Ep.13 LAFC Midfielder, Danny Crisostomo | Life through Sport Show

Our guest for today, LAFC Midfielder, Danny Crisostomo.
Danny’s career has led him through a roller coaster of emotions.
From being told that having 100% passing accuracy in a game was ‘not what the coaching staff was looking for’ - to working a second job all while balancing his professional responsibilities, to getting called in to train with LAFC, only to be offered a contract just a few days later.
Danny has seen and experienced it all. Nonetheless he, along with the support of his wife and family, has been able to capitalize on his opportunities. You’ll hear him tell his story - a story about betting on yourself, trusting the process, and taking criticism in stride.
Danny Crisostomo
0:00 What did you off-season priorities look like?
2:10 Early Years
4:34 Danny’s Dads passion
5:38 Reflecting on those early years, when did you say, “Oh, I could do something with this.”
7:25 1st Year at UC Irvine
10:15 College: Working with 2 different Head Coaches
12:40 “One saw me as a 6 and the other an 8 - so learning how to fit into each coaches philosophy” 13:20 Soundbite “Yossi let me be me”
13:45 College Adversity - “I gave myself 2 options: either back out or grind through it. I chose to grind through it.”
15:25 Soundbite
17:10 UCI JR & SR Year - Becoming the leader
17:55 “You can’t take days off as the leader”
18:50 SR Year - Are there aspirations to go pro?
20:30 “It pissed me off - ‘so you’re telling me that you’re banking on him making it over me?’
21:00 Invited to the SJ Earthquakes combine
21:40 Going to the Orange County Trial
23:10 Orange County - Breakdown of the 1st Season
24:05 Danny’s 1st start vs Reno
25:00 “Do you know how many passes you missed? 0. We don’t want that.”
27:40 What adjustments did you have to make?
28:40 “if the team is winning, there’s an easier buy-in”
30:00 “we were in 1st place and I was benched”
31:15 “They said they wanted to resign me but, the contract never came”
31:30 End of the year meeting w/ Orange County
33:30 “We want you back for next year … we’ll be sending out a contract.”
37:30 Signing with Las Vegas Lights
40:40 “It killed me because I didn’t think that this was how it was going to end.”
43:10 LV Lights + Training with LAFC + Signing with LAFC
46:55 “Telling my parents I signed with LAFC”
48:34 Did you have any imposter syndrome with LAFC?
49:20 Reflecting on debut vs Atlanta United
51:30 Option was denied by LAFC
53:45 Being the captain of the 2nd team but never training with them
55:30 Training w/ LAFC but not being under contract w/ them

[@Ryanonfire03]

All the love in the world for Danny. Thanks for all the kindness last 2 years! 💛💙🙏🏼

[@javier.beltrann]

🙌🏻🙌🏻