Joseph Lapira

Football player infobox
playername = Joe Lapira


fullname = Joseph Lapira
nickname =
height = height|m=1.73
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1986|8|13
cityofbirth = Rochester, New York
countryofbirth = United States
currentclub = Nybergsund I.L.
clubnumber = 11
position = Striker
youthyears = 2004
2005
youthclubs = Saint Louis Catholic High School
University of Notre Dame
youthcaps(goals) = 65 (32)
years = 2003
2004
2007
2008-
clubs = Louisiana Outlaws
Lafayette Swamp Cats
Baton Rouge Capitals
Nybergsund I.L.
caps(goals) = 04 0(1)
02 0(0)
07 0(3)
23 0(7)
nationalyears = 2007-
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 01 0(0)
pcupdate = 8 June
ntupdate = 24 May, 2007

Joseph Lapira (born August 13, 1986, Rochester, New York) is an Irish-American soccer player currently playing for Nybergsund I.L. in the Norwegian Adeccoligaen.

Lapira graduated from St. Louis Catholic High School in Lake Charles, and attended University of Notre Dame. In 2006 he was the winner of the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the top collegiate player of the year, after scoring 22 goals for Notre Dame [http://www.bigeast.org/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/120306aab.html] . During his college years, Lapira also played in the USL Premier Development League, with Louisiana Outlaws, Lafayette Swamp Cats and most recently Baton Rouge Capitals.

On April 17 2007, an article on YanksAbroad.com reported that Lapira would be joining Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen for a trial at some point during the 2007 summer, although, he eventually went on trial at Rangers instead. Lapira broke down with a calf injury minutes into his first training session with the Ibrox club and was subsequently sent home. In January 2008, Lapira finally joined Aberdeen for a week's trial after recovering from his calf injury and regaining match fitness. He played for the reserve side in a 1-1 draw with Falkirk reserves but did not do enough to earn a contract with the Dons.

Instead, Lapira was selected in the 3rd Round of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft by Toronto FC, but never signed a contract with Major League Soccer.

On April 1, 2008, Lapira signed with Norwegian Adeccoligaen side Nybergsund I.L., who play in the second tier after being promoted from the third tier in 2007. He signed after being rejected by numerous sides in Europe, forcing some pundits to question why he rejected a contract with Major League Soccer after the Superdraft to join a lower tier Norwegian team. Lapira scored a brace in his Nybergsund debut, a 3-0 victory.

International career

Lapira is a full international for the Republic of Ireland. He qualifies for the Republic by virtue of his Irish mother, and came to the attention of former Irish boss Steve Staunton through his uncle, Michael Lynam, who works for the FAI. He gained a cap for Ireland on May 23, 2007 against Ecuador, becoming the first amateur player to play for Ireland since Willie Browne in 1964.

Awards and Honours

*M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Winner (2006)
*Soccer America National
*Player of the Year (2006)
*All-America First Team (2006)
*All-BIG EAST First Team (2006)
*BIG EAST Offensive
*Player of the Year (2006)
*All-BIG EAST Third Team (2005)

External links

* [http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/lapira_joseph00.html Joe Lapira at the University of Notre Dame]
* [http://www.sportinglife.com/football/international/republic/news/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=soccer/07/05/24/SOCCER_Republic.html&TEAMHD=eire Match report]