NJ Stallions Academy
EIN: 27-3623443 (Clifton Stallions FC Inc) · Tax status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit (since September 2011)
Overview
NJ Stallions Academy is among the longest-tenured soccer programs in northern New Jersey. The roots trace to the Clifton Stallions youth soccer program of the mid-1970s; the modern competitive structure was established in 1992 as the New Jersey Stallions, with an “Academy” program added in April 2010 as an elite-development overlay. The legal entity for the Academy operation is Clifton Stallions FC Inc., a 501(c)(3) under EIN 27-3623443 (recognized September 2011). The broader Clifton Stallions SC organization (cliftonstallions.org) operates the recreational and travel-program base in Clifton.
Financials
- Total revenue: $347,896 (FY 2024, Form 990) (HIGH — relates to Clifton Stallions FC Inc.)
- Total expenses: $266,806 — net surplus of $81,090
- Net assets: $316,887 (up from $65,043 in 2020 — roughly 5x growth in four years)
- Revenue mix: 99.7% program services
- Officer compensation: $0 — entirely volunteer-led
These are the numbers for the Academy 501(c)(3) (Clifton Stallions FC Inc.) only. The recreational/travel base under Clifton Stallions SC operates as a separate legal entity and is not aggregated here. Combined Stallions-organization scale is meaningfully larger than the $348K Academy line item.
Teams & Players
Multiple competitive teams across U11, U14, U16, and U19 age groups (per club roster pages). Total player count not disclosed. Indoor soccer arena available for rentals as ancillary revenue.
League Affiliations
- EDP Soccer — including EDP Futures (younger ages)
- USYS National League (via EDP pathway)
- NJ Youth Soccer / US Youth Soccer
- US Indoor Soccer (USArenaAssoc) — indoor program partner
The club does not hold ECNL, MLS NEXT, or Girls Academy membership. The historical 2012 alliance with NJSA 04 / Tab Ramos’s program provided U.S. Soccer Development Academy access at the time, but DA was discontinued in 2020.
Facilities
- Clifton-area fields (specific complex not identified on club website)
- Indoor soccer arena — available for rentals; supports winter training and ancillary revenue
Leadership
Clifton Stallions FC Inc. board (FY 2024 990):
- Maurice Marsil — President
- James Nash — Vice President
- Chris Vozzella — Secretary
- Ken Kowalski — Treasurer
- Tom Di Donna, Ann Marie Natal — Trustees
All officers received $0 compensation in FY 2024.
Soccer operations:
- Marcelo Fracchia — Director of Coaching / Technical Director
- Steve Rezo — Coach (U11 boys and girls); USSF National C License
- Antonio Meza is referenced historically (2012 alliance era) as NJSA 04 DOC
Notable recent alumni: Michael Bleeker — 2025 NCAA Division I National Championship with University of Vermont.
Competitive Position
NJ Stallions Academy occupies a mid-tier slot in the dense North Jersey market. The 30+ year operating history and Clifton catchment provide a stable player base, but the absence of any of the three national elite platforms (ECNL, MLS NEXT, Girls Academy) places the club below PDA, CSA, SURF, Ironbound SC, and The Football Academy NJ in pathway terms. The lean, volunteer-led financial profile ($348K Academy revenue, $0 officer comp) is unusual at the competitive-club tier — most peers have at least one paid full-time staff role.
Industry Context
The Clifton Stallions / NJ Stallions structure is a textbook example of a multi-entity youth-soccer organization where a long-running rec/travel base (Clifton Stallions SC) sits alongside a smaller elite-development arm (Clifton Stallions FC Inc., the “Academy”). The dual-entity pattern — common in older Northeast clubs — separates competitive-program liability and revenue from grassroots operations and lets each entity pursue its own filings, fee structures, and partnerships. The 5x growth in Academy net assets between 2020 and 2024, paired with the continued absence of paid staff and elite-pathway membership, suggests the program is reinvesting surpluses but has not yet committed to the operational scale-up required to clear the ECNL/MLS NEXT/GA membership thresholds.
Open Questions
- Combined player count across Clifton Stallions SC (rec/travel) and the Academy
- Aggregate revenue including the rec/travel entity
- Whether the club has pursued or been declined for ECNL / MLS NEXT / Girls Academy membership
- Tuition/fee structure relative to North Jersey peers
- Status of any remaining alliance with NJSA 04 / Cedar Stars Monmouth (last documented 2012)