Alex Ely

Alex Ely

Personal information
Full name	Alexandre Ely
Date of birth	(1938-02-09)February 9, 1938
Place of birth	Mogi das Cruzes,Brazil
Date of death	September 28, 2021(2021-09-28)(aged 83)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1959–1965	Ukrainian Nationals
1960	New York Americans
1961, 1962	Toronto Roma
1964, 1965	Toronto City
1965–1972	Santos
1972	Philadelphia Spartans
1973–1974	Delaware Wings
	Philadelphia United German-Hungarians
International career
1960–1965	United States	4	(0)
Managerial career
1960–1965	University of Maryland(assistant)
1972	Philadelphia Spartans
1972–1976	Monsignor Bonner High School
1981–1994	Archbishop Carroll High School
1996–1997	Swarthmore College
Medal record Men'sfootball (soccer) RepresentingtheUnited States Pan American Games 1959 Chicago Team competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alexandre"Alex"Ely(Ukrainian:Олександр (Олесь) Ілай,February 9, 1938 – September 28, 2021) was a Brazilian-Americansoccermidfielder,teacher and author. Ely played extensively in the U.S., Canada and Brazil winning multiple league and cup titles. He also earned fourcapswith theU.S. national teambetween 1960 and 1965. In addition to his extensive professional resume, Ely coached at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He was inducted into the United StatesNational Soccer Hall of Famein 1997.

Club career

In 1958, Ely spent a single season in the Philadelphia United Soccer League, an amateur city league. In 1959, he signed with theUkrainian Nationalsof theAmerican Soccer League(ASL). Over his six seasons with the Nationals, the team won four league championships and threeNational Challenge Cuptitles. In both 1961 and 1963, Ely and his teammates took the "double" of league and cup championships. The Nationals spent one season in the Eastern Professional Soccer League in 1964–1965. However, the league folded at the end of the season.

Ely took every opportunity to play. In addition to the Nationals, he played with several teams in other leagues during the ASL off season. In 1960, he was with theNew York Americansof theInternational Soccer League.Then in 1961 and 1962, he played withToronto Romaof theEastern Canada Professional Soccer Leaguewith whom he won a league championship. He returned to the Eastern Canada League in 1964 and 1965 withToronto City.Ely's devotion to the game reached its height in 1965. In addition to playing for the Nationals and Toronto City, he also played in theGerman American Soccer League.

While playing in multiple leagues in two countries, Ely also attended theUniversity of Maryland.He graduated with abachelor's degreein foreign language education in 1964.

In 1965, Ely returned to Brazil where he became an English teacher and played professionally withSantos.In 1972, he returned to the U.S., settling inPhiladelphiawhere he attendedTemple University.While working on hismaster's degree,Ely both played for and coached thePhiladelphia Spartansfor the 1972 ASL season. The Spartans folded at the end of the season and Ely moved to theDelaware Wingsof the ASL. The Wings folded at the end of the 1974 season.

He continued to play in the International United German Hungarian Old Timers tournaments from 1976 to 1985.

International career

In 1959, Ely joined the U.S. national team at thePan American Games.The U.S. took third place at the games, which are not considered a full international tournament. Following the games, the U.S. entered qualification for the1960 Summer Olympicsbut a loss to Mexico on October 8 and a tie with Mexico on November 22 kept the U.S. out of the Olympic tournament.

Ely earned his first officialcapswith theU.S. national teamon November 13, 1960, in a loss toMexicoin a World Cup qualifier. That loss put the U.S. out of contention for a spot in the cup. He did not play for the U.S. again until 1965. That year, he played three of the four World Cup qualification games, all in March. The U.S. tied Mexico 2–2 on March 7, Ely and his teammates lost the away game five days later inMexico City.He missed the U.S. win overHonduras,but played in the 1–1 tie on March 21 which put the U.S. out of cup contention.

Coaching career

Ely began coaching in 1960, while attending theUniversity of Maryland.In addition to playing professionally and attending classes, he served as an assistant coach at the university until he graduated in 1964. In 1972, he spent a single season coaching thePhiladelphia Spartansof theAmerican Soccer League.After the Spartans folded, he was hired byMonsignor Bonner High Schoolwhere he coached the boys team from 1972 to 1976. In 1981, he became the boys soccer coach atArchbishop Carroll High School.In 1996, he was hired as the women's coach atSwarthmore College.In his two seasons with the team, he compiled an 11-26-3 record.

In addition to coaching at the high school and collegiate levels, Ely also founded the America Kolping Soccer Club in 1975. He served as head coach for the club for twenty years. He later continued to coach with the Jersey Shore Boca soccer club.

Later life

When Ely returned to Brazil in 1965, he taught English for seven years. He authored two English textbooks,A New Approach to EnglishandIntermediate Course.After returning to the U.S., he earned amaster's degreefromTemple Universityin English Education before becoming a teacher in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania atCardinal Dougherty High Schooland laterArchbishop Prendergast High School.

Ely authored the novelDestiny At Dawnas well as his memoir,From Hell To The National Hall Of Fame.