Soccer Star Turns Survivor: Alex Cooper's Harrowing Harassment Tale
SHOCKING ALLEGATIONS ROCK THE WORLD OF WOMEN'S SOCCER: "CALL HER DADDY" PODCAST HOST ALEX COOPER SPEAKS OUT ABOUT DECADE-OLD HARRASSMENT BY BOSTON UNIVERSITY COACH
In a bombshell documentary, popular podcast host Alex Cooper is opening up about the dark secrets she's kept hidden for over a decade - and it's a story that will leave you speechless. Cooper, known for her unfiltered honesty on her hit podcast "Call Her Daddy," reveals in the Hulu docu-series that she was subjected to unwanted attention by Boston University's long-time former women's soccer coach Nancy Feldman.
The allegations, which have left many in the sports world stunned, date back to Cooper's time at BU more than a decade ago. In the documentary, titled "Call Her Alex," Cooper shares harrowing details about Feldman's behavior, including invasive questions and unwanted physical contact.
"I felt a lot of anger—anger at my coach, anger at my school, and anger at the system that allowed this to happen," Cooper said in an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair. "I don't think anyone could've prepared me for the lasting effects that came from this experience. She turned something that I loved so much into something extremely painful."
But what's even more disturbing is that Cooper's allegations aren't just her word against Feldman's - they're corroborated by her former dormmate and teammate, Alex Schlobohm.
The incident occurred when Cooper was just a young player, still learning the ropes of college soccer. Feldman would allegedly pull Cooper in to sit next to her on the couch, staring at her or placing a hand on her thigh. It's a toxic dynamic that left Cooper feeling trapped and vulnerable.
"I started trying to spend as little time as possible with her," Cooper said. "Taking different routes to practice where I knew I wouldn't run into her, during meetings, I would try to sit as far away from her as possible. Literally anything to not be alone with this woman."
But despite Cooper's efforts to avoid Feldman, the coach continued to make her uncomfortable. She'd often ask Cooper invasive questions about her sex life or ask her to drive alone in her car after practice.
"It was this psychotic game of, 'You wanna play? Tell me about your sex life. I have to drive you to your night class, get in the car with me alone,'" Cooper claimed in the documentary.
The situation came to a head when Cooper contacted attorneys who warned her of the potential consequences of taking legal action against Feldman and BU.
"If I'm gonna be real with you, they will drag this on for years and this will be your life," Cooper quoted the attorneys in the film.
In a shocking twist, Cooper revealed that she approached university staff about the problem, hoping to find a solution. But what happened next would leave any victim of harassment feeling frustrated and disillusioned.
"I want to play my senior year," Cooper said, recalling her conversation with BU officials. "I want to finish out what I worked my entire life for, but I can't play for this woman. They said, 'We're not gonna fire her, but you can keep your entire scholarship and that's that.' No investigation. Within five minutes, they had entirely dismissed everything I had been through."
This isn't the first time Cooper has referenced the alleged harassment on social media or in interviews. In 2022, she told The Athletic that she planned to talk about it after she was "healed." But what Cooper didn't realize at the time is that sharing her story would be a therapeutic experience for herself and others.
"I had a traumatic experience happen in college with regard to soccer," Cooper said in an interview. "It made me a stronger person. So, learning the tools of competitiveness, resilience, having to gain confidence in yourself. Although it was hard in the moment, that does translate to who I am today as the host of 'Call Her Daddy.'"
Fast-forward to 2023, and Cooper is now a media titan, boasting a three-year, $60 million deal with Spotify to host her hit podcast.
But despite her success, Cooper still can't shake off the memories of Feldman's alleged harassment. The experience has left her feeling empowered to speak out against toxic behavior in sports - and beyond.
Feldman coached the BU Terriers since 1995, when the school first adopted women's soccer as a varsity sport, until 2022. During her tenure, she guided the team to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, 13 conference titles, and was twice named NSCAA Coach of the Year.
Thescholarlynote.com has reached out to Boston University officials for comment on Cooper's allegations, but they have yet to respond. Feldman also remains silent on the matter.
As the sports world continues to grapple with the fallout from this scandal, one thing is clear: Alex Cooper's bravery in sharing her story will undoubtedly inspire countless others who have suffered similar experiences.
It's time for change - and it starts now.
UPDATE: Thescholarlynote.com has reached out to Boston University officials and Nancy Feldman for comment on Cooper's allegations. Neither BU nor Feldman has issued a response at the time of this publication.