Marcela Bueno,  originally from São Paulo, Brazil, has been the head soccer coach at Seward County Community College since Spring  2025. She was a standout player in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA),  has both a bachelor’s in Sports Management and a master’s in Exercise Science, and holds a U.S Soccer National D coaching license.

Who are you?

My name is Marcela Bueno, I am from São Paulo, Brazil. I have one full brother from my mom and my dad, and then I have a younger sister, just from my mom’s side. I also have an older brother and an older sister from my dad’s side.  I play soccer  since I was little. It came from my grandpa; he was the one taking me to the field, so the passion and love started there. I came to America in 2016. That’s when I came to junior college in Texas – Ranger College – and then I graduated from there, transfer to Central Baptist College in Arkansas. There is where I graduated with my sports management degree. I was assistant coach there for a year. I was the JV(Junior Varsity) coach, and then I did my masters anniversary of Central Arkansas. I was a GA (Graduate Assistant)  there, so two years of assistant coach there. After that I went to Iowa Western for a season and then now I am here.

 What made you want to become a coach?

I dream first about becoming a pro soccer player, you know, and then times start coming and you kind of see that fading away. So I started with the little ones, my first coaching job. It was with the little kids and I just fell in love with being able to share with them what I love. Then the passion that I had, it’s what kind of start driving me to it. So I do think that they were my first instinct. As I started with the older ones, it was a bit challenging, you know, and especially on my first, I had an assisting job. I was coaching guys that were my friends – that was the school I graduated from – but it was a lot of fun and then I think it was just a way for me to keep the passion alive. I love soccer with all my heart and it’s just a way for me to keep sharing what I had with them now.

How is soccer here different  from your home country?

I think back home, we don’t have resources, we do because we love the game. You see kids out there, we barely have a soccer ball, barely have cleats and they’re all there no matter what. Over here it’s a little bit more challenging. We have everything you need and then I feel a lot of the times the passion is not there. So for me, it was my biggest challenge as an athlete first was understanding not everybody had a passion that I had. And as a coach it’s the same thing. You know, you see a lot of kids out there doing [it] because of their parents or doing it because, you know, there’s some that love it, but they’re doing three other different sports. So for me, I think this is the biggest thing. And then football-wise here’s a lot more physical, a lot more fast, less technical, less actually playing .The game is very direct, a lot different from back home. But I think we’re getting there. Culture-wise, I think it’s getting close to the rest of the world. 

What are your team’s advantages and disadvantages?

I think the way we treat each other, I think we are a family, that helps us overcome all the obstacles that we have had. Our first game shows  that I think we have no expectations from this year, from the past , and I tell them that what’s in the past, it’s in the past, and what we’re going to write it together is what really matters. We still have a lot to work on, on the field, more tactical things than anything. We do have a short squad compared to other schools, so that kind of hurts us when we have a girl that’s injured or something that’s out. We have to overcome those challenges, but more technical than anything. I think as a team, we’re in a good spot. We have a good mentality. We work well together, we work hard together. So we just need to get the static part sorted out

What do you hope to achieve in your first year as a coach? 

Yeah, I think our first win was awesome. You know, I don’t think it was my biggest goal, though. For me, it was more important to make sure the girls have a year to remember. More than just winning a championship, it’s about making sure that the ones leaving here have better memories than the past, and that the freshmen have better hope for the years ahead. As for how the players will remember me as a coach, that’s a great question. We’d honestly have to ask them. I think I have two versions of myself. I do like our environment to be light, and I want them to be themselves around me. I don’t want them to feel afraid, and they know that. We can have real, honest conversations. But when it’s a serious time, it’s a serious time. And they know that too. That’s when the playful side of me steps back. Still, even in those moments, they know they can be themselves, no matter what. No matter where we’re at or how things are going, nothing’s going to change that. And I hope that’s what they carry with them.

What do you think the players will remember about you as a coach?

Honestly, I have no idea. That’s a great question that we need to ask them. I think I have two versions of myself.I do like our environment to be light,  I love them to be themselves when they are around me.I do not want them to be afraid, and they know that we can have honest conversations.But when it’s a serious time, it’s a serious time, and they know it’ s serious when the smile goes away, and they also know that they can be themselves no matter what.  No matter where we are or how things are going,nothing is going to change that. I hope that’s how it stays.

How do you like living in Kansas so far?

I do not  mind this small town. When I first came to America, I was in a place smaller than here. I think the city helps us, you know, keep the girls focused on soccer and school and there’s nothing too much to get their distractions out. So I don’t really mind being here.

What do you like to do in your free time when you are not coaching?

I need to get better at this. I do not have any hobby besides soccer. I need to figure something out to get better at it. But If I am not coaching, I am watching games, especially when it’s Sunday at home I am watching soccer, or more professionally, the league back home or things like that. I do need to get better and find some hobby that does not involve soccer. I do not know what else to do with my life

Do you want to live in the States or go back to your home country?

I want to go back home at some point. Of course, I dream about hitting the pro level and all of that, but for right now, here, just to make sure I write a good history and leave a good legacy for those that are going to come after me, hopefully. But the goal is, of course, to hit the first, the D1 level, and then hit the pro level back home, for sure.I stopped practicing soccer just a couple months ago. I was playing the pro minor league this winter. Ugh. I still love it, I do miss it a lot. We’ll see how it goes.