He didn't realize it at the time, but New York Cosmos head coach Carlos Mendes helped inspire midfielder Joey Sanchez to pursue a professional soccer career.

 

Watching aRed Bulls game in Harrison, N.J., a decade or so go, Sanchez picked up a game program and noticed that Mendes is from Mineola, N.Y., not too far from his Uniondale home.

 

"I was like 10-15 minutes from there," he said.

 

Needless to say, Sanchez was impressed that someone who lived only minutes from his house could play professional soccer, so why not him?

 

"Of course," he said. "It was good to see people coming from your area doing something good, not just in sports, but just in general. It's not to say that Carlos was my hero, but it was good to see someone who's close to me playing at the top level."

 

These days the 26-year-old Sanchez is trying to impress Mendes.

 

Mendes has seen Sanchez's improvement from 2018 to this season and the head coach has liked what he has seen. He was used mostly in a reserve role last year, scoring one goal

 

"Joey brings a great attitude," Mendes said. "He works all day long. For me, it's just getting the understanding of the next level, the tactical awareness, things like that. He has good feet, can combine well, works hard. So that obviously fits what we like and what we believe in, comfortable on the ball, it's why he's part of the group."

 

Sanchez has made progress in his tactical awareness at this level.

 

"For anybody, it’s an adjustment, a learning process and I think we've seen improvement in Joey," Mendes said. "He has to continue to improve. At times, the style we want to play and the spaces we need him to find the ball in, just to be more aware of those things. He has improved on that. If you want to be successful and have a long career, that's something you have to be improving."

 

At the moment, Sanchez has been savoring his time as a professional player.

 

Absolutely," he said. "If you take a look at my past, it's been a long way. I've made mistakes here and there but I'm finally here. I'm definitely enjoying every bit of it. I'm learning every day and its great being around these guys, having more experience than I do. So, it's guys like Danny [Szetela, team captain], from whom I learn from the most every day. I'm enjoying every minute of it. I'm having fun."

 

Sanchez started his youth career with the Hempstead Chiefs of the Long Island Junior Soccer League.

 

"I didn't get really competitive until I started with my academy team, the Albertson Academy," said Sanchez, whose coach was current North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley.

 

He eventually became a regular at Uniondale High School. After graduating from high school, Sanchez decided to try to go the professional route and play in F.C. New York's Academy. He trained with the United Soccer League club's first team as well. But a few months after joining the team, Sanchez torn his ACL in his right knee.

 

That essentially sidelined the 5-10, 168-lb. midfielder for two years. He decided not to get surgery, trying physical therapy to heal the injury, but a doctor said Sanchez needed surgery. "So, I wasted five, six months in doing so," he said.

 

It took another 11 months before he could play again.

 

"Everything worked out for the better, honestly," said Sanchez, who enrolled at nearby Nassau Community College in Garden City, N.Y., a long free kick from his home. After two years he transferred to Adelphi University on the other side of town.

 

He enjoyed a productive two years at Adelphi, especially in 2016, when he recorded three goals and 10 assists, including two goals in the Northeast-10 Championship match to earn MVP honors.

 

Following in the footsteps of his older brother Julio, who played for Atletico Balboa in El Salvador, Sanchez had preseason tryout with Aguila in the Central American country.

 

"I thought I was going to sign, but things didn't work out as far as me being a foreigner," Sanchez said. "I didn't have dual citizenship. I can get dual citizenship for El Salvador, but I didn't have it at the time. I ended up coming back here, finishing school."

 

In 2017, Sanchez played for FC Boulder in the Premier Development League, assisting on five goals in nine game before joining the Cosmos last season.

 

In the Cosmos' scoreless draw at Adelphi earlier in the preseason, Sanchez returned to Motamed Field, where he enjoyed some of his most memorable college performances.

 

He admitted it was a bit surreal playing against some of his former teammates.

 

"It was nice to see the guys," Sanchez said. "A lot of the freshmen [when he played] are now seniors. It was nice seeing them. It was a good experience overall."

 

On April 10, Sanchez had another reunion with his old Adelphi coach, Carlo Acquista, who isnow the head coach of Fordham . University. Sanchez had an assist in the Cosmos' 2-0 win.

 

A little more than two weeks later later, Sanchez will return to his hometown as the Cosmos will open their National Premier Soccer League season at home at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale on Saturday, April 27 , at 7 p.m.