumhalf Mike Petri leads the way for the backs and captains the side.
But the club has also said goodbye to Mitch Dow and Dan Power, their top points-accumulator last season.
The NYAC’s coaching staff is headed by Mike Tolkin and assistant coach Bruce McLane, both having long histories with the club. Fiore Screnci, who was capped 13 times for Italy and coaches the Met NY Union All Stars and White Plains, joins as an assistant.
“It's an improved competition this season,” said Tolkin, who also assists with the USA national team. “We feel we have put together a well-balanced team that has good skills and athleticism. I think we’ll compete well within the league.”
NYAC has been one of the teams leading the way to not only improve the standard of play, but the standard of venues. Their home pitch is at the New York Athletic Club’s suburban facility, Traver's Island, in Pelham, NY. The AC provides locker and shower facilities for its own and visiting teams at Travers Island.
The club put in a so-so performance at the Fort Lauderdale Ruggerfest, but that wasn’t the purpose of the trip. More, Tolkin, who took a full two sides down to Florida February 23, was looking to develop depth and test his players. This he has done, and now the club jumps into the fray against the Boston Irish Wolfhounds with a lot of changes to manage, especially in the backline.
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