Nicole Morisco says she remembers being excited and not intimidated when she was asked to play the goalie position in soccer.
“My sister Gianna played Goalkeeper, and my father Paul played Goalkeeper at Elmwood Park High School. I was excited to be in the net,” said Nicole.
Nicole's Path to the US Futsal Team
Her focus, confidence and skills will be put to the test when she represents the United States as a member of the US Futsal Team by the USYF (United States Youth Futsal) Organization in the 2013 Division.
The international tournament will take place in Portugal in late December.
What Is Futsal
Similar to soccer, futsal is described as a fast-paced, small-sided variation of soccer played indoors on a hard, basketball-sized court using touchline boundaries instead of walls.
It features two teams of five players each, including one goalkeeper.
The game uses a smaller, heavier, low-bounce ball (size 4) to promote tight footwork, quick passing, and intense technical development.
The “pitch” to US Futsal Team began when Nicole’s Ballers Den team competed and won the 2026 Atlantic Region Championship. It was at that event she was nominated to attend a Regional United States Youth Futsal Identification Camp. The Regional took place in Deptford, NJ in February. She was later notified that she was selected from that ID Camp to attend the National USYF Identification Camp over a three- day period in July
There were 400 players. Nicole competed in the U14 Division and was selected as one of only two keepers to the US team.
Nicole’s nomination to the US team happened two weeks after she captured the National Soccer Wars: GK Wars Title.
Winning the GK Wars National Championship
The GK Wars (Goalkeeper Wars) is an intense, fast-paced 1v1 tournament format where two goalkeepers face off directly on a small field to score as many goals as possible while defending their own net. Played heavily as both a training tool and a standalone competition in soccer and futsal, the game eliminates outfield players entirely, making individual shot-stopping, distribution, and cardiovascular endurance paramount.
After winning a regional qualifier, Nicole accepted her invite to compete at the Soccer Wars National Championship in St. Louis. She won and became National Champion for the 2025-2026 season.
Besides playing soccer, Nicole said she enjoyed watching the FIFA World Cup especially the Argentina team goalie Emiliano Martinez.
“I like him because he played in hard games and did not break,” said Nicole.
A seventh grader at Eisenhower Middle School, Nicole says she handles the pressure of goalie by “not over thinking and forgetting about the pressure.”
“I just enjoy the game,” she said.
Club Career and Match Fit Surf Academy
Nicole began playing soccer for Wyckoff Recreation before spending four-years playing on Torpedoes teams.
She was then recruited and played Somerset-based Players Development Academy (PDA). This season she chose to move to Match Fit Surf Academy. This ECNL Division, the highest level of youth girls soccer, team is ranked in the top 5 nationally heading into the fall season.
“My teammates are from our area as well as southern New Jersey and even Pennsylvania,” said Nicole. “I like playing with and getting to know girls from different places.”
Nicole’s first games since moving to Match Fit Surf took place in early August at the prestigious Surf Cup Tournament in San Diego, California.
The tournament is widely known in the soccer community as the "Best of the Best" showcase, giving top young athletes an opportunity to compete against clubs outside their normal leagues. This specific weekend is a primary recruiting ground with college coaches and scouts lining the sidelines to watch elite prospects, making it one of the most highly visible youth events in the country.
Nicole’s team made it out of Match Play, in the top Flight Best of the Best division, by besting three, top 10 nationally ranked teams. In the semi finals, they faced off against the number one team nationally, Surf San Diego Academy.
They fell to this squad in 2025 on penalty kicks but this year the team miraculously scored with under a minute left to tie the game and send it in to overtime.
Nicole was sent in and saved an incredible three penalty kicks propelling her team into the finals against Los Angeles Football Club. A goalkeeper making one save in a penalty kick round is considered a major accomplishment so three in one round in addition to her teams sharpshooting put the fans in a frenzy.
The team battled LAFC to a 0 - 0 tie so once again they headed to a Penalty Kick (PK) Round. Nicole was again selected by her coach to get into the net. After two amazing goals and another PK save by Nicole, the magic ran out. They fell in the Championship 4 – 2.
Nicole said “It hurts to lose but it hurt more seeing my friends sad. They are all amazing and so is my Coach. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. This proved we can hang and beat any club in the country. I am so proud of every single one of them. I never thought I would be part of a team that was elite on the field and a family off. I am very lucky.”
Training, Goals, and the Future
Even on her “days of” from organized soccer commitments Nicole chooses to continue training and honing her skills.
“We have a big basement where I practice with a rebounder ,” said Nicole. “I also like to run.”
When not at formal practice, Nicole chooses to train regularly at Jill Loyden’s elite (Former US Olympic Team Goalkeeper) “The Keeper Institute”.
Nicole says they are my “Keeper family and my rock.”
She also trains at Chila Soccer Organization lead by former Costa Rican National Team Keeper Chila Fonseca.
“Chila expects me to be the best and drives me to my goals, “ said Nicole. “I know she is always behind me.”
Nicole also trains with the Keepers Advantage and GXK.
What is her long-range soccer goal?
“My goal on my soccer journey is to play professional soccer,” said Nicole. “I am also is trying to launch a small business focused on helping youth goalkeepers and the unique challenges and mental stress they face on and off of the pitch.”
While she is passionate about soccer, she also enjoys hanging out with her friends.
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