Becoming a YouTube Star

Nikosi Burgess is a typical 15-year-old, who happens to be known by more than a million people.

The Dix Hills Heat soccer player became a YouTube sensation overnight when  during a U15 Youth game was captured on film and uploaded to the video-sharing website. The video went viral, marking 1,223,018 hits as of Tuesday morning.

In the game played at Dowling College against Hauppauge Brazil on March 24, Burgess is on the receiving end of a free kick into the box. He then wows the crowd by flicking the ball to himself on his back heel and completes a backward overhead kick into the goal. 

Burgess, a freshman at Deer Park High School, is welcoming the sudden fame. In an interview with Patch, he spoke about what it's been like to be known by more than a million people.

How long have you been playing soccer?

I've been playing soccer since I could walk. My parents introduced it to me then I just stuck with it. 

Have you been getting much attention for the YouTube video of your backward kick at Dowling College? If so, what's it been like?

Yes, I've been attracting a bit of attention recently. Well, it is very shocking to me, and i'm still trying to take it all in. A lot of people in Europe have been contacting me through Facebook saying they liked the goal.  

Any of your friends or teachers talking about it in school? What are they saying?

Almost all of my friends have seen it. They are as excited as I am. A lot more teachers saw it then I thought would have, and a couple of them showed it in class. 

What's it like for you to be seen by a million people (and counting)?

I was happy when I saw the video made it to 100,000 but then the numbers just kept on going up. Then sure enough after only two days it had reached one million. I was astonished when I saw this.  

Have you done that move before? Is it a signature move for you or was it an instant reaction?

Yes I've done the move before. This was the third time successfully accomplishing the move. My friends and i joke around doing it in practice but when it comes to the game you dont really think about it, it's just a reaction.

Any plans for college soccer?

I do plan on playing soccer in college. Also I would hope and strive to play Division I soccer.