They’re Not Just Athletes

Many people see professional athletes as overpaid egomaniacs while others see them as role models and inspirations. Professional women soccer players, for example, are not just professional athletes. They are strong women who are role models for girls across the globe. Their stories are completely motivating, inspiring, and touching. The U.S. Women’s soccer team has been around for about a hundred years. It is one of the most successful women’s soccer nations in history (About). The players are not just inspirations to the girls in the United States but also to girls all across the world. In 2012 the team began and ended the year in the top spot in the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) world cup rankings (About). They have also won the last three Olympic gold medals (About). Hope Solo, the team’s goalkeeper, once said, “Every kid who dreams of being a professional soccer player wants that world cup trophy, and I don’t have that yet. That has been in my head since I was little” (Hope Solo). The team fell short to Japan in a shootout in the 2012 world cup finals. Their next chance at the world cup trophy will be the summer of 2015. Hope Solo is a very important member on the team. No soccer team can survive without a goalkeeper and Solo is one of the top goalkeepers in the world (Hope Solo). She appeared in her first professional game on April 5, 2000 and has been a key team member ever since (Hope Solo). Solo rarely misses any goals in a game. She is second all-time in U.S. history in caps, wins, and shutouts for a goalkeeper (Hope Solo). Solo didn’t start out as a goalkeeper though. She began playing club soccer at the age of five and it wasn’t until college when she started playing goalkeeper (Lobby). She was not sure about the position at first, however, her coach saw something in her. At the University of Washington Solo was All-American for three years running and she was nominated for the Hermann trophy, which is given to the nation’s best college soccer player (Lobby). Solo told reporter Mackenzie Lobby, “I don’t think the world has seen my best goalkeeping yet”. Hope Solo is a very successful athlete, however, to be a role model you don’t have to hold millions of titles. Solo has inspired girls around the globe. She shows them that you may not like something at first, but that doesn’t mean you won’t grow to love it. Solo also symbolizes a good work ethic. She has worked very hard to get to where she is right now. In an interview she once said, “I love having the chance to give back. Knowing I can motivate kids, when I was once one of those kids, is pretty cool” (Lobby). There are two very important components to any sports team: the coaches and the captain. Christie Rampone has been the captain of the U.S. Women’s team since 2008. Her first professional game was on February 28, 1997 and she scored her first goal on May 2nd of that same year (Christie Rampone). If she remains on the team for the 2015 world cup she will be forty-one years old. At the moment, she is one of the oldest women soccer players. Rampone is known as one of the U.S.’s faster, strongest, and most tenacious players (Christie Rampone). For women athletes it is very hard to make time to have a family. Rampone is the mother of two daughters and is the only mother on the team (Christie Rampone). Rampone is definitely a very important component to the team. Her level-headed leadership has often provided crucial balance (Farley). Rampone is one of the most legendary players in U.S. history. She is also a Women’s National Team Olympian and was the first U.S. player to compete for four Olympic teams during the 2012 London Olympics (Christie Rampone). When Rampone was interviewed she stated, “I love the journey. Winning is obviously the main goal, but for me, it’s the journey to get there. The ups and downs. The highs and lows. Just being with my teammates. I’m not quite ready to give that up. I don’t feel it” (Farley). Just because she is old doesn’t mean she’s anywhere close to retiring. Her passion for what she does is inspiring to girls all around the world. Rampone shows girls that if you can put your mind to it then you can accomplish anything. She also teaches girls that it doesn’t matter how old you are. If you love something then you need to continue to do it. Rampone teaches great leadership skills and shows what it takes to be a true captain. The women on the U.S. Women’s National Team play for clubs as well. It passes the time between their professional seasons and allows them to stay in shape. Megan Rapinoe plays for the Lyon club in France (Borden). She has become a valued player there as well as in the United States. Rapinoe is a midfielder and is one of the U.S.’s most skillful attackers and goal scorers (Megan Rapinoe). It’s needless to say that the U.S. Women’s team would be at a loss without Rapinoe. Her first professional game was July 23, 2006 versus Ireland. Three short months later she scored her first goal on October 1st (Megan Rapinoe). There is something very unique about Megan Rapinoe. She is a homosexual. That has never stopped her from playing the sport she loves. It has made her work harder and never give up. She symbolizes hard work and dedication. Rapinoe is an idol for all of the girls in the world who don’t play sports because they fear they will be judged on their sexuality. Where would the U.S. Women’s soccer team be without Abby Wambach? Wambach is a second all-time leading scorer in international soccer history (Abby Wambach). That is an incredible title to hold. This forward is known for her physical play, aerial game, and hard running (Abby Wambach). These traits are very important for athletes who want to be successful. This past summer she broke Mia Hamm’s goal record of 159 goals (Wahl). She is now well over that number and that number will continue to rise. Wambach is a five time U.S. soccer female athlete of the year and in 2012 she won FIFA Women’s World Player of the year (Abby Wambach). It’s safe to say that Wambach has been very successful in her career. Wambach’s first professional game was on September 9, 2001 versus Germany and she got off to a rough start not scoring her first goal until April 27, 2002 (Abby Wambach). She has made up for that lost time. Because Wambach plays an aerial game, she is known as the most dangerous scorer in the world (Abby Wambach). She too is a homosexual and inspires equality in sports. Wambach and Rapinoe are role models not only because of their sexuality but also because of their dedication and passion for the sport. They have never let their sexuality, or anything else for that matter, get in the way of playing soccer. Alex Morgan has been with the team for only a short amount of time. She joined the team in 2009 becoming the youngest member (Alex Morgan Biography). She appeared in her first professional game on March 31st, 2010 versus Mexico. She was still in college at the time. This forward scored her first goal on October 2nd, 2010 (Alex Morgan). It took a few months, but she finally got that first goal. Morgan is one of the fastest players and hardest runners on the team (Alex Morgan). Those qualities are crucial for athletes. Although she is a fantastic soccer player, she didn’t start playing soccer until she was fourteen (Alex Morgan Biography). It is not uncommon for professional athletes to have started playing their sport later in life. In high school she was a three-time all-league pick and a NSCAA All-American (Alex Morgan Biography). She then attended the University of California at Berkeley where she continued to play soccer. She was named to the All-Pac 10 team four times (Alex Morgan Biography). That is truly incredible for such a young athlete. In the fall of 2010 she was tied for third on the school’s list of all-time scorers. She probably would have been first if she hadn’t missed some college games for professional games (Alex Morgan Biography). The world has definitely not seen the best she can be. Morgan shows girls that it doesn’t matter how long you are a part of a team, but what matters is how much effort and dedication you put into it what you do. Morgan also symbolizes drive. She began playing at a later age and she worked hard and had the drive to get to be a professional athlete. She has been on the team for three years and has become quite a game changer. This player will definitely continue to surprise the world with her talent. Of course all of the other team members are role models as well. These five women have stood out the most. They show girls that it doesn’t matter how old or young you are or what your sexuality is. They also teach girls that it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been playing. If you love something then you need to work hard at it and never give up. That is the message these strong women have preached to girls across the world. These women symbolize a love and passion for what they do, which is play soccer. It’s not a career to them, it’s their life. These women have stood out so much and have shown the world that women can be good athletes. These women are not just professional athletes, they are so much more than that. Works Cited "About the WNT." - U.S. Soccer. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. "Alex Morgan." - U.S. Soccer. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. "Alex Morgan Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. "Christie Rampone." - U.S. Soccer. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. Farley, Richard. "America's Captain Ready for Another Run." NBC Sports. N.p., 4 Dec. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. "Hope Solo." - U.S. Soccer. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. Lobby, Mackenzie. "Goalkeeping No Joke for Hope Solo." ESPN. N.p., 23 Aug. 2013. Web. 25 Nov. 2013 "Megan Rapinoe." - U.S. Soccer. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. Wahl, Grant. "With Record-Breaking Goal, Abby Wambach Becomes one of the Greats." Sports Illustrated. N.p., 21 June 2013. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.