Women of New England Surf: A Team of Their Own
A coach spends plenty of time thinking about the team she wants to build. Over the years, she gets to watch her players make it their own.
Coach Danielle Gordon has seen girls she first coached in 7v7 become high school seniors and leaders. For Coach Abby McCulloch, building friendships worth keeping long after players stop competing together is part of the goal. Those connections are familiar to Coach Sandra Arace – she still treasures her own.
Drawing on her experience in youth development, Coach Kerin Miller creates a fun, competitive environment. And Coach Arianne is beginning that work with our youngest girls, helping them feel confident enough to try, make mistakes and try again.
In the final edition of Women of New England Surf, these five coaches share the experiences and convictions that shape the teams they lead.
As October draws to a close, alongside our Breast Cancer Awareness Month initiative supporting Ellie Fund, we celebrate the women who put so much of themselves into helping our players grow.
Coach Abby McCulloch
A goalkeeper stepping up to take the winning penalty might feel some nerves. Coach Abby remembers being excited.
“I knew I could do it and was excited to step up.”
She scored in her high school’s south sectional final, a moment that made a season’s work feel worthwhile. Her career continued at UMass Boston, where she started as a freshman and won a conference championship in her second year.
But Abby had already known since twelve that she wanted to coach. At Surf, which she joined in spring 2022, she now works alongside Tim Mason, the club coach whose mix of enjoyment and competition helped shape her approach.
Her father, her first coach, learned soccer as she grew to love it. His insistence on having fun stays with her, while her mother’s experiences with cancer continue to inspire her understanding of strength.
A favorite Surf memory brings those values together: taking her State Sky group to Italy to compete in Surf Cup Rome, explore the Eternal City and make pasta together. She hopes those connections last.
Back at practice, her players have a more immediate request: “Can we play the three section game?” All three teams ask for it. That is a coaching review worth having.
Coach Danielle Gordon
“Lock in.” “Get on your toes!”
Coach Danielle’s players will recognize the instructions. Behind those expectations is a belief she learned from her mother: asking more of someone can be an expression of confidence in what they can achieve.
After playing at Boston College and Northeastern, Danielle continued a coaching journey she had begun while still competing. Today, she is Surf’s South Shore Regional Manager and Head Coach of Girls Varsity Soccer at Milton Academy.
The group she is proudest of has been with her for a decade, growing from 7v7 players into high school seniors.
“Having a group of players trust me and believe in me for 10 years is rare, and I don’t take it for granted.”
She wants them to learn how to pursue goals, support teammates and recover when things go wrong—and enjoy themselves enough to keep coming back.
At Surf, she values colleagues who step in when someone needs help. She also understands what her own leadership can show young players.
“When girls see a woman running a session, making tough calls and leading a team, they see that there’s a place for them in this game beyond playing.”
Coach Sandra Arace
Ask Coach Sandra about a proud soccer memory, and she returns to traveling to ECNL tournaments with teammates who are still among her best friends.
“To this day, they still have my back and I still have theirs.”
Now, coaching girls in their first years of club soccer, she watches those connections begin again. The enjoyment her players find in practice and games – and the memories they are making together – are what stand out to her at Surf.
Her own journey began in the backyard with her siblings and continued at Providence. As the middle of five children, she had plenty of company for those early challenges.
Her father, a former professional baseball player, traveled around the country with her for soccer. His presence and persistence taught her about drive and resilience.
Sandra wants her players to keep believing in themselves when something feels difficult. Her approach combines that encouragement with a player-focused, competitive and composed style.
And while she enjoys seeing friendships take shape, her players will know she is keeping an eye on something else, too: “What’s our shape?!”
Coach Kerin Miller
Coach Kerin once had to choose between competitive gymnastics and soccer. Soccer won.
She went on to play at Brandeis University, helping the team reach three NCAA tournaments, including a Final Four. Injuries gradually drew her into a player-coach role, and she became an assistant coach at Brandeis during graduate school. That opportunity eventually brought her to Surf.
Her full-time work in children and family services also comes into every session. She draws on her background in youth development to shape how she communicates, plans training and creates an environment that is both fun and competitive.
One experience stands out: watching her 2007 group enter the opening ceremony in Surf Cup Salou alongside players from across the world.
“It was like our own mini World Cup and a very cool reminder of how soccer can unite people.”
Kerin encourages her players to follow women’s sports, and her message about their own futures is direct:
“Women belong in positions of leadership and authority.”
On the field, another instruction comes up regularly: “Find feet.” Her commitment to keeping the ball is something her players know well.
Coach Arianne Farrelly
Being chosen as captain meant something important to Coach Arianne: her teammates trusted her.
Through her playing career, she learned that leading involved setting an example and supporting people through difficult moments. That responsibility helped build her own confidence.
Now, as Metro Boston Girls U8 Junior Academy Select Coach, she wants to help young players discover theirs.
“I want them to know that making mistakes is part of learning and that effort and attitude matter just as much as the outcome.”
She is beginning her time at the club with an enthusiasm for getting to know her players, learning from colleagues and creating sessions where children enjoy working hard. Her three-word description of her approach sets the tone: “Encouraging, energetic, and fun.”
Outside soccer, music, animals and time with friends keep her grounded. The relationships she builds matter deeply to her, and coaching offers a new place to put that into practice.
Her players are at the beginning of their soccer journeys. After playing since she was five herself, Arianne has a message ready for them:
“Have fun, work hard, and believe in yourself!”
The work continues
Across this series, our coaches have shared what they love about the game, what has challenged them and what they want to offer the players in their care.
Their personalities and approaches differ. Each brings experience, thought and commitment to the teams she leads. Across our State and Regional programs, that work gives young players the chance to learn from women as competitors, teachers of the game and leaders.
Thank you to every coach who shared her story, and to the players and families who have followed along.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, you can also support Ellie Fund using the donation QR code accompanying this article. Donations help fund practical assistance for breast cancer patients and their families during treatment.
Explore the first two editions of Women of New England Surf on our blog, and find the individual coach features on our social channels.