Whenever American International College plays Bentley University, the stakes seem higher, as they should in a long-standing, fierce rivalry. For the women's soccer teams, however, there is another dimension to the competition, one that elevates the match from a Northeast-10 Conference rivalry to something more: a sibling rivalry. Yellow Jackets assistant coach Stephanie Gordon and Falcons assistant coach Danielle Gordon are twin sisters on opposite sidelines, facing off with their respective teams on Saturday, October 19 at Abdow Field.
"From Day One"
Born on June 4, 1990, Stephanie and Danielle Gordon competitive from the beginning, Stephanie is quick to point out that she's the elder of the two, if only by two minutes grew up doing everything together, especially playing sports. "We always played for the same teams growing up whether that was soccer, basketball, or tennis," Danielle said, adding that "In sports there are a lot of highs and lows, so it was always comforting having someone basically in the same shoes as you at all times."
The two played for the same club team before college, but split for the first time as Danielle headed to Boston College and Stephanie committed to Northeastern University. With both programs filled with talent, the Eagles and Huskies met in the NCAA Tournament, pitting sister against sister, though Danielle did not play due to injury. "It was definitely a special moment for our family. There was certainly some extra pressure that day, but I will never forget it. I think my parents loved it because they didn't have to split up or pick whose game to go to," Stephanie said.
The two reunited the following year, as Danielle transferred out of Boston College to Northeastern, with the center back standing once more in defense of her sister, the goalkeeper. "Northeastern was always on the top of my list of schools I was interested in but after seeing how successful they were Steph's freshman year it definitely helped make my decision a lot easier. Who wouldn't want to join a top-notch winning program and be able to play with her twin sister again?" Danielle said of the decision to transfer. For Stephanie, it was the same feeling. "When we were going through the recruiting process, we didn't even think of trying to play together in college. We both wanted to do our own thing," Stephanie said, but added that "Playing with Dee was great, we always had a deep connection on and off the field. We held each other accountable intensely we were very successful together at Northeastern in 2009. We won the regular season title and hosted our conference tournament that year."
The two were only paired together for a year, however; Stephanie transferred after the 2009 season, sticking with head coach Ed Matz as he was hired at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. They finished out their careers on the pitch separately, not meeting again as players.
Behind The Bench
For many athletes, the end of their playing careers leaves a hole that is difficult to fill. Some play in rec leagues to feed the hunger to compete, but the Gordon sisters both saw coaching as a means to keep being involved in the game. "After my playing days were over, it wasn't easy letting go of the sport completely. Many collegiate athletes go through a bit of a 'slump' after their competitive careers are over so I started out volunteer coaching with my old club soccer team to keep the game in my life. After working with kids for a few months I fell in love with it all over again. Working with kids is truly something special, and I'm so lucky to have a career with something I'm passionate in," Danielle said.
After one season as an assistant coach at Simmons College, Stephanie's coaching career took off when she reunited with Matz as a part of the Minutemen's staff in 2015. "Ed was great to my family and always took care of us. When he offered me a position on his staff at my alma mater UMass, I took it immediately. I felt I owed him some more help since he helped me along the way through college," she said.
She remained there for three years until she was hired by Kevon Isa and joined as the lead assistant for the Yellow Jackets in January of 2018. "What attracted me to AIC was that they have always had a strong tradition of athletic success in western Massachusetts," Stephanie said. "I also played summer soccer with recent Hall of Fame inductee Alie Fitzsimmons, and knew [head coach Kevon] Isa from coaching camps with him over the years. We built a good relationship over time and Alie always spoke highly of the program. The final piece that was very attractive for me was continuing my education. One of my goals is to complete my master's degree," she noted.
The two sisters continued to help each other improve as coaches. "Multiple times a week, we bounce ideas off each other, whether that's a session plan or a cool team bonding activity; we compare and contrast different ideas we experience with our teams all the time," Danielle said.
Danielle started her collegiate coaching career in 2018, taking the position with Bentley. "When the position at Bentley opened up and I realized it was part-time and fit perfectly with my schedule, I figured why not? It will only help me grow as a coach working under someone that's been involved in coaching college soccer for 18 years. I would boil it down to my desire to keep learning about the game at all different levels of play," Danielle said.
Taking that job meant that once more, the Gordons were on a collision course.
Sibling Rivalry Renewed
The two squared off in Waltham, Massachusetts for the first time as college coaches in the very first NE10 battle of the season on September 8, 2018. Though the Falcons won the day with a 3-0 result, Danielle had plenty of nerves. "To be honest, it was a little scary at first, knowing she had three years of coaching college soccer under her belt, and it was our season opener so there was a lot of pressure," she said.
Nerves were there for Stephanie as well, but she was able to soak in the feeling of being around family. "Facing Bentley last year was a learning experience. Last year, being a new coach in the NE10, I learned a lot about the conference, the players, and what to expect from teams. It was such a fun experience to be part of. Regardless of the outcome, I enjoyed the moment and had many family and friends there to support us both," she said.
Ultimately, Stephanie's Yellow Jackets had the last laugh that season, edging out the Falcons by two points for the final spot in the NE10 Championship Tournament, beating Adelphi and Saint Michael's in the final week to hang on after the Falcons lost at home against Stonehill before beating New Haven.
That feeling of pressure is even larger in 2019 than it was in 2018 as the two prepare their teams to compete on the pitch this season with three critical NE10 points on the line. Both teams are sitting just outside of the top eight in the conference at the midpoint of the season, giving the contest the sense of a "must-win" for both sides. "I'm eager to see what happens this year. Anything can happen in soccer," Danielle said, while Stephanie noted that she is preparing hard for the game, saying that "we will study their tendencies and exploit their weaknesses."
Whatever the outcome on Saturday, it will undoubtedly be a talking point for the next year with bragging rights on the line in addition to the three standings points. The competitive spirit is alive and well with the Gordons, and it is far from the only thing that the two will be battling over as they advance their careers on the sidelines teaching the sport they love.
"We have a 15-year-old brother that now plays club soccer in Florida," Danielle said, adding that "we both take turns giving him insight and feedback about his playing career and soon to be collegiate career. My mom wants him to come to Bentley." Stephanie chuckled at the thought, responding "My mom may have joked about our brother, but at the end of the day it will be his decision on where he wants to go. I suspect that is a motivational stunt. As for the rivalry, my sister and I have always been very competitive with each other. Saturday will be entertaining to say the least!"
