Freehold Borough Police Headed to Meadowlands Stadium

On Sunday, Feb. 20, members of the Freehold Borough Police Department (FBPD) will live out many a sports fan’s dream: they will be playing football in Meadowlands Stadium. The officers and a few borough residents formed a team to play in the fifth annual New York Giants Snow Bowl, a flag football tournament to benefit Special Olympics New Jersey. This will be the first year the FBPD formed a team to play in tournament, according Patrolman Shaun Hobbs, who organized the group.

Hobbs said initially he wasn’t sure how many people would want to participate, but the response was enthusiastic and the team—named the Boro Bashers—quickly grew to 16 players. The Boro Bashers include Hobbs, Christopher Colaner, Craig Dispenza, Diego Flores, Patrick George, Pat Healey, Samuel Hernandez, Nicholas Iozzi, Richard Leone, Michael Lilla, Walter Perski, James Richmond, Brian Ruegger, Ronnie Steppat, Michael Sweetman and Kevin Werner.

The men quickly achieved their fundraising goal of $1,600 and have brought in $2,560 as of Wednesday, Feb. 9. Hobbs said the group had jerseys made up with numbers and the Boro Bashers team name. Family members and friends were soon asking for their own Boro Bashers sweatshirts.

The New York Giants Snow Bowl has raised $110,291 among the 71 teams that have registered for the event as of Feb. 9. The Boro Bashers are ranked ninth in the fundraising effort.

Each team is guaranteed three games of a half-hour each. The top two teams in each division of eight will move on to play in championship games.

The tournament was originally scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, Feb. 13, but the excessive ice on the field made conditions unsafe. With the extra week, the Boro Bashers scheduled two practices: one on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at Goodsports USA in Wall and one on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Freehold High School gym. The fundraising deadline has also been extended a week. To make a donation to the team for Special Olympics New Jersey, visit the Boro Bashers page on the New York Giants Snow Bowl Web site.