Hey guys, for those of you who didn’t follow my blogs last year, my name is Matt Danaher and I am going to be a junior at Fairfield University. I always think that first blogs are tough, so I’m going to start this year by telling you all about my story and how I ended up at Fairfield in the first place. My story is filled with highs and lows, failures, and hard work, but if there’s one thing you take away from this blog, I hope it’s that you remember to never give up on your dreams, and to never let a coach or anyone tell you that you can’t achieve your goal.
My goal was to play Division 1 soccer in college. My journey started at a top premier club in Connecticut at the U-17 age during my junior year of high school. Our coach told us at the beginning of the season that his #1 goal was to get us all to the colleges that we wanted to play at. After a few long months, I began to realize that this statement was completely false, and I also began to realize that this coach did not have my best interests at heart. He also did not like me. He didn’t like the way I played; he didn’t think I was good enough technically; or fast enough; or whatever. I simply did not fit his mold of what he thought a good player should be. There was a tournament I remember coming back from on a coach bus with the team, and when we got back I remember telling my dad that I wanted to quit soccer and never play again. I was so upset I almost punched a hole in the shower when I got home.
After a little pep talk from my parents, we decided that I just needed to keep working hard and eventually it would all work out. I stayed on the team, making sure I continued to attend every training session, and play as well as I could. As a team, we were doing well, and we won our semi-final state cup game to reach the finals.
My goal was to play Division 1 soccer in college. My journey started at a top premier club in Connecticut at the U-17 age during my junior year of high school. Our coach told us at the beginning of the season that his #1 goal was to get us all to the colleges that we wanted to play at. After a few long months, I began to realize that this statement was completely false, and I also began to realize that this coach did not have my best interests at heart. He also did not like me. He didn’t like the way I played; he didn’t think I was good enough technically; or fast enough; or whatever. I simply did not fit his mold of what he thought a good player should be. There was a tournament I remember coming back from on a coach bus with the team, and when we got back I remember telling my dad that I wanted to quit soccer and never play again. I was so upset I almost punched a hole in the shower when I got home.
After a little pep talk from my parents, we decided that I just needed to keep working hard and eventually it would all work out. I stayed on the team, making sure I continued to attend every training session, and play as well as I could. As a team, we were doing well, and we won our semi-final state cup game to reach the finals.
Our coach took the cup final very seriously, and he made our entire team stay overnight in a hotel in Hartford so that no one was tired from driving up the day of the game. I was really looking forward to this game, particularly because I had been in contact with Yale University and coach Brian Tompkins. He had responded to my email and told me that they were looking forward to seeing me play in the state cup final. I made sure that I forwarded that email to my coach. As I sat in bed the night before, I remembered that our team had 19 players (2 had just been added to the roster about a month before), but only 18 players were going to be included in the squad for the match. “There’s no way I won’t be rostered to play... I’ve been playing really well this month," I thought to myself.
I woke up in the morning and my parents and I made our way to the field. After checking in with the referee, we all went to put our bags down by the bench. I heard the referee ask my coach for his team-sheet. My ears perked up, and I turned around to see my coach looking at me. He quickly muttered, ”Matt, you’re not rostered for the game," and then turned away. Immediately I zoned out. It was like that sentence had taken me from the state cup final and submerged me underwater in the Arctic Ocean. Surrounded by my teammates, I was the loneliest person on the planet. I couldn’t hear anything anyone said, and I knew I was watching my dream of playing in college being slowly drowned and washed away.
We won the match, but I don’t remember the score or what happened. All I remember was being approached by my coach after the game, as he tried to tell me that there would be lots of college coaches in the Regional tournament to see me play. I gave a slow nod, trying to hold back how I really felt. I decided that if I hadn’t even made the squad of 18 for this game, there was no way I was going to play one minute in the Regional tournament. I left the team, and decided to focus exclusively on my college camps and finding a new club.
I woke up in the morning and my parents and I made our way to the field. After checking in with the referee, we all went to put our bags down by the bench. I heard the referee ask my coach for his team-sheet. My ears perked up, and I turned around to see my coach looking at me. He quickly muttered, ”Matt, you’re not rostered for the game," and then turned away. Immediately I zoned out. It was like that sentence had taken me from the state cup final and submerged me underwater in the Arctic Ocean. Surrounded by my teammates, I was the loneliest person on the planet. I couldn’t hear anything anyone said, and I knew I was watching my dream of playing in college being slowly drowned and washed away.
We won the match, but I don’t remember the score or what happened. All I remember was being approached by my coach after the game, as he tried to tell me that there would be lots of college coaches in the Regional tournament to see me play. I gave a slow nod, trying to hold back how I really felt. I decided that if I hadn’t even made the squad of 18 for this game, there was no way I was going to play one minute in the Regional tournament. I left the team, and decided to focus exclusively on my college camps and finding a new club.
A couple of weeks later, I attended the tryouts for the South Central Premier U-17/18 Development Academy. Coach Quinn, the head coach, approached me after the tryout and asked me what I thought of the tryout. I told him I really enjoyed it and I liked the players that were already on the team. He told me that the team would be in contact with me, and the next day he called me to say that I had made the team. He must’ve thought I hung up the phone because I didn’t say anything for a good 15 seconds, but I was actually so excited that I couldn’t speak without sounding like a little boy on Christmas. I composed myself, thanked him for the call, and told him I would love to play with them next season.
I have to thank Coach Quinn, because he saw something in me that this other coach didn’t. He thought I could develop into a solid player, given the right coaching and the right situation. I know I wouldn’t be playing at Fairfield today if it wasn’t for South Central, and I have to thank them for giving me an opportunity to develop and become a better player.
Despite having a good high school season, I still hadn't found a place to play in college. I had remained in contact with Yale, but they had informed me that I wasn’t one of their top recruits, so they wouldn’t be giving me any help with admissions. I emailed Fairfield to tell them I was interested in the program. I told them that both of my parents had attended Fairfield, and that I would love to be a part of the soccer team. In January of my senior year, Fairfield U saw me play in a couple of home games for South Central. They told me that they liked what they saw from me, and that if I decided to attend Fairfield; I would have a spot on the team for preseason. It wasn’t a scholarship, or even the guarantee of a spot, but it was exactly what I was looking for, an opportunity.
I have to thank Coach Quinn, because he saw something in me that this other coach didn’t. He thought I could develop into a solid player, given the right coaching and the right situation. I know I wouldn’t be playing at Fairfield today if it wasn’t for South Central, and I have to thank them for giving me an opportunity to develop and become a better player.
Despite having a good high school season, I still hadn't found a place to play in college. I had remained in contact with Yale, but they had informed me that I wasn’t one of their top recruits, so they wouldn’t be giving me any help with admissions. I emailed Fairfield to tell them I was interested in the program. I told them that both of my parents had attended Fairfield, and that I would love to be a part of the soccer team. In January of my senior year, Fairfield U saw me play in a couple of home games for South Central. They told me that they liked what they saw from me, and that if I decided to attend Fairfield; I would have a spot on the team for preseason. It wasn’t a scholarship, or even the guarantee of a spot, but it was exactly what I was looking for, an opportunity.
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