The Soccer TimesThis article was originally published by NPLH (No Place Like Home) magazine. It is republished here, with permission, for posterity, since the NPLH website was taken offline.
By Will Sharp
Offering hope and proffering life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, for centuries, the American Dream has inspired people from all corners of the globe to uproot and relocate to the United States: the land of opportunity; in search of success, wealth, and purpose. Emmanuele Sembroni’s American Dream became a reality in 2019, though, in truth, he’d already found much of what he was looking for back home in Italy.
The fourth in a proud paternal bloodline of professional football players, it was having found himself enraptured by the 1994 World Cup in USA, watched on his family’s television set in wide-eyed amazement, that the six-year-old Emmanuele first became truly determined to follow in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and uncle.
Turning professional and making his first senior appearance aged 18, Emmanuele Sembroni would go on to ply his trade for the likes of Pescara, Pergolettese and Salernitana throughout his native Italy, representing his country’s under-18s at international level, as well as playing briefly for the World Cup-winning Gianluca Zambrotta’s FC Chiasso in Switzerland, before the opportunity arose for the imposing defender to make his mark stateside.
Signed by NY Cosmos in 2019, Sembroni arrived in Brooklyn to find himself at a club with a long and uniquely compelling history of euphoric highs and devastating lows, a welcoming and ambitious squad and staff, and a set of fans not lacking in passion nor compassion. One of those fans, with whom he’d establish a notable friendship, was Nicholas Alexandrakos; a proud Cosmos devotee he’d meet in the stands at the club’s former home ground.
“One game, this past summer, Sembroni undeservedly received a red card,” Alexandrakos tells NPLH. “We all saw the opposing team’s player hold his face, feigning that he was the recipient of some vicious attack, moments before the thespian then jumped back up – it was a miracle!”
Feeling aggrieved by the injustice of the referee’s decision, the fans lifted their voices in support of Sembroni and serenaded him with a rendition of “Evviva, Pescara – a famous Pescara Calcio song; a nod to their beloved defender’s Abruzzese origins – as he made his way from the pitch. Moments later, Sembroni joined that very same section of singing fans in the stands.
“It’s not uncommon for Cosmos players to join us, but this was the first time Sembroni stood with us,” Alexandrakos recalls. “In order to show our appreciation, the following game, we brought a few bottles of red wine into the section and kept one aside for him. Since he was suspended, we knew he wasn’t going to play and hoped that maybe he would swing by the section again. He did, so we said to him, ‘Hey, the ref gave you a red card; we’ll give you red wine.’ He loved it!”
From there, aided by the common ground of both Sembroni and Alexandrakos having family who reside in Pescara – a connection that “has one foot in NYC and the other in Italy” – a friendship was born, and it was through that very friendship that Sembroni came to be introduced to the Coney Island Lighthouse Mission, where he would begin his noble pursuit to provide the people of Coney Island with far more than just a reason to cheer.
Despite the world of opportunity supposedly awaiting those eager to put down roots on American soil, to redeem their golden ticket and cash in their American Dream; there are entire communities throughout the United States for whom the dream has yet to come to life. Trapped in a torturous cycle of unemployment, homelessness and poverty; far from a dream, their lives more closely resemble a nightmare.
It was for this very reason that pastor Vincent Fusco founded the Coney Island Lighthouse Mission (CILM) in 2002; a multi-faceted organisation determined to provide outreach to those most in need throughout the greater Coney Island area, whose excellent, though sadly all-too necessary, work continues to this very day.
The largest emergency food provider in the Coney Island area, CILM fights hunger and poverty in its community with its many services, including the distribution of free grocery bags two days a week and hot meals served to the public every Wednesday and Friday evening; currently providing food to more than 4,000 people every month. But their outreach isn’t limited to helping to fill stomachs. “Our mission is to meet the immediate needs of our clients while offering additional, necessary services to help move families toward self-sufficiency,” proclaims the organisation’s ethos, “[and] we want to be known as the place to go for anyone in need in our community!”
CILM’s after-school program provides homework assistance and tutoring, hot snacks, games, art projects, and bible study every weekday evening, for students aged between five and 13 years old, while the centre also provides English as a Second Language and General Education Development training, drug and alcohol counseling, housing for several formerly homeless clients, job readiness training, and information on public benefits to reduce the dependence on emergency food.
As Alexandrakos informed NPLH, Cosmos supporters have been dedicated to raising awareness on critical social issues for a number of years and have supported numerous initiatives throughout New York City. “Food insecurity is a serious issue in NYC, so when we heard that the Cosmos were going to Coney Island, that’s where our focus went.”
First, the Cosmos supporters group saw to financing a neighbourhood restoration project. “We saw the outside of CILM could benefit from a fresh coat of paint,” said Alexandrakos, “so we sponsored two local artists to create a supportive message.” Subsequently, an uplifting mural – featuring the words ‘love’, ‘faith’, ‘peace’, ‘respect’ and, centrally, ‘hope’ – was painted on the side of the building. The supporters’ group’s assistance quickly moved beyond CILM’s four walls and into the hearts and minds of those the organisation serves most regularly.
“We decided to reach out and invite Emmanuele to the 2019 Turkey Distribution Night,” Alexandrakos recalled. Supplementary to their day-to-day support, each year CILM temporarily transforms its soup kitchen into an open-doored food pantry, in time for Thanksgiving, with the intent to celebrate the holiday by distributing turkeys to all who lack them; often anywhere between 250-300. It was on this night that Emmanuele’s involvement with CILM began.
“He did not hesitate for a moment in saying ‘yes’. He actually showed up 30 minutes early. It was great having him there that evening. From the loyal supporters who look up to him to the everyday neighborhood volunteers who had no idea he’s the Cosmos vice-captain, his presence elevated the spirits of everybody. Afterwards, he requested to be made aware of future events because he wanted to be part of the ‘Cosmos Compassionate Army.’”
Fast-forward three months and Sembroni and Alexandrakos were thudding down the streets of Manhattan alongside one another, together running the Cupid’s Chase 5k fundraiser – finishing 12th and 13th, respectively – to raise money for students with special needs. The money raised from their run came in addition to the $14,000 already raised by Alexandrakos and Co. over the past three years.
Alexandrakos could hardly be prouder of his team or his community. “This type of support, this type of bold leadership shown by Emmanuele, is the reason why the NY Cosmos are a cut above the rest. Together we are working to make a positive impact on our community. Sembroni… he is not the only player on the Cosmos team like this, either. It’s players and supporters working hand-in-hand; not just throwing money at the ills of society but working together to create something better for everybody.”
Reflecting upon his decision to leave Italy behind and sign for NY Cosmos, Emmanuele Sembroni reflected: “It’s a journey; changing country and leaving your life behind. It’s hard, but what in life is easy, right? You have to work for it. Everyday. No matter what.”
No matter what, every day, the Coney Island Lighthouse Mission, Nicholas Alexandrakos, Emmanuele Sembroni and many more members of the wider NY Cosmos family work to improve their community, endeavouring to fill stomachs, enrich minds, and make life a little easier, a little more bearable, a little more hopeful, for those in need. These are the volunteers shining brightest throughout the Cosmos community, the stars whose work remains out of this world.
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