Brandi Ferguson shares how she went from not playing on the pitch to starting every game
While attending San Bernardino Valley College, defender Brandi Ferguson tore part of her ACL. Although it wasn’t a full tear, it was a major setback for a skilled player.
The Moreno Valley native played six games during the 2015 season at the junior college and had one assist. During the following season, Ferguson had signed her letter of intent with Louisiana State University of Alexandria. Her hopes in committing to a school across the country was to travel the U.S. and gain a new experience of the game.
Moving across the country was an adjustment, not only for her as an athlete, but even in her education. Ferguson originally intended to major in physical therapy, but had changed to psychology. While she had club, high school, and now some college experience playing soccer, there was a lot to learn as the game was different at LSU.
“At first I focused on technical skills, but my coach focuses on different things such as team chemistry and the way players work well together,” Ferguson said. “I learned getting to know the players really well and connecting with them, I learned their weaknesses and strengths to see how we balance each other out.”
Joining a new team can bring many challenges with finding team chemistry and even narrowing down what players to start with and substiute for. Ferguson explained how some of her favorite aspects about her teammates is that there was so much diversity. Majority of her teammates were international players and for her that was a new experience along with seeing how the players and coaches focus on speed rather than skills.
At LSU, Ferguson didn’t start in any games. She played in four matches and scored one goal in her first season, but she wasn’t on the pitch as much as she was used to. Although she had the skill to play, she was out of shape and to be able to play to her greatest potential, she had to take action to start on the pitch and gain playing time.
During the spring and throughout the summer, she began to work out and went running on her own time. Sometimes she even worked out three to four times a day, determined to condition her body to its fullest potential. With all of her hard work, she had lost 50 lbs. in about a year and began to see the change in herself as a player.
“I went from not playing to starting every game,” Ferguson said. “This year was worth the hard work.”
When she returned for her second year in Louisiana, she went from playing in four games to 19 matches and the team achieved second team all-conference.
From her experience of transforming her mindset to become a healthier player, the renewed defender has even been able to encourage and equip other players who have been in the same position as her. She has taken the time to be able to personally work with others to help them achieve their goals to meet the pitch.
Although her time playing college soccer has come to an end, Ferguson also has goals to be on the pitch and try out for semi-pro teams that are recruiting.
