Confidence in the NY Pancyprian Freedoms Coaching Staff as Club Announces Reappointments
NYPF Coaching Staff at Met Oval from left to right: Panos Onisforou, Alex Arvanitis, Billy Antoniou, Juan Rojas, Tasos Polydefkis and Paul Kontonis
The NY Pancyprian Freedoms have announced their coaching staff for the 2022/20023 season which includes familiar and new faces. Philip Christopher, President of the Pancyprian Association of America, revealed that the NYPF have reappointed Panos Onisiforou as Head Coach of the NYPF (2021/22 Record 14W-2D-2L), Paul Kontonis as Head Coach of the NYPF II (2021/22 Record 12W-2D-4L) and Billy Antoniou as Head Coach of the NYPF Over 30 (2021/22 Record 11W-1D-4L). All teams had winning seasons and performed well into the post season.
“The Pancyprian Association of America values the winning culture that our coaches have established at our club and with our players,” said Philip Christopher. “It is important that we continue to attract and retain the best talent for now and the future of our historic club representing the Hellenic spirit in New York City.”
The current coaches are being joined by two new assistant coaches. Juan Rojas joins as Assistant Coach of the NYPF and Thiago Navarro as Assistant Coach of the NYPF II. Coach Juan was formerly an assistant coach at long time Eastern Premier Soccer League rivals Doxa SC and current Met Oval Academy youth coach and former Eleftheria Pancyprian Soccer Club player. Coach Thiago, a current EPSC youth coach, played at Delfino Pescara 1936 in 2016 (Italy), Pogoń Szczecin in 2014 (Poland) and Grêmio Osasco Audax Esporte Clube from 2010-2014 (Brazil).
“We won promotion with the NYPF II from fourth to third division of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League, and we intend to win promotion to the second division this year,” said Coach Paul Kontonis. “Our success on the field last season has attracted many outstanding players to our program along with Coach Thiago who has tremendous experience at the professional level.
In addition to the head coach reappointments, the NYPF announced George Halkidis remains as the General Manager of all NYPF teams. “The NY Pancyprian Freedoms represent more than just a winning mentality,” said George Halkidis. “We represent a soccer culture of excellence for almost 50 years and we are building for the nexts 50 years.”
The coaching staff rounds out with returning Assistant Coaches Alex Arvanitis and Tasos Polydefkis.
