Junior Coach Spotlight, Brianna Berlanga
When did you start playing soccer, why did you start playing? And when did you start with Girls Leading Girls (GLG)?
I started playing soccer when I was 4. I started to play because I felt so drawn to playing this sport, I would watch every boy at my school play and there would be no girl. I wanted to be that one girl that wasn’t afraid to play and to show that girls could do it too. I was devoted to playing and it became a passion, this gave me many opportunities such as joining Girls leading Girls when I was in the 5th grade at 9 years old.
What has soccer taught you about life or yourself
Soccer has taught me not only to be a leader on the field but off the field as well. It has inspired me to use my voice, as a person that suffers from social anxiety it has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and become the best version of myself.
Do the USWNT players inspire you? If so, who is your favorite player and why?
Everything that the USWNT has done has inspired me down from when they won the 2019 World Cup to them advocating and using their voice for important issues. One of my favorite players is Megan Rapinoe, she always comes to every game giving her 100% and always fights for more than the medals & wins she receives.
What other women are role models that inspire you? Why?
All the women coaches in GLG Sol have all inspired me in there own unique way, they all have something different about them that makes them so special. They push us to get better at the things we love to do, they tell us to strive for our dreams because the possibilities are endless.
Have you ever been or felt discriminated against on or off the soccer field because of your gender or race?
I have been discriminated against because of my gender and race. When I am discriminated against because of my gender it is always about how I am weak and can never play a “mans sport”. They use the excuse that we are not mentally and physically ready. When I am discriminated against by my race they see me as the odd one out since I am a Latina, they stare or make comments about my appearance or the way I play.
How has being part of Girls Leading Girls helped you overcome a challenge? What was the challenge or adversity you faced?
Being apart of Girls Leading Girls has helped me become more confident in myself, they have helped me overcome all my negative thoughts about myself and how I play soccer. Growing up I have never been very confident in myself, I would say negative things that would affect my mindset. GLG has taught me to love myself and to be confident in my own skin.
What do you think we need more of or less of right now in order to change the social injustices and racial inequality happening in the world?
We need to educate the youth, we need to show them the different problems that people face in our would. They need to be able to see different sides of other stories and views before judging. We need to have an open minded society that will learn the good and bad.
How else do you participate in Girls Leading Girls (junior coach, junior board, mentorship program) and how has that helped you with your goals and confidence?
Being in Girls Leading Girls has given me many opportunities such as Junior Coaching, Junior Board, and being apart of a mentorship program. Being apart of these three amazing programs has opened new doors for my goals. It has shown paths that I might want to take in the future such as coaching or being a professional soccer player. GLG has given me and every player on GLG Sol confidence in our journeys to becoming successful women.
