Brooklyn FC’s new goalkeeper Sydney Martinez didn’t start her sporting career between the pipes. “Soccer actually wasn’t my first choice in sports. I started playing softball when I was three and played that for years.” She said this smiling at the memories of a time long before becoming a professional soccer player. “My dad was a soccer player growing up, so I decided to try soccer as well. There wasn’t a lot of teams available in my area, but I was always on the taller side. So when I was six or seven, I joined a team that was five years older, and I became a goalkeeper.”

“I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of the position. I was a catcher in softball, making the calls and stuff like that. In soccer, as a goalkeeper, you help control the field and make sure everyone’s in the right spot. It just spoke to me and I enjoy doing it.” Of course, there are plusses and minuses to every position on the field, Martinez was quick to point out. “Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t want to do all the running [she started laughing at this point]. Everyone wants to be the striker and score goals, but I like the feeling of ‘Hey, you can’t get past me.’”

Since those early days in Georgia, learning the game, Sydney has blossomed into a promising young goalkeeper. After a solid career at USF, she led Tormenta FC to a W League Championship in the club’s inaugural season, winning Golden Gloves and Finals MVP. She’s now signed with Brooklyn FC and set to be the starting keeper for New York’s first entry into the USL Super League. Pair all that club success with a promising start in her international career with Puerto Rico and it’s clear Martinez is ready to take on this new professional challenge.

Goalkeeping for a Nation

The challenges of suiting up for your national team are multiple. Extra travel and matches, trying to fit in and connect with another set of players, and the pressure of playing in high-stake matches all make for a daunting situation. But for Martinez, all that doesn’t compare to her pride of representing Puerto Rico. “There’s something different when you play for your country. There’s so much extra drive to play for Puerto Rico. It’s such a small island that doesn’t get much representation a lot of times. It’s something incredible to get to play for your country. You feel it in your soul.”

Growing up in Georgia, Sydney sometimes felt distant from her Puerto Rican roots and getting to play for her home country has strengthened that bond. “Being able to go to the island and be with other players who grew up there and in the States, we’ve been able to talk about our experiences growing up and our heritage. It’s helped me learn more at a deeper level about our history and everything.”

In this year’s CONCACAF W Gold Cup, Martinez shined for Puerto Rico, earning best XI in group stage play for her strong performances against Brazil, Colombia, and Panama.

Bulls on Parade

The new league will offer plenty of chances for Martinez to go against former teammates in college and the USF connection is strong still. “Me and Sydny Nasello are best friends to this day,” said Martinez when asked about former collegiate teammates. Nasello signed last month with Tampa Bay Sun.

The connection to Nasello began even before her and Martinez were freshman roommates. “We had actually played against each other in ECNL.” But at USF, the unlikely pairing of striker and goalkeeper cemented on the practice pitch. “When we wanted to do extra drills or practices, I always had her. She wanted more touches and I wanted more chances to stop shots, so it was a perfect match.”

Of course, now the life-long friends will be facing each other and Martinez fighting spirit won’t allow her to pull any punches. “If we play the entire season without her scoring on me, that will be a win,” she said smiling.

The Player Pathway

Martinez development is a product of natural talent, her own hard work, and plenty of great coaching along the way. She’s certainly benefited from the player development pathway that USL is trying to establish. She was big part of the W League championship at Tormenta in 2022 and that win was very much like a homecoming for her. “It was something really special to win in my home state. There were a lot of players I had played with as a youth player on that team. Coming back to play with them was fun.”

Sydney is quick to credit a lot of her development to her time in the USL system. “It’s a higher level. The W League attracts so much talent and it’s a fight to make those rosters. It helped motivate me to get ready and develop into a pro player.” That paid off when she signed with Brooklyn FC.

This year will provide plenty of new challenges for Sydney in Brooklyn, but she’s ready for a new season with her club in the Super League. “I’m excited for it. I ready to go and experience something new in Brooklyn!”

- Dan Vaughn