NYPD wins 3rd annual “Battle of the Badges” volleyball game against FDNY

The FDNY and NYPD volleyball teams played for bragging rights and a trophy at the 3rd annual “Battle of the Badges.”

Photo by Gabriele Holtermann

Bragging rights and a trophy were up for grabs at the third annual “Battle of the Badges” between the NYPD and FDNY volleyball teams at Maspeth High School in Elmhurst on Saturday, Feb. 24.

Tickets to the friendly championship game between New York’s finest and bravest were $10, and visitors had the chance to win raffle prizes, which included gift cards and baskets. This year’s match, themed “Fidelity to Duty,” honored the heroes who lost their lives in the line of duty throughout the years, and portions of the proceeds went to the Police Benevolent Association and the FDNY Widows and Children’s Fund Inc.

Before the game began, FDNY volleyball coach Jerry Mattacota emphasized that the tournament was about fostering the relationship with the community, boosting the morale of the NYPD and FDNY, and promoting camaraderie and support between the two departments. Mattacota, a Hall of Famer with the American Volleyball Coaches Association, also touched on the recent brouhaha surrounding the NYPD Dance Team after people questioned whether city funds were used to subsidize the dance group after a video of them went viral He explained that the dance team, which doesn’t receive taxpayer funds and comes together off duty, was scheduled to perform but had to cancel because of illness.

“These are the things that are not known by the people that put this stuff out there about, ‘Oh, why aren’t they fighting crime?’ There’s more to fighting crime than arresting people,” Mattacota said. “It has to do with community work and help where people see us as human beings. Firemen [and] policemen are part of the community. They play ball, they have wives, they have kids, you know, that’s what’s important here, the morale. This community is very pro-police, very pro-fire, contrary to what,…