Everyday Ballers - Volume 6
On this episode, meet Nick and Jackson, two UNOZERO ballers.
Meet Nick
o Name: Nick Clement
o Age: 30
o Where were you born: Canaries, Saint Lucia
o Where do you live: London, UK
o Occupation: Director of CUC758 - Creating Unique Chances football agency & FA Intermediary
o What’s your football resume: Played youth football for Leyton orient community youth team in London and completed a college full time football programme with Redbridge in London. Played high-level amateur men's football in London and semi-professional football in Egypt for Al-Alameen Football club.
o When/where did you start playing: I started playing football for my Nelson primary school team in East Ham, London
o What’s the most competitive level you’ve reached: Semi-professional football
o What’s your current involvement with the game: Creating football opportunities for talented Saint Lucian footballers via my company CUC758 (Creating Unique Chances) and also starting my journey on representing talented footballer by being a FA registered Intermediary
o What’s your next step in football: Creating pathways and guiding talented youth of the next generation. Giving back to football is my next step using my football experience and connections to help a talented player trying to find or get a unique opportunity to play professional football
o Why did you become an Ambassador: I become an ambassador to create a unique legacy. Once I started CUC758 while in Saint Lucia I wanted to find a football boot brand to work alongside to create a platform my football players to brand and build the profile of the talent in Saint Lucia. Getting a response from the director made me feel and want to be a part of the UNOZERO family instantly.
o Best part about the boots: The comfort and the real leather look and feel
o What’s your happiest memory on a football pitch: Playing a youth cup final for my local youth team in east ham as it was a team full of all the local boys the whole team was literally friends as we attended the same school and literally was all the same age and it was a great achievement we did together.
o Why do you love the beautiful game: Football gives you the chance to create great memories and moments for you as an individual and together as a team. It makes new friends, breaks barriers as football is really universal and for all to play. and there is no better feeling then scoring a goal to win or working hard in a team to secure a win. And the beautiful of football you can always improve and get another chance to achieve your goals/targets in the next season there's always a fresh start.
o If you could change anything about football, what would it be: Remove VAR I think it's taking the pure joy and unpredictability out of the game
Meet Jackson
o Name: Jackson Brandwene
o Age: 20
o Where were you born?: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
o Where do you live (City, State, Country)?: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
o Occupation: Student at Wilmington University
o When/where did you start playing?: I started playing local youth soccer at the age of 4. I grew up playing for the Riverhounds Academy and Century United in Pittsburgh as well as PA West/Region 1 ODP and my high school.
o What’s the most competitive level you’ve reached? At the moment, I am playing collegiately for Wilmington University, a nationally ranked NCAA DII Men's program. Additionally, I play for the Pittsburgh Hotspurs in the semi-professional NPSL.
o What’s your current involvement with the game? I am currently both a player, goalkeeper coach, and above all a fan of the game. Aside from playing for Wilmington University and the Pittsburgh Hotspurs, I am also a goalkeeper coach in the Pittsburgh Riverhounds youth academy.
o What’s your next step in football? My final semester of college is this fall. I hope to start my master's degree at the University of Iceland in the Fall of 2022 and find a semipro/professional team to play for in Iceland while I continue my studies; I also hope to get an opportunity to continue coaching goalkeepers in Iceland. This is what I hope to achieve, but I will take any opportunity in football that comes my way!
o Why did you become an Ambassador? I became an ambassador because of the simplicity and quality of UNOZERO. The boots are top-notch as far as quality. I love the simplicity of the boots because football shouldn't be flashy, it should be simple. As Johann Cruyff said, "playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is". There is beauty in simplicity, especially in football, and UNOZERO captures it perfectly.
o Best part about the program? I love being part of a small brand that does nothing but create quality products. The best part of the program is being part of a group that appreciates the beauty of football.
o Best part about the boots? The comfort and simple style. The boots look fantastic, but the comfort is on another level. The boots feel like a pair of slippers, they are the most comfortable boots I have ever had.
o In your opinion, who is the best footballer of all time? Ronaldhino. The first football jersey I ever had was Ronaldhino's AC Milan shirt. The way he played the game was beautiful. Even though I am a goalkeeper, he made me fall in love with football. My favorite goalkeeper, however, is Gianluigi Buffon. Buffon is the classiest goalkeeper of all time, the best to ever do it.
o What’s your happiest memory on a football pitch? Yesterday, June 13, 2021, I played my first, full competitive match since the fall of 2018. For quite some time, I thought my football career was pretty much over. For whatever reason, I couldn't bring myself to stop working and give up, though. All that effort was finally worth it when I started in goal for the Pittsburgh Hotspurs in our 3-2 away win versus the Rochester Lancers. Not only did I finally get to play again, but we won and I had a great performance. After such a long road back, hearing that final whistle yesterday was my happiest moment on the pitch.
o Why do you love the beautiful game? I love this game because of the barriers it breaks and the joy it brings. Football breaks cultural, religious, sexual, ethnic, and national barriers like nothing else. Football unites the world like nothing else; it is truly the world's game that brings joy and hope to billions of people around the world.
o If you could change anything about football, what would it be? VAR. VAR has ruined football with the way it has been applied, it needs to go.