Danielle Bergmeister

My name is Dani and I have been involved in women’s soccer for 35 years now. I started playing as a very small child and, by 1997, I had made my way all the way to NCAA Division I/USA ODP (Olympic Development Program) Region IV. I played varsity soccer at University of Colorado, Boulder, for four years after accepting a scholarship to the university. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communication and moved to Germany in 2004. I became a mom in 2006 and it wasn’t until my daughter was 6 that I found my way back to the sport that has brought me so much joy and happiness. I discovered that there was so much more to love about being a coach; that teaching young kids how to find their own groove in the sport, it turned out that this was more fulfilling than playing had ever been for me.

Coaching is not only my passion, but I am fortunate to have found jobs all over working with young soccer players who are trying to advance their own careers.

Being that we are all female soccer players, we already have to fight harder to "make it". There is no big payday waiting for us when we move into the professional arena, and most of us will have to have a day job to pay the bills so that we have time to pursue our soccer careers in the evenings. I am a huge proponent of sending girls to study/play soccer at University in the USA. There are so many opportunities/scholarships and there is truly no league in the entire world that has as many teams, as many high level players, and is as consistent, year after year.