Last week Fremont Rush’s female players welcomed Officer Cardona and Captain Bobbitt to the pitch. The two members of Fremont PD presented to the players about what it means to be a good citizen, using our eleven Rush Core Values.
August 19, 2021
Fremont Rush & Rush Core Values
The event started off with an introduction from Captain Bobbitt. He told the girls simple ways that they can help out in the community, such as doing homework or helping parents around the house. By doing this our players are enforcing self-discipline, bettering themselves to their highest potential.
The mic was then passed to Officer Cardona. She opened with her explanation of why she became an officer.
“When I was young I had a lot of family in law enforcement so it was always interesting to me. Then when I reached high school, one of my friends was abducted and I saw how the police brought some type of comfort to her parents and seeing that made me realize I wanted to be that for someone else’s family.”
She started her career early on at the age of five, playing for the city of Fremont. After getting her basics down, Officer Cardona moved up to the competitive level by age eight. From there on she moved through the ranks eventually making it to a D1 level by the age of 18.
After learning about her soccer history, Cardona asked the players about Rush’s Eleven Core Values. Hands shot in the air as players enthusiastically waited to be called on so they could give out one of our values. Once a value was given, Officer Cardona would explain to the girls why it was important to show that core value off the field as well as on. And while all of our core values are important to show, there were two that stuck out to Officer Cardona the most.
“I think for me the two most important values are leadership and respect. You can be a leader, but the thing is you aren’t really a good leader unless you’re respected. So being kind or friendly, just someone approachable, are all good characteristics of a leader that will gain you the respect of those around you.”
After Officer Cardona and Captain Bobbitt finished presenting, the players were split into groups and had the opportunity to see a police car up close and learn about all the things inside of it. They learned about the radio, computers, and the names of the different parts of the car. Officer Cardona even turned on the lights and sounded the sirens. Every group got the opportunity to get a picture in front of the squad car.
The 2011 girls team took it one step farther and all got the autographs of Officer Cardona. Lined up, they waited for their turn to give their little slip of yellow paper to the officer and ran over to their parents, face lit up with joy, to show off their new keepsake once they had their turn.
As everyone was leaving, we had the chance to speak with Officer Cardona, asking her what the players at Rush can do to make Fremont a better community.
“To make Fremont a better community I think goes hand and hand with your Rush core values. Showing people respect, showing people empathy, making sure that you are a person that people want to look up to are all ways that you get everyone around you to be a vital part of the community.”
Fremont Rush gives a big thank you to the Fremont PD for taking the time to come out and talk to our female players about what it means to be a positive member of the community!
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Frank Meza Named East Penn Rush Director of Player Development
East Penn Rush is excited to expand our competitive opportunities through participation in the Atlantic Premier League (APL)/Acela , providing several of our younger Premier and Elite teams with another high-level environment for competition and player development. The Atlantic Premier League offers competition for boys and girls beginning at the younger age groups and features multiple levels of play. For the 2026–27 season, APL offers an Acela First Division along with a second division, creating opportunities for clubs to place teams at an appropriate competitive level. For East Penn Rush, joining APL/Acela is particularly important for our Premier and Elite teams below the U13 age groups . While many national-level leagues and pathways begin at U13, APL/Acela gives our younger players an opportunity to experience a highly competitive regional environment earlier in their development. Competing Against High-Level Programs One of the biggest benefits of APL/Acela is the level and variety of competition available throughout the region. The league attracts competitive programs from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and surrounding areas. APL/Acela competition has included teams associated with Pre-MLS NEXT, Pre-Academy and other high-level developmental programs . Published league results, for example, show APL/Acela competition involving teams such as FC DELCO Pre-MLS NEXT, Keystone FC Pre-Academy, Philadelphia Union Juniors, Real Futbol Academy and other strong regional programs. This gives our younger Rush teams an opportunity to regularly challenge themselves against different playing styles, stronger competition and organizations with established academy pathways. Building the Pathway Before U13 Our goal is not simply to enter teams into another league. The addition of APL/Acela is part of the continued development of the East Penn Rush player pathway . For our younger Premier and Elite players, the U9–U12 years are critical developmental stages. Players are learning how to apply their technical ability in increasingly faster and more demanding game environments. Playing against quality opposition requires players to make decisions quicker, become more comfortable under pressure and develop a deeper understanding of the game. APL/Acela gives us another platform to challenge those players before they reach U13 , when additional regional and national opportunities become available. The pathway is designed to progressively prepare players for the next level: East Penn Rush Development → Competitive Travel → Elite/Premier → APL/Acela → U13+ Regional & National Opportunities For players who continue progressing through the club, this experience can help prepare them for the competitive demands they will encounter as they move toward our older Premier teams and opportunities such as the National 1 (N1) League . More Opportunities. More Competition. More Development. East Penn Rush continues to build an environment where players do not have to wait until their teenage years to experience meaningful, high-level competition. Adding multiple teams to APL/Acela allows us to better match our Premier and Elite teams with competition that challenges them at the appropriate stage of their development. It also expands the range of opponents our teams can face beyond traditional local league play. Our objective remains the same: put players in environments that challenge them, support their development and prepare them for the next step in their soccer journey. Participation in APL/Acela represents another important step forward for East Penn Rush and our commitment to creating a complete developmental pathway from our youngest players through our Premier and national-level teams. One Club. One Pathway. More Opportunities.
East Penn Rush Accepted into the National 1 League
