SERGIO FLAMINI
The architect of a soccer dynasty that ruled New jersey Amateur soccer during the 1970’s, Sergio Flamini is still remembered as one of the greatest soccer coached not only in the Trenton Area, but throughout the Garden State.
Born in Terni, Italy in 1939, Sergio came to the U.S. in 1968 and almost immediately began a career as a player and then a coach that stamped him as one of the all time greats in the Trenton area.
As a player in 1968 he helped the Trenton Italians with the Schaefer South Jersey League title. A year later he assumed the coaching reigns of the Trenton Italians and led them to a second place finish in the Schaefer League. In 1971 they won a league title.
Looking for stronger competition, Sergio soon moved the Trenton Italians into the Italian American League in North jersey and immediately delivered a second place finish. Under his leadership and technical skills the Trenton Italians soccer team was able to compete at the highest level of amateur soccer in the East and also attracted the top players.
Sergio coached the Trenton Italians to numerous first place finished in outdoor and indoor tournaments around the state as a member of the Italian American League. The teams won indoor tournaments in Elizabeth, Paterson and New York against the top teams of the metropolitan area.
Among the Trenton Italian players who excelled for Sergio’s teams is tonight’s Hall of Fame inductee Sal Russo. In addition to winning a host of league championships, the Trenton Italians under Sergio created a dynasty by winning five New Jersey State Cup titles from 1974-80, including an unprecedented three in a row.
The biggest success of his coaching career came in the summer of 1977 when the Trenton Italians, under Sergio Flamini’s guidance, defeated a New York Cosmos team that featured many of the first line players from the NASL squad, by a 3-0 score at Lincoln Field in Trenton before a crowd of 1,200.
Sergio was forced to end his active soccer career when a stroke limited his physical activities, but he has never list his love for the world’s greatest game and still enjoys watching a good soccer match whenever he can.
