We recently had the opportunity to speak to one of the original DISA players from the first ever DISA team, Jonny Glenn. He was able to provide a very insightful perspective on how soccer, DISA, and music have helped him come into his own. We are truly grateful for the opportunities of coaching so many unique and talented individuals including Jonny!
How did you come across music and soccer?
Other than school, soccer and music had always been at the forefront of my childhood and life. Almost every day I’d play soccer and I’d sing. After school those two things were my life. I was picked up by a few coaches when I was very young. I wasn’t sure who they were but they liked how I could play. This would become the first DISA team ever. The start of a new club. A disruptive club into the dominated MPSC, SC United, and CESA empire within South Carolina. This theme would follow me through where I am today… a disruptor.
DISA became my family – coaches, players, and friends that I will value forever. Memories that brought me the greatest happiness of my childhood. As I matured, I never really decided which path I was going to take. My mom would say she always knew I loved music the most. My face would change when playing piano, guitar, or singing. I was in another world. She knew I loved singing more than I loved to score goals.
How did you balance music and collegiate soccer?
When going to college, I still hadn’t decided. I was recruited by Boston University to play soccer but almost applied to Berklee College Music, ironically for drum performance and not singing. The audition never took place though and I ended up at BU.
I still didn’t have to choose. I was playing soccer at BU and basically living at Berklee, being surrounded by music all the time. The best of both worlds.
What was one of the toughest times during college soccer?
The end of my first spring semester rolled around and I worked so hard to be a slated starter (as an 18 year old) on a division 1 soccer team, and my foot broke. Fast forward another 8 months of attempted recovery and the doctors found another broken bone in my foot. I was done. From guaranteed starter, to not walking normally for over a year. It was a massive disappointment at first. I pushed my disappointment aside and thought, “Wait. This must be a sign from God. It’s time for music. It’s time for Jonny Glenn.”
What’s the biggest difference with you and your music today?
I’ve always performed but now it’s serious. It’s life. It’s now been a year since graduating from Boston University with a degree in finance and I’ve started my own company to legally raise financing; charted on the iTunes Pop 200 above Ed Sheeran, and have hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify. After over one hundred shows in Boston, I’m looking for financial help to keep the momentum pushing. Any amount would go toward studio time, recording, and investing into great music and knowing that it was that donation that allowed a dream to come true and a star to rise.
If you would like to make a donation to help Jonny Glenn continue his musical journey, checks can be made out to Jonathan Guedalia/Starman LLC and mailed to Jonathan Guedalia at 958 Sea Gull Drive, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464.
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