Alex Morgan – One Of The Best US Women Soccer Players
Born on 2nd July 1989, Alexandra Patricia Morgan Carrasco, or Alex Morgan, as we all know is truly one of the best US Women Soccer Players.
Known for her speed and sprinting ability, Alex is a regular goalscorer for her club and the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) with an average of 1.8 per game.
Yesterday she was part of the USWNT that historically won the World Cup 2019 title in France for the fourth time.
She is an inspirational player to all her fans around the world and especially the kids who wanted to play pro football one day.
Every success began somewhere, so in this post, I want to go back and see what she did right that propels her to become a soccer star today.
In an effort to be completely transparent, I want to let you know that I have an affiliate relationship with some of the companies whose products or services I recommend. This means that I will earn a commission or credit if you decide to buy any of their products or services.
Early Years In Diamond Bar City
Alex grew up in Diamond Bar, east of Los Angeles with 2 sisters Jeni and Jeri, and her father was one of her first coaches.
You can read about my post on parents being the first coaches here.
As a passionate athlete, she did not only play soccer but also volleyball, basketball, and track.
In what was considered a late entry into the soccer academy world, she joined Cypress Elite at 14.
She went ahead and won the Coast Soccer League U16 Championship and third in U19.
At Diamond Bar High School said joined the Olympic Development Program (ODP) which she acknowledged in the following statement:
“… programs like ODP helped me especially because I did come into the club scene late and it was important for me to play as much as possible, play with the best players and learn from the best coaches. That, for me, was crucial to my development”
Pro Career Achievements
Her professional career to date was nothing but success by set a few records of her own in the women’s soccer world.
At just 22 she turned professional by signing with the West New York Flash after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley in 2008.
The following are some statistics since 2008 when she turned pro:
- 98 club appearances
- 52 goals, or an average of 1.8 goals per game
- 179 appearances for US U20 and USWNT.
- 112 goals, or an average of 1.5 goals per game
- 3 World Cup tournaments, 2011, 2015, and 2019
- 2 World Cup titles
- Gold medalists 2012 London Olympics
- 2012 US Soccer Female Athlete of the Year
- 2015 ranked by Time as the top-paid American women’s soccer player
Endorsements:
Books and TV
- The Kick book series. The first book Saving The Team #7 on The New York Times bestseller list in 2013
- TV series of The Kick series
- Breakaway: Beyond The Goal
- Movie: Alex & Me
Net Worth As Of 2019:
- $3M
- $350,000 in yearly salary
Alex Plays Multiple Sports
Either on purpose or by coincidence Alex played multiple sports in school.
Besides soccer, she also plays volleyball, basketball, and track.
Studies have shown that kids will benefit from playing multiple sports because of the overall physical and mental development it brings.
One benefit is to avoid mental fatigue or burnout that normally happens when the kid plays too much of the same sport.
This means that the kid will eventually lose interest in the sport or decline in performance due to over-training.
Playing the same sport throughout the year can cause injury to certain muscles, tendons, and joints.
However, when switching to a different sport those same muscles and joints are given time to recover.
It also gives the kids the opportunity to discover other sports that they might be more interested in.
Lastly, playing multi-sport during soccer off-season ensures that the kid stays fit and active.
Alex Went To Uni
Alex continued her education and graduated from the University of California despite being a very active athlete.
It is common knowledge that some kids concentrated too much on sport and ignored their studies.
However, studies have shown that exercise improves the function of the brain thus resulting in better concentration and retaining information.
In my post here I mentioned that soccer or any other sports help kids perform well in school.
The University of Strathclyde and Dundee studied 5,000 kids and the results confirmed the claim.
The study found a student who exercises regularly performed better academically than those who don’t exercise.
They also attended more classes than those who don’t exercise because of improved health.
Understandably playing soccer develops other skills such as time management, goal setting, teamwork, and determination.
These skills can be applied in the classroom and result in improved academic performance.
Besides playing soccer helps reduce a lot of diseases such as obesity and promotes cardiovascular fitness.
In the US soccer can fund a scholarship for students to go to college if they find that he has the potential for a professional career.
Alex Joined Soccer Academy
At the age of 14, Alex joined the Cypress Elite soccer team where she trained under a proper coach.
Joining a soccer academy is a smart choice if you want your kid to advance his training and have a high chance of turning pro.
It is equally important you choose a training school that carries good track records and offers quality training.
If your child is not trained properly his chances of playing youth soccer will be low because his skill level might not meet the requirements.
Inspiring Kids
As the USWNT finally ended their World Cup with the title, Alex has continued to make a name for herself in US soccer.
She is a true role model for all the boys, and especially the girls who dream of being professional soccer players one day.
The lessons learned here are consistent with what I always write in other posts:
- Early soccer training
- Guidance from mum and dads – you’re the first coaches
- Eat healthy food
- Study hard
- Play hard
- Have fun
Do you think Alex Morgan is one of the best US women’s soccer players?
Let me know your thoughts in the comment box.
Source: Wikipedia | Alexmorgansoccer.com | Thefamousepeople.com | BBC.Com
Image: Wikipedia Commons
I love Alex Morgan and the poster sooooo cool.
Thank you for liking my post. Alex morgan is my favorite female player as well.