PLANO — Matt Denny, a mid-career Englishman, and Bernard Kamungo, a young former refugee from Tanzania, took an oath to become U.S. citizens Tuesday, two of 650 people from 76 different countries who participated in a ceremony in Plano. Their paths first crossed because of soccer, but they'll now forever have a special connection.
In January of last year, Denny offered Kamungo a professional soccer contract after the then-19-year-old with no professional soccer experience wowed North Texas SC coaches and staff at an open tryout in Frisco. While finishing high school that spring in his adopted hometown of Abilene, Kamungo started his pro career with the then-USL League One and now MLS NEXT PRO team.
Read more: How Kamungo went from Tanzania to Texas to an open tryout to make NTSC
The story was special then, but the two men now have a deeper connection. Family and friends were not allowed to attend the ceremony, which made the shared moment all the more welcome.
North Texas SC helped Kamungo with the citizenship process, sending letters of support and pushing for expedition, but Denny only noticed the ceremony coincidence after getting word from Kamungo's agent that the young star's citizenship status would be changing.
"Bernard’s agent sent over his appointment and I had mine mailed to me two days before. It just happened to be the same one," Denny said. "The process has been pretty long, but we both managed to get in pretty quick. It was a total coincidence.
"The funny thing is, I was sat there thinking that when Bernard signed with us, his story is amazing, his story is basically what makes America great to be able to do that. I’m interested to see where his path goes, but it’s a moment we’ll share together."
Denny broke the news to Kamungo at lunch after a training session. The 20-year-old laughed at the happenstance of swearing the oath next to the man who helped make his professional dreams come true.
"It was really amazing having my boss there," he said Tuesday after the ceremony. "It really feels amazing. It’s unbelievable to see where I came from and where I am right now. It’s really an honor to be a United States citizen. I don’t know how to describe the feeling, but I really feel special right now."
While united by a shared workplace, Denny and Kamungo had very different journeys to the U.S. While Kamungo left East Africa due to difficult living circumstances and arrived in the U.S. with family, Denny spent summers in the United States working as a soccer coach and found himself entranced by flashy American sporting events and entertainment offerings. He later met his wife in Chicago and started working at a club in the area before moving to North Texas for a role closer to his wife's hometown in the FC Dallas front office.
He's long thought of the U.S. as home, spending most of his life in this country and watching his family grow in the States, but Tuesday solidified those feelings.
"When I was in the ceremony, it felt a little more emotional than I thought it would," he said. "I’ve probably spent more of my life in America than I have in England at this point. It’s that tipping point. Most of my adult life has been in America, and it feels like home. I’ve got a wife and kids here, and at the end of the day, this is my home. I’m always going to be English, but it feels good to be a part of the country that I live in and love."
Kamungo has spent much less time in America — he moved to Texas with his family six years ago. He's now the first U.S. citizen in his family, with his parents and brother likely to follow him through the process shortly. He FaceTimed his father after the ceremony and joked with him that he needs to study up on the 100 civics questions that can appear on the citizenship exam.
In addition to the benefits every U.S. citizen can enjoy, there are some soccer ramifications to Kamungo's new status. First things first, he's working to get his passport as quickly as possible to be able to travel for NTSC's June 17 game at Vancouver Whitecaps 2 across the border at BC Place. But he now wouldn't occupy an international spot on any American team's roster, something that may make him more attractive to MLS clubs or pave the way for an FC Dallas signing.
He also could represent either the United States or Tanzania at the international level, but said he wants to speak with his family and see what opportunities exist on that front before making any sort of decision.
"As a football player, you want to have options so you can choose the right one. But I’m so glad I have my citizenship. Everything else will follow," he said.
With the fortune of making it to the U.S. in the first place, the success of turning up for an open tryout and getting spotted by Denny and his staff, and even the happy coincidence of having Denny alongside him during one of his biggest moments, why wouldn't he feel that everything else will fall in line?