Soccer has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. It took me from youth national teams to Notre Dame, professional soccer in Spain and eventually back home to play for Gotham FC.

I got to live the dream I had as a little girl, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. But my soccer story wasn’t only the accomplishments people see on a résumé. It was also pressure, comparison, injuries, fighting for opportunities, sitting on the bench, questioning myself, succeeding, failing, starting again and learning who I was through all of it.

While I was still playing professionally, I started coaching young athletes. What began as soccer training slowly became something much bigger.

I realized I cared just as much about the person standing in front of me as the player. I wanted athletes to get better technically, absolutely. But I also wanted them to trust themselves, communicate, handle mistakes, work through pressure, take ownership of their development and understand who they were becoming along the way.

That work has grown over years of coaching, training and mentoring athletes, and it eventually became the foundation for ATHLETEHOOD.

I don’t want to create athletes who depend on me for every answer. I want to give them tools, challenge them, listen to them and help them learn how to navigate the game for themselves.

Because soccer can build an incredible player. But if we do it right, it can help build an incredible person too.