Shep Messing’s life in soccer began as a sophomore at The Wheatley School so it seemed only natural last week when he agreed to return to the New York Cosmos as an international representative that he would come back last to where it all began for the former goalkeeper.
“I have been very fortunate in my life in soccer and it’s taken me all around the world and its taken me to unexpected levels,” Messing said. “It all started for me at Wheatley and when they wanted to announce that I had rejoined the Cosmos as an international ambassador, it only seemed natural to talk about it at Wheatley.”
Messing said he really didn’t have an inspirational talk prepared for the members of the men’s and women’s soccer squads he addressed last Friday.
“Anytime I talk to youngsters I would hope to go beyond talking about soccer. My philosophy, my speech to kids of all ages all over the world is, you just don’t know where it can take you, but you should just shoot for the stars,” he said.
Messing noted that he is one of three Wheatley soccer players who made a mark professionally, along with Mike Masters who played in England, and New Jersey Red Bulls star Carlos Mendes.
The fact that Messing is in such elite company after his stellar career made an impression on his audience at Wheatley.
“I think one of the interesting things that resonated for the kids is that this is someone who’s been a champion, playing in the Olympics and with Pele,” said Wheatley principal Sean Feeney, who introduced Messing at his Wheatley appearance.
Messing’s message to the students, Feeney said, was one of cultivating persistence and consistency in the daily pursuit of one’s dreams.
“His meessage was that you can set out and do what you want. But winning is more about how you conduct yourself every day and how you challenge yourself in what you do,” Feeney said.
Sophia Sanchez, another Wheatley alumnus, lined up Messing’s visit. Sanchez is helping to promote the Cosmos’ return to the professional scene as a New York rival for the Red Bulls
After being raised in Roslyn Country Club, Messing eventually moved back to the area so that his son and daughter could attend The Wheatley School. He lives in Great Neck now.
But he still remembers the first time soccer caught his eye at Wheatley.
“I was walking by a field, saw 10 guys running around with one guy standing there looking cool and thought ‘that looks fun,” Messing said.
So he started playing soccer at age 16, as the one guy who looked cool just standing around, and picked up the skills to go with the position.
“Mine was an unusual journey. It started at Wheatley,” he recalled.
After graduating from Harvard in 1972, Messing represented the USA in the Olympics that same year and went on to become one of the most successful American goalkeepers of his generation as a member of the New York Cosmos. He has been inducted into the New York Sports Hall of Fame, the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame.
Messing’s then moved onto broadcasting in 1986, calling action for the World Cup in Mexico.
Since then, he has continued his work in the broadcasting booth serving as analyst for The Madison Square Garden Company and ESPN, including working as color analyst for ESPN’s coverage of the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups.
When he visited Wheatley last Friday, he was preparing to take on his new role with Cosmos, with fellow “ambassadors” Pele and Carlos Alberto, Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia, who also are assuming those same roles to help rebuild the club that gave Messing a 1977 NASL Championship
“We’ll do everything we can do for this club that changed our life,” he said.
