Alex Morgan Reveals The Pressures of Playing in The World Cup

Yeah, I've spoken with some women from other leagues and saying, I don't know if I want to try for another Olympics because I don't know if I can do both. And it's not that they can't do it if they weren't given the support and resources but they aren't given the support and resources. So I feel fortunate for the position that we are having the end of the cell where we have fought for that but there's still a lot of other women's sports that are behind and hope to. I hope that they eventually catch up in the coming years. Today on the huddle we're sitting down with soccer icon Alex Morgan to talk a motherhood money retirement, and what it actually looks like to figure out who you are, after the game. Alex also shares more about what it's like to build her next chapter in real time. Today on the huddle, we are joined by soccer legend Alex Morgan, a World Cup champion Olympic gold medalist entrepreneur investor and mom currently pregnant with her child. Very excited to have you here almost needs no introduction, but we're going to do a little. So many things so it is an honor to chat with you. It's so great to be here and I love your shirts representing, you know, we had to. This is actually the first time we've dressed like actual twins on the podcast so it might be a little much but we like. I love it. I love it. Okay, so first jumping in, you really sort of cemented a new chapter a new life after retiring from soccer. What is surprised you the most about this sort of new life and new world. After competition. I think something that surprised me is how much I love it. And how when people ask if I miss soccer. I am not shy to say that I love it but no I don't miss it, that I'm very happy, raising and expanding my family, and my kids, building my various businesses and challenging myself in other ways. off of the field, but still staying in sport and still being surrounded by sport but in different ways. I think people are surprised because the expectation is that athletes almost feel a little empty or like they've lost a little bit of themselves. They don't know who they are, they don't know who they are when they retire they don't know what's next, but I think for me I've been building my businesses for years before I retired. And I was ready to also have more kids and so there was a lot of a lot of monumental like stages in my life I had yet to fulfill and sports was soccer was one piece of that and like World Cup and Olympic medals, but there's so much more to life. Yeah, I love that because I do think so many so much of the conversation is centered around when athletes retire, what happens and preparing for that. So I was going to ask what do you think sort of helped you make that transition so easily or seamlessly. And it sounds like almost getting involved in the businesses building those and really having those pieces and that life outside of soccer already while soccer was still going on. That is a huge piece honestly like just having relationships like friendships outside of soccer was big so I didn't feel like okay now all of my friends are still playing. I'm the one that's like the oddball like I have normal mom friends that like don't know me as Alex Morgan they just know me as like Charlie's mom which is great and then I think also just like financially to I like set myself up. for me and take the time to decide what's next and then also having a husband Servando that went through retiring from playing soccer five years before me, I got to kind of see that close up. He, you know, all like when you leave your sport, you leave it for different ways, whether you're ready or not, whether you feel like physically you can't keep up anymore or you leave at the top of your game or you don't. But I think what I learned from him is when he retired from playing soccer he dug in and got his master's in sports management interned as well with the sports agency that represents me the team. And I think just like him like focusing on something and just being like I don't know what I'm going to do but I'm going to do something. Yeah, gave me like the encouragement to be like, when I'm done playing soccer like I'll be fine. finite career, and there are other leagues like male professional leagues that do have pension or, or help you much longer after you retire. And for women's sports leagues, that's, it's still a work in progress. them. And we've done so much in such a short period. Yeah, if anything, the comparison is like the growth is faster. Yeah. But still yeah the runway has been so much shorter. Yeah, it's crazy. Hopefully in 80 years, pensions all around. Or in 10. They can set themselves up in the future for their post playing career as well. And it's a ever evolving discussion, because women's sports is growing so rapidly as we talked about as these leagues are 510 20 years in existence and these CBAs are now providing players with, you know, paychecks that they've never seen before. I definitely find more similarities with with other female athletes for sure than male athletes but that's why I think it's good to have the diversity that we do have on the Athletes Council. Athletes female and male athletes and college athletes who now with NIL to be able to like look at and say okay I have the tools or a start to be able to like trust in myself and my team, the steps that I want to take to creating. You know, this like financial educational piece and where I want to put my money and what I do with these paychecks and like how I feel confident moving forward with a plan, at least because I think for a lot of athletes. At first there is no plan they're like what do I do what do I spend my money on like hold on. Yeah, exactly. And that just wasn't the discussion, five years ago, like it is today which is really cool to see. Yeah. kind of like such a legend as a player and then now you're kind of like, are they asking you for advice, what is your role like there and how is it, how does it feel to be on the other side. It feels great. Honestly, I'm there as a resource as a mentor as someone who has been through it and built the San Diego wave from the ground up from like day one, but honestly I think the most important thing for me is showing up. So it's it's been, you know, being in the stands watching the team like supporting them in that way. And then continuing to challenge, both the wave and the NWSL in what I think their aspirations are to be the best team and the best league in the world. Okay, how do we achieve that how do we give the most opportunity, how do we have the best contracts for these players, while continuing to get the most fans in the stands continuing to increase like the marketing for like these teams and put them in the best stadiums as well. about these from both sides. Yeah, of the table so it's more of just like challenging us to think bigger, and to move faster. Yeah, there's no one better equipped to do that than you I feel like in that position. What is, is there one sort of go to or main piece of advice that you give to the young female athletes right now, when it comes to finance or finances. When it comes to finance for these young athletes. First of all, it's, you know, it's build your team and find trust in that team. It's educate yourself. them of that versus, you know, families financial advisor who's like, Hey, you should think about that you know it's like you are living and breathing this and and showing them a different sort of way to go about it. out to this like PowerPoint that you're like I could have used this hour. Yeah, better. So that's where I think as a former athlete definitely like my voice. And, like, what I say can carry a lot of weight because I have been in your position before, maybe not as a 16 year old signing my first contract. That is something that has that has changed, but, but, you know, I've been there as a 20 year old. Yeah. I also want to switch gears a little bit to talk about motherhood. We're both moms Amanda has one, I have two kids. a visible presence at games and that was such a, an amazing moment for mothers and also athletes former athletes to see that. And so, just tell us a little bit more about sort of what that was like and how it changed you. pay, being able to take your time getting back to full fitness and strength and getting back on the field when a player is ready both physically and mentally. When I went through that six years ago, there was a lot of doubt like, were my sponsors all going to stay with me. what, what does that situation look like I had to go in and talk to our general manager and our president and draft up a policy for our team because there was nothing that existed at that time. Amy Rodriguez, there was a couple of others, they would travel with their kids and then just get a babysitter in those markets wherever they were, and hope that, you know, everything went according to plan and was good, you know, it's, and has it And I think that's why now after signing the CBA after having the protections and the pay that and the support that moms get now in the end of yourself specifically. That's why we're seeing a massive swell of moms, because they've held off for so long saying, Well, I don't know if I can do both because I'm not supported as a mom and an athlete, and now they are. That was only six years ago. That was only six years ago. Yes, yeah. And then when I had my, my second child. That's when I retired I was like okay, being out another year, I don't know if I if I'm going to come back at these 18 year olds are crushing it. I think they're getting younger younger yeah it's my time. Yeah, well I think that's, that's incredible I mean it's just so wild that it was so not so long ago, and you're seeing the direct. Effect and impact of what you did in the end up yourself and then you talk about all the time it's like, you know, it's just such a different thing to see these young players have kids and come back and the top of their game. And it's not that they can't do it if they weren't given the support and resources but they aren't given the support and resources. So I feel fortunate for the position that we aren't have in the end of his cell where we have fought for that but there's still a lot of other women's sports that are behind and hope to. I hope that they eventually catch up in the coming years. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. Today on culture of sports, we're talking about what it takes to keep girls in the game. I wanted to talk specifically about young girls getting into sports and into soccer and I know you create so many programs from your foundation. Can you talk a little bit about what I mean it's so it's so hard to not just get girls in sport but to get them to stay in sport. Our big focus is on access and sports equity. So, creating multi purpose fields for kids to be able to get out in the field, get out on the court or the field and play sports and have that introduction to sport. So, even they can use sport as a vehicle to build confidence to learn more about themselves to propel themselves in whatever they end up doing in life, but I think having that background in sport is so important. And that's kind of what my foundation teaches is, we're not all going to grow up to be professional athletes. And that's okay. But using sport as a vehicle to help learn about yourself and the drive that every person does have is what sport can really give people and kids especially. And you talked about how, yeah, there's a lot of access to sport, but being able to stay in sport, especially for girls, that's also a really important thing and that's where the confidence piece comes in. Where the social pressures come into play. The school and the pressures that come along with that, sports can be a big outlet, but it can also be an additional pressure, I think, for a lot of kids. And so I think for girls, they deal with a lot of unnecessary pressures, especially with social media and how people are perceived or maybe what reality is and what's not. Sport can be such a great tool for girls to learn confidence. So we really focus on that age range and keeping girls in sports or giving them an opportunity to be themselves. I love that. As a mom, especially as a mom of a daughter, what do you think we can do as parents to support our kids through that journey? Because I love what you're doing, the infrastructure and all that is so important, but there's so much else that has to change and be better for girls to thrive in sport. Something that I have done with my foundation is have girls empowerment camps at no cost. And so, yes, sports are a great outlet, but also getting girls together who uplift each other, who have the space to be vulnerable with each other, I think is really important. So as a parent, I think it's really important to be encouraging. No one's asking you to be a coach and criticize your daughter and tell them what a great or terrible game they had. All they want to hear is, good job, I love you, I'm proud of you. Or you were there. Just the fact that you were their coach. You were there. Don't underestimate the power of showing up. Is Charlie into soccer? She likes soccer, not more than other sports, though, which is fine. Somehow she gets in front of the goal and then can't score. The ball goes everywhere except for in the goal, which is okay. You're like, you do know who you're among. You're fine, that's fine. As long as she's having fun, not your thing. She is so competitive, though, reminds me of myself when I was a kid. The girl's got wheels, so I'm trying to find her a track and field team to run. I love that. She's a runner, always wants to race. Nice. Yeah, we got to get her in on that. Yes, so still searching. Anyone in the San Diego area, know of a good six-year-old track and field team, Charlie will be there. Okay, all right. Alex's DMs are open. Yes, exactly. So she's a runner, she's running all over. You're, I'm sure, running all over with her in various ways. I'm curious, too, sort of jumping off the, like, mother and, like, how you sort of impact them with sport. What are your own, what's your own sort of, like, health, fitness, non-negotiable right now? Like, what do you, what's your routine like? It's hard to have a routine as a mom, as you both know. Yeah, I know, yeah. No day's the same. Yeah, that's so true. Self-care is important, though, so just taking time for myself. Yeah, whatever that means. Whether that's 10 minutes or an hour for working out. I honestly, I hate running, but it's, like, the most efficient workout, and, like, it kind of is a good outlet for me, like, stress-wise. So I do run a lot, even though in the moment I hate it, but I keep showing up to run. Get something out of it. Yeah, and I love playing paddle, which is growing globally and in the U.S. It's a very new sport. And I love, like, Pilates and golf and then just sometimes doing a massage or a sauna sesh. Getting a sweat session without working out, I'm like, yeah, I'll do this. Right, the sauna blanket. But I think just, like, focusing on myself, even if it's for, like, 10 minutes in a day is important. Yes, especially with two little ones and another one on the way. I was going to say, growing another one, like, it's very important. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I can't imagine, is it difficult, like, now that you're pregnant with your third? I only have one, so I'm, like, thinking about when you have the second one. I hear being pregnant is, like, you don't even think about it. Like, that's what people tell me. Like, because you're chasing your other kids around. Oh, yeah. No, my pregnancy is, I don't. Sometimes I, like, forget that I'm pregnant until, like, and then I bump my belly into something. I'm like, oh. No, but it is, it is like chasing after the two kids. And I'm like, oh, man, this is exhausting. Like, I should have appreciated my first pregnancy. I could have napped whenever I wanted, like. Everyone tells you to do that, and you're like, oh. I know, but then you're like, yeah, yeah. It's like when people say sleep before the baby comes. They're like, oh, baby. You have no idea until you're, like, in it. In it. Exactly. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm so excited. Yeah, that's awesome. We're very excited for you. Thank you. Thank you for being here in the huddle where we talk sports, sweat, and everything in between. And we did all three of those. It has been an honor. And all of your work with athletes and businesses and everything is really just so incredibly inspiring. Thank you so much. Thank you for coming by. Yeah. Thank you both so much. It was a wonderful conversation. And I will be back and bring the third. Yes. And bring them all. Bring them all. We'll bring them all, and then we'll get nothing back. Yes. Exactly. We've been talking about doing a kids episode. I feel like we've got to bring them all in. We need yours three. We'll just let the chaos run. The chaos. Then, yeah, distract everyone, and everyone else will be like, never having kids again. What do you mean? It's wonderful. They're like pulling down everything. Yeah, we're like, we're so happy. We love our lives. It's so magical. Anyhow. Thank you guys so much. Thank you, Alex.