Growing up in São Paulo, Brazil, soccer was always a first for the new girls’ varsity head coach, Gianlucca Rossi. Before being hired as a coach, he joined Gulliver as a chemistry teacher for 10th-grade students. Rossi brings ambition and years of experience, having developed a love for the game as a teenager.

“Even when I was a player, I was still, I think 15 or 16 years old, I had already thought about the fact I could coach,” Coach Rossi said.

Mr Rossi hopes to bring his skill and knowledge of the game to the Gulliver Girls Varsity team and help them reach their full potential.
“No one here is a pro yet; everyone’s still essentially a kid. And when you’re that young, you still have space to develop and grow and improve as a player. So I think that’s our responsibility as a coaching staff as well,” Rossi said.

Rossi hopes to not only lead the team to victory and prosperity on the field but also off the field also leaving them with life team-building skills and creating a positive team culture and atmosphere.

“You know, I think it goes beyond results. I think it goes to creating a positive team culture. Not saying that there wasn’t, but it’s my first year. I think it’s our responsibility as a staff in our first year to create that,” Rossi said.

Rossi looks to not only have a winning season but leave a legacy behind for the players and the next generation of women’s soccer players.

“I think I just want to have a positive impact, whether that is, like I said, the results or just the day-to-day. I think it just has to be a positive impact from the things that I already mentioned: team culture, the day-to-day, the energy in the environment around the team. And also hopefully, the results everyone wants to win,” Rossi said.