BY NICHOLAS GORDON | news@queensledger.com

Brooklyn Football Club (BKFC), the first Brooklyn women’s professional soccer team, is currently tied for first place with a record of 9-5-4 in the inaugural season of the USL Super League. With Brooklyn FC returning to its home pitch at Maimonides Park in Coney Island this spring after playing its home matches at Rocco b Commisso Stadium last fall, we caught up with a few of the team’s star players to learn more about their professional journeys, their experience playing soccer for Brooklyn FC, and the things they love in life almost as much as soccer itself. The interviews have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Mackenzie George

Hometown:  Lincoln, California

College:  University of Tennessee

Years Pro: 1

Position:  Forward

2024-2025 BKFC Stats: 3 goals, 3 assists, and 27 chances created; Selected for USL Super League Team of the Month for September 2024

Can you tell us a bit about your journey to professional soccer? 

Playing professional soccer was something people always talked about with me but I didn’t really embrace that until my last couple of years in college when I started to change my mindset about my life and soccer and realized that’s what I wanted to do. I started getting calls from NWSL coaches and it looked like I was probably going to be drafted, but then I had a difficult senior year with injuries and setbacks and I lost a lot of confidence. I struggled for a while before going to Iceland to start my soccer career, where I got good experience, and it also inspired me to want to play on an even higher level.

When I finally came home, I didn’t play for nine months and felt down and discouraged about it for different reasons. It was a difficult time and in my head I felt like I had quit soccer, I was done. Then my agent called about Brooklyn, and though I still had doubts I realized I had to go and try out for the team. It’s definitely been a rollercoaster and a humbling experience, but I persevered and I’m really grateful to now be playing at such a high level with Brooklyn. I guess I just can’t stay away from the game of soccer! 

What’s been a highlight of your experience playing for Brooklyn FC so far?

The fun we had on the field last fall was a real rush of highlights. As a startup team we dealt with a ton of adversity and unknowns, so when we stayed together and started to become successful it reaffirmed why we’re here and what we’re doing. The goal celebrations we did, with everyone smiling, everyone involved. I’ll never forget the feeling of scoring a goal and having those celebrations with the team.

What can fans expect from Brooklyn FC matches at Maimonides Park this spring?

It’s going to be exciting, and our team is going to bring some energy, some grit, and some flair! Last year wasn’t ideal with having to change fields but we still had fun. Now we’re playing at home, the environment is fun and I can already feel it in my bones. We’ve been waiting for this for so long and it’s going to show when we play.

I understand your dog, Rocky, is one of your biggest fans and supporters. Can you tell us about his role in your soccer career and with Brooklyn FC?

I got Rocky when I started playing in college, and he became a team dog, traveling with me, training with me. When I came here, it was already known that Rocky was a big part of my life. My coaches adore him and my teammates have been the best dog aunties ever. When we’ve had low points, Rocky’s always joyful, so I think that’s why he’s always included too. It’s truly a special thing how he’s treated by everyone here and I love having him with us.

What does your off-season look like, including your training regimen and free time?

Off-season is an opportunity to get better and feel confident about the difference you can make heading into the season. I change up my workout plan a lot, but most days it’s some ball work, some ridiculous sprinting and running, and then lifting six days a week. Rocky and I also ran a marathon. I work out harder in the off-season than I do in season.  It’s pretty intense but I love it and I can’t let it go.

In my free time right now I’m trying to learn Spanish. I think it’d be a great skill to have for future jobs and to communicate with other individuals. I also enjoy painting and drawing, which I find very soothing. 

If you weren’t a pro soccer player, what profession might you be working in?

I love being creative and working with people and engaging in movement, so it’d have to be something that combines those things. Maybe marketing or sales for a sports team or sports company, something fun and stimulating where I can utilize my creativity and social skills.

What’s your second favorite sport? 

If I could do another sport, it’d have to be gymnastics. I also love lifting weights.

What are you watching, reading, or listening to lately?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Latin music lately, which goes hand in hand with learning Spanish. For reading, I like self-help books that are inspiring and insightful. For shows, I love “New Girl” and “How I met Your Mother” and “Friends,” shows that are nice and easy to watch after a hard day of training.

What tip would you give to someone visiting your home state? 

If you’re visiting California, rent a car so you can drive along the coast and also see the state’s geographic diversity, such as the desert and mountains and lakes and beaches.

What’s one meal or food you could not live without?

Cauliflower gnocchi. And Greek yogurt, it energizes you. I eat both of those things almost everyday.

Where do you see yourself in ten minutes?

I’m heading to the park with Rocky to play frisbee!

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Jessica Garziano

Hometown:  Melville, NY

College:  St. John’s University

Years Pro: 1 

Position: Forward

2024-2025 BKFC Stats and honors: 4 goals (tied for team lead with Luana Grabias) including first goal in club history; 20 shots on goal, with 13 chances created (tied for third on team); Selected as USL Super League Player of the Month for September 2024

Can you tell us a bit about your journey to professional soccer? 

Growing up playing for my club coach, Ron Albert, he always told me I could go pro, so the thought was always in the back of my head. But then after having a pretty rocky freshman year in college, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to play soccer anymore. My college coach, Ian Stone, really encouraged me and told me “you’re too good not to play” and that I could go pro someday. So I think having coaches who believed in me and gave me confidence is part of the reason I got here today.

What’s been a highlight of your experience playing for Brooklyn FC so far?

I would say the win at Dallas for our last game in the fall was a big highlight for us, because it  pushed us so high up the board to secure first place. It was a nice end to the fall season going into the break on a high. Dallas is a really hard place to play against a really good team, so getting a win there in the last ten minutes or so was a really cool win and a gritty team win. We’d been playing for six months, everyone’s exhausted, but we knew we had to win that game in order to help us for the spring. That was a big win for us.

What can fans expect from Brooklyn FC matches at Maimonides Park this spring?

A lot of goals and a lot of wins, hopefully. I feel like we have a really fun style of play, and a lot of creative players along with that. There’s a lot of fluidity in our style, and there’s not just one person that other teams can scout for, because our team is all really good. We have a lot of different goal scorers, which makes it fun to play with this group, because we’re unpredictable. We’re so excited to be able to play in Brooklyn, we can’t wait!

What does your off-season look like, including your training regimen and free time?

In the winter we had five weeks off. In the first week we go completely off, and I go away from soccer. I don’t watch game film or do any running, I’m just relaxing and spending time with my family. I have four brothers so I have a big family. I love going home to catch up with everyone. 

In the summer offseason, I work out a lot and play in small-sided soccer games with some people from Long Island who also play professionally. When I wake up, I go to the gym, then go play soccer, and then sit outside with a book. I also love going to the beach and tanning when I have time. 

If you weren’t a pro soccer player, what profession might you be working in?

I did my master’s degree in applied mathematics so I’d say something with sports statistics or data analytics. I’d love to work with a professional team and do the data side, that’d be really cool. And my undergrad degree is in teaching so I could see myself doing that, too.

What’s your second favorite sport?

I would say either basketball or volleyball. Both of those sports are really fun and I played them  while growing up, too.

What have you been watching lately?

I’m watching the drama series “Designated Survivor” and I just finished watching “Paradise.” I also love reality tv. I recently watched “Traders” and that’s really good. Me and my roommates always watch “The Challenge.” If someone recommends a good show, I’ll binge it.

What tip would you give to someone visiting your hometown?

The bagels are amazing on Long Island. I love Bagel Biz or Long Island Bagel Cafe. 

What’s one meal or food you could not live without?

I love Hibachi. It’s one of my favorite things in the world and I’d go every day if I could, if it wasn’t so expensive. 

Where do you see yourself in ten minutes?

Making dinner. I’m going to make steak and kale tonight. I love steak and I love to cook!

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Kelsey Hill

Hometown:  Elk Grove, California

College:  Pepperdine University

Years Pro:  3

Position:  Defender

2024-2025 BKFC Stats:  53 clearances (team lead); 6 blocks (tied team lead); USL Super League’s Team of the Month bench in February 2025

Can you tell us a bit about your journey to professional soccer? 

When I first started playing soccer when I was 4 years old, I always looked up to Mia Hamm and the Women’s National team, so I’ve always wanted to play professionally. The journey definitely didn’t go how I thought it was going to, it had a lot of bumps along the way, but I guess everyone’s journey does. Heading into my senior year in college, I broke my hip during preseason, and then had to sit out the whole season. Even with this setback, I knew that I still wanted to play at the highest level possible, but I wasn’t drafted by a pro team. I started networking with all the coaches in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) trying to find an opportunity and I got invited to Angel City FC’s preseason. They didn’t sign me at first but I stayed on training with the team for six months and eventually got a contract with them. After that I played in Denmark six months before signing with Brooklyn FC.

What’s been a highlight of your experience playing for Brooklyn FC so far?

Just being with this team, we’ve been through a lot of adversity and had a lot of things to figure out as a new team in a new league. The group of girls we have is so special and working together with the support of our staff has made it possible for us to be doing as well as we are. 

What can fans expect from Brooklyn FC matches at Maimonides Park this spring?

More of our goal celebrations. I think it’s going to be a really cool environment. We’re so excited to play there and we’ve been really looking forward to it. It’s going to be great energy there.

What does your off-season look like, including your training regimen and free time?

After the big part of the season, we have to take time off. Our bodies have been broken down and in order to build back up again we have to rest a bit. I take a week and a half off, stepping away from soccer, and to stay active I do a bit of hiking. I found an amazing trainer in L.A. who’s become a mentor. He has his own gym, and he brings together a lot of women’s soccer players. I have quite intense training days in the offseason. I start lifting at 7am, and then I go to the field for conditioning and playing in soccer games, then it’s recovery time. For downtime, I love to read. My roommate and I also like to do puzzles during the New York winter when we’re not outside as much.

What are you reading lately?

Usually I prefer self-improvement and meditation-type books but lately I’ve gotten into a fiction series by Sarah Moss, along with a lot of my teammates. We have like a huge book club on our team with everyone on a different book in the series. That’s also what’s interesting about our team, everyone’s always reading. Right now I’m on the Crescent City series by Moss. 

If you weren’t a pro soccer player, what profession might you be working in?

I’d probably be using my degree, I was a math major, and physics and art minor. I’d like to try engineering or architecture.

What’s your second favorite sport?

Probably ping pong. I love playing against my teammates on travel trips. When I’m home I play against my family, especially my sister, we have full on tournaments. 

What tip would you give to someone visiting your hometown?

From my hometown (in northern California), I’d recommend driving a few hours to Lake Tahoe, it’s unreal, so beautiful. I’d also say don’t miss driving down the coast. 

What’s one food you could not live without?

Sushi.

Where do you see yourself in ten minutes?

I just got back from acupuncture and practice, so probably rolling out with foam rollers and stretching for recovery before I take a shower.