We sat down with Amber Brooks, who scored her first goal for the club in our 3-0 victory over Portland last Saturday, to chat about breakfast, superpowers and her goals on and off the pitch.
Who are your heroes?
My parents and brothers are my heroes. They’ve just been great role models, both of my parents played in college, my brothers did too and growing up I just wanted to emulate what they were doing. They’re the ones that got me started with soccer. Once I told them this is what I wanted to pursue, my parents made sure that I was as involved as I could be and they did a lot to provide me with the opportunities they could to get better. They’ve just always supported me in whatever I wanted to pursue.
Describe Amber Brooks in one word.
Intense.
What is your favorite soccer movie?
She’s The Man and I really like The Big Green if we go back to my childhood. That kid that pretends to be a GOAT by taking a penalty kick – I use to practice that a few times as a kid.
Who would you want to play you in a biopic?
Amy Schumer is very funny! I’m not nearly as funny as her, nor has my life been but I think she is a pretty cool actress.
What is the last book you read?
I’m almost done with Grit by Angela Duckworth. It is about how the qualities of perseverance and passion – basically, the idea that experts and people with great talent, some of the best athletes or some of the smartest people in the world usually possess these traits.
What’s the first song you sing at karaoke?
Always Be My Baby by Maria Carey. I’ve actually been singing that song in the car lately.
What’s one song on your playlist that people wouldn’t expect to hear?
Probably, Old Thing Back – I found it on a throwback playlist, but it does not have the most appropriate lyrics. I just really like the beat. It is the last song I listen to before I get ready for a game.
If you could eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would that be?
Probably steak. No, I’ll go with pancakes. I love pancakes any time of day. It’s the best, actually – blueberry pancakes. I like breakfast for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I can eat breakfast as a pregame meal, blueberry pancakes are my go-to.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Telekinesis, because it is the superpower that contains all other superpowers. If you could control mind and matter, you can teleport, control the weather or other people’s mind, so it is basically one massive superpower.
What’s the first thing you do after you get telekinesis?
Probably add a lot of zeros to my bank account so I can focus on other things I want to do.
What place would you like to visit on your next vacation?
I’m not sure which African country, but I’d like to travel to Africa. Or I’d like to spend my honeymoon in Fiji or Bora Bora. I’m not a beach bum but I like the seclusion of an island.
Describe your perfect day.
For my perfect day I would wake up, have breakfast – you know eggs, pancakes and bacon. Take a cold shower, it really wakes me up and gets me ready to go. Listen to music as I get ready, work out in some capacity – it could be soccer, lifting or running. Hang out with my family; my mom, my one-year-old niece Winnie, who I get a kick out of and go to dinner with them. If it’s a Tuesday night then it’s wing night. Usually the whole family goes to a restaurant that serves chicken wings and we have a feast with everyone. That’s always fun. Hang out with my boyfriend of course, watch a movie or Game of Thrones. I’d also like to go to sleep at a decent time. I like to get my sleep, at least eight or nine hours of sleep a night. It’s a product of [soccer players] realizing that it allows us to recover and perform at our best. I have also just always been a fan of sleeping. I just really enjoy it. I’m someone who gets hangry. If I’m grumpy it is because I am either tired or hungry. It’s pretty simple, you either need to feed me or let me sleep.
What are some of your goals for the next 5-10 years?
I’d like to win an NWSL Championship, I was pretty close last year. Actually, to start with I’d like to stay on one team for more than one season. That would be a good start and allow me to develop some consistency. I want to be an important member of that team, win the NWSL Championship. I’m still holding on to the goal of getting called up to the national team again. I think I could make a push for the 2019 World Cup. I think my body will hold up and I will keep progressing and getting better. That’s definitely a goal for the future. I’m not sure what I want to do beyond soccer, after I’m done playing to be honest. I’d like to be close to family and friends, wherever the majority of them are. I’m somebody who does best when I’m around my support system. I’d like to get married, have a few kids and whether it is through soccer or something else – have a positive impact on people and have great relationships with them.
