Cosmos take the pitch in Ridgewood, expanding Queens footprint

/
The New York Cosmos’ captains joined the youth academy for a series of matches in Ridgewood on March 1. They return on March 29. Photo courtesy of Nicholas Alexandrakos

The New York Cosmos’ captains joined the youth academy for a series of matches in Ridgewood on March 1. They return on March 29. Photo courtesy of Nicholas Alexandrakos

By David Brand 

The New York Cosmos have weathered some financial, league and stadium issues in recent years, but the historic club remains very much alive, and they’re making their presence felt on the pitch in Queens.

A few Cosmos stars joined young members of the club’s youth academy at Grover Cleveland Athletic Field in Ridgewood for a slate of matches on March 1. The Cosmos’ U12, U13 and U14 teams took on their rivals, BW Gottschee, a legendary Ridgewood-based youth soccer program, with their heroes from the big club looking on. 

“From a supporter perspective, we see all of New York City as our home field, so seeing the academy players in what literally felt like many of our backyards was extra special,” said Cosmos Chief Operating Officer Erik Stover.  

The Cosmos have fans throughout the five boroughs, and a hardcore supporters’ club based in Astoria. They have played home matches at Brooklyn’s MCU Park and Mitchel Field in Uniondale, and recently hosted German club St. Pauli FC for a friendly match in Northern Manhattan.

Club captain Danny Szetela, a former member of the U.S. National Team, and Emmanuele Sembroni, a former Italian international, will attend the next match day at Grover Cleveland Field on March 29. 

Supporter and social media strategist Patrick Infurna said the club plans to visit other pitches around the city.

“We’ll definitely be visiting other fields as we try to support the academy as much as possible in the lead-up to the professional season in August,” Infurna said. “This is an exercise of keeping the supporters' mission to support both the New York Cosmos and the communities that the club plays in, even when the pro team isn’t currently active.”

The professional club will begin their inaugural season in the National Independent Soccer Association in August.

 “All in all, we’re happy to be building our supporter scene back up in New York City, especially Queens and Brooklyn,” Infurna said. “New York deserves a team it can be proud of, and we’d rather build that from the bottom up than expect a ‘big club’ to be planted here and thrown at us. This is worth the work and the wait.”