Chris Konopka

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Chris Konopka
Personal information
Full name Christopher Konopka
Date of birth April 14, 1985 (1985-04-14) (age 24)
Place of birth    Toms River, NJ, United States
Height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club Sporting Fingal F.C.
Youth career
1994-2004
2004
2003-2006		 Jersey Shore Boca
Jersey Falcons
Providence College
Senior career1
Years Club App (Gls)*
2007
2008
2009		 Kansas City Wizards
Bohemian FC
Sporting Fingal F.C.		 00 0(0)
01 0(0)
04 0(0)   
National team2
2007-2008 US U-23 National Team

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 23 November 2009.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 22 May 2007.
* Appearances (Goals)

Christopher Konopka (born April 14, 1985 in Toms River, New Jersey) is an American soccer player who plays goalkeeper for Sporting Fingal F.C. in the FAI League of Ireland First Division. He signed a contract with Fingal on July 28, 2009 [1] and helped the club win promotion to the FAI League of Ireland Premiere Division and the 2009 FAI Cup.

Konopka is of Polish descent.

During 2008, he won the League of Ireland championship and the FAI Cup as a member of Bohemian FC in the FAI Premier Division. It is believed Konopka is the first American born soccer player to ever win the 'Irish Double'.[2]

Konopka grew up in Toms River, New Jersey[3] and played both basketball and soccer at Toms River High School East.[4]

He played collegiate soccer at Providence College of the Big East Conference from 2003 to 2006. Konopka also played for Jersey Shore Boca[5] in 2003 and the Jersey Falcons[6] in 2004 in the USL fourth division Premier Development League.

After a standout career with the Friars, Konopka was considered a top goalkeeping prospect and had trials in England after his senior year with both Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City. However, he was unable to sign in the United Kingdom after his trials when his attempted acquisition of a Polish passport through ancestry was not yet completed.

He was drafted in the third round, 29th overall, by the Kansas City Wizards in 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft and became the first player in the history of Providence College to be drafted by an MLS team. Konopka is a long-time veteran of the Jersey Shore Boca Soccer Club of New Jersey and came through the Boca youth program.

Konopka became a free agent at the end of the 2007 MLS season after the Wizards elected not exercise his contract option which allowed him to pursue other opportunities without any transfer fee compensation.

In December 2007, Konopka was named to the US U-23 National Team player pool by US U23 Head Coach Piotr Novak.

Konopka was invited into pre-season training camp with eircom League of Ireland Premier Division Club Bohemian FC in January 2008 and signed a one-year contract with the fabled Irish club in March 2008. He was given international clearance to join the "Gypsies" on 12 March 2008 [1] and made his debut for the club in the League Cup on July 1 away to Derry City.

Konopka impressed with the Bohemians' A-Side in the inaugural Eircom League of Ireland A Championship, which acts as a third tier of the Eircom League, leading the Bohs to the Grand Final.



Contents

[edit] Honours

[edit] Sporting Fingal

[edit] Bohemians

[edit] Club/National Team Competition

  • Sporting Fingal FC-League of Ireland (2009)
  • Bohemian FC-League of Ireland (2008)
  • United States U23 National Team Player Pool (2007)
  • Kansas City Wizards-Major League Soccer (2007)
  • Major League Soccer Player Combine (2007)
  • Providence College-NCAA-Big East Conference (2003-2006)
  • USL Premiere Development League (2003-2004)
  • USASA U23 Jersey Shore Boca (2005-2006)
  • US Soccer Regional Team (2001-2004)
  • NJ State Team (1998-2004)
  • USL Super Y-League (1999-2000)
  • USYSA Jersey Shore Boca (1994-2004)

[edit] Providence College-NCAA-Big East Conference

  • First player in PC history to be drafted by a MLS team (2007)
  • Named Team Co-Captain (2006)
  • Second GK in PC history to receive All-BIG EAST League Honors (Second Team-2006)
  • Finished third all-time in most career GK games played at PC (2003-2006)
  • Finished consecutive seasons among top BIG EAST GK statistical leaders (2006 & 2005)
  • Set NCAA single-season records of 9 ties and 12 overtime games (2005)
  • Most BIG EAST regular season wins in PC history (2006)
  • Most career NCAA Tournament appearances in PC history (3 games in 2005-2006)
  • Most career BIG EAST Tournament appearances in PC history (5 games in 2003, 2005, 2006)
  • Most PC GK games played in a single season (20 in 2005)
  • Most PC GK minutes played in a single season (2020:38 in 2005)
  • First PC GK to record NCAA Tournament win (2005)
  • First PC GK to appear in NCAA Tournament 2nd round (2005)

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Sporting Move For Keeps", Fingal Independent, September 2, 2009.
  2. ^ O'Kelly, Declan."American Wins Irish Double at Bohs", Irish Voice, December 17, 2008.
  3. ^ Edelson, Steve. "Konopka right at home, in Ireland", Asbury Park Press, March 12 2008. Accessed April 8 2008]. "Since stepping off a plane at Dublin Airport on Jan. 15 and signing a contract with storied Bohemian Football Club two weeks later, Chris Konopka has experienced a side of soccer he could barely have imagined growing up in Toms River."
  4. ^ Chris Konopka, Providence Friars. Accessed April 8, 2008.
  5. ^ 2003 Jersey Shore Boca
  6. ^ 2004 Jersey Falcons

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Konopka"