In the second of our Humans of NYCFC series, we meet Brandi Daniels.... A Goalkeeper, A City in the Community coach and employee of NYCFC in Fan Development...
I grew up on Long Island, in a town called Huntington.
I started playing soccer when I was four-years-old and I never wanted to be a goalie. I always wanted to go run and to score goals but that changed when I was nine and I had a coach from Israel who told me that he could make me into an amazing goalie. It was through his tactics and fun delivery which made me fall in love with the position and soon after, I earned the nickname “Spider”.
My favorite player growing up was U.S Women’s National Team goalie, Briana Scurry.
To see an African American female in goal and being one of the best goalies in the world empowered me to try and do the same thing. I remember before the U.S team went to the ‘99 World Cup, they were training at one of the fields my club played on. It was there I got to meet Briana and she gave me a pair of cleats and gloves. She told me they were for someone who could take her place one day in the future.
That moment inspired me to go on and play Division One soccer at Towson for four years where I was named First-Team All-CAA in 2006 and 2007 after I was named to the All-Rookie team in 2004. I'll never forget it.
After college, I was in between jobs and one day I randomly replied to this job advertisement thinking nothing of it. I knew the position involved a new professional soccer team and I said, why not? From the second I came off the elevator for the interview I had this feeling that this club was going to change my life for the better.
Now I work as a City in the Community Coach and in Fan Development for NYCFC and I love that I can wake up every day loving my job. My passion has always been soccer and now NYCFC has brought this out, along with my passion for helping and connecting with people.
I love seeing the way soccer helps and changes worlds. It's changed and molded mine and it's done the same in so many different ways for so many people.
