Port Reading new doghouse for Bulldogs
Semipro football team welcomed by mayor, football players, cheerleaders
BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer

KATHY CHANG The Jersey Shore Bulldogs, a semipro football team, has found its new home in the Port Reading section of the township thanks to the collaboration with the Port Reading Saints Youth Association. The two organizations held a press conference on May 17 at the Port Reading Saints' football field to announce their partnership.

WOODBRIDGE - The Jersey Shore Bulldogs, a semipro football team, has found its new home in the Port Reading section of the township.

"As a semipro football team, it's hard to find places to play," said Phil Zuena, president of the Jersey Shore Bulldogs. "One of our players brought it to our attention that he used to work for Pedro Rosario (president of the Port Reading Saints Youth Association), and the rest is pretty much history."

Zuena said the team has played on football fields in Old Bridge and Holmdel before finding space in Port Reading.

"We hope to stay here," he said.

The Port Reading Saints, one of the five Pop Warner teams in Woodbridge, and the Jersey Shore Bulldogs held a press conference May 17 on the Saints' field at the intersection of Saints Boulevard and Prall Street to announce their partnership.

Mayor John E. McCormac and Ward 3 Councilman Greg Bedard were on hand to present proclamations to the Jersey Shore Bulldogs and 14 football players and cheerleaders of the Port Reading Saints for their achievement qualifying for the 2008 Pop Warner All-American Scholar team.

The Jersey Shore Bulldogs in turn gave the mayor and Rosario their own Jersey Shore Bulldogs jersey.

"This great relationship is terrific and exciting," said Bedard.

The councilman added that the trustees of the Port Reading Saints have also been great in leading collaborative efforts with the township, including repairing the road leading up to the football field and installing new playground equipment.

The Jersey Shore Bulldogs, which is currently made up of 50 players and is coached by Wayne Dabney, is entering its third season and is part of the Regional American Football League (RAFL), which is made up of 40 teams from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. For the past two years, the team has made it to the semifinals of the playoffs.

"Brian (Donnelly, vice president and co-owner of the bulldogs) and I were on the Jersey Cynder team in Bayonne and decided that we wanted to start our own team," said Zuena.

The semipro team gives anyone 18 years old or older a chance to play the game. There is no cutoff age.

"We have had six players enter local universities pursuing [college] football careers and we have had five players enter professional Arena Football and indoor teams," said Zuena. "We are here to help high school players reach the college level or college level players reach the professional leagues."

Zuena said the team holds youth clinics for anyone interested.

"We are going to hold clinics for the Port Reading Saints and welcome any other organization that is interested," he said.

The Bulldogs' season runs from July through October, holding 10 regular-season games and four weeks of playoff games.

The Bulldogs have already started their practices, which are held twice a week, and will hold their first preseason game on the Port Reading Saints' football field against the New York Panthers on June 14.

"This is going to be a charity game, half of the proceeds going toward the Port Reading Saints organization and the other half going to another local charity … we are currently taking nominations for the second local charity," said Zuena.

The first home game will be played against the Montclair Black Knights at 7 p.m. July 19.

Zuena said the team is always looking for additional players.

"We get a lot of players through word of mouth; we post on every football message board," he said. "We are also looking to form a dance team."

Anyone interested in playing for the Jersey Shore Bulldogs or joining the dance team may e-mail Phil Zuena at shorefootball@aol.com.

For more information about the team, visit www.shorebulldogsfootball.com.

To learn more about the Port Reading Saints, visit www.portreadingsaints.com.