Turning Pro at 13

As an FYI, she has a tremendous Soccer IQ. My only knock would be that she tries to do too much and doesn’t play enough of the team game.

Never seen her, does she project more as a midfielder or forward?
 
15 minutes of fame, and then she'll be 14...

Best of luck, have fun, but all this hype is a joke and will be over soon.
 
Sadly this is what everyone said about Kylie Jenner. Now the youngest billionaire.
Actually no one said that about Kylie Jenner, but I digress. Everyone has the right to try to make a living and do what makes them happy. If it works out for her great, if it doesn't that's okay too because its her choice. I just don't understand why so many adults (presumably soccer fans) would be rooting for this kid to fail? Jealous your precious kid isn't getting the same hype. Let's grow up people.
 
15 minutes of fame, and then she'll be 14...

Best of luck, have fun, but all this hype is a joke and will be over soon.
This hype is just about over already, for this initial move with Nike and Portland. My guess is she will develop over the next few years (she won't be 14 until September) and, by 16 or so, will be proving to be the next Mia Hamm or Alex Morgan.
 
Stupid mistake by her parents! She’s not good enough to handle it all!! She needs to mature emotionally, academically and go through puberty. She wouldn’t be doing this if she didn’t have one heck of a selfish agent trying to get their 15 minutes of their own fame in getting her to appear as if she’s actually playing pro! A really good agent would’ve set her straight on the path of success, taking steps to get exposure while playing the game and continuing to learn. She’s very gifted but not more than some girls that are 17-18 in So Cal on top teams. College provides many different experiences in addition to getting an education. Her parents are fools!! They are only seeing $$$$... so sad and selfish!
 
Well written article , thanks for sharing - I think her best bet is to go train with the boys and try to get into the MLS

You're kidding, right? Once puberty kicks in for boys girls are not able to play with them. OM is a wonderful talent, but she could not play in the MLS (and the MLS is a million miles from being a top flight league)

I'll reiterate what I said earlier; OM deserves her deal and opportunity and I'm rooting for her to become a world famous force in the women's game.
 
Wow. Very interesting article. Is she not allowed to play on Thorns DA teams?
She is training with the senior team. Which is probably really cool.
But a 13 year old girl girl hanging around with a bunch of pro women, has to be very interesting. The next youngest person on the team is 19. The oldest is 30.
I'm not sure what women's locker rooms are like, but if I was a 13 year old boy hanging around 20-30 year old men- It would certainly have messed me up. The things a 13 year old deals with on a daily basis are vastly different from what a 25 year old deals with.
 
You're kidding, right? Once puberty kicks in for boys girls are not able to play with them. OM is a wonderful talent, but she could not play in the MLS (and the MLS is a million miles from being a top flight league)

I'll reiterate what I said earlier; OM deserves her deal and opportunity and I'm rooting for her to become a world famous force in the women's game.

I was being tongue and cheek -I am not in favor of this pathway for girls - doesn’t matter how amazing you are there is a financial limit and that top end isn’t exciting and like you said women can never compete on the same playing field as men strictly because of genetics and physicality
 
Wow. Very interesting article. Is she not allowed to play on Thorns DA teams?
She is training with the senior team. Which is probably really cool.
But a 13 year old girl girl hanging around with a bunch of pro women, has to be very interesting. The next youngest person on the team is 19. The oldest is 30.
I'm not sure what women's locker rooms are like, but if I was a 13 year old boy hanging around 20-30 year old men- It would certainly have messed me up. The things a 13 year old deals with on a daily basis are vastly different from what a 25 year old deals with.
She is on the Thorns DA roster and I believe playing with that 16/17 team. - you can see the match report to see playing times etx
 
Wow. Very interesting article. Is she not allowed to play on Thorns DA teams?
She is training with the senior team. Which is probably really cool.
But a 13 year old girl girl hanging around with a bunch of pro women, has to be very interesting. The next youngest person on the team is 19. The oldest is 30.
I'm not sure what women's locker rooms are like, but if I was a 13 year old boy hanging around 20-30 year old men- It would certainly have messed me up. The things a 13 year old deals with on a daily basis are vastly different from what a 25 year old deals with.

NSWL doesn't have a home grown player rule yet or dibs on players in there academy.

The is new ground for the league, since most players from colleges, first minor so the throns are trying to figure out a way to hold onto her rights until she can go pro. She could walk for free and play in Europe for example like some of the boys DA players have done.
 
One path for OM, a better one in my opinion, would have been to get the same level of training (cut a deal with Portland or another NWSL team with an affiliated academy to train with the senior team), while maintaining her eligibility and options to play amateur and in college. If she really is that good, then such an option should have been available without a Nike contract. So I must conclude this about marketing and money, and not just what is best for a 13 year-old athlete. Perhaps NWSL soccer is now like auto racing. You get the spot if you can bring the sponsorship. What a sad thought.

I wish her happiness and success. Parsons seems like he understands the risks and challenges -- I hope those who advise her do as well.
 
Wow. Very interesting article. Is she not allowed to play on Thorns DA teams?
She is training with the senior team. Which is probably really cool.
But a 13 year old girl girl hanging around with a bunch of pro women, has to be very interesting. The next youngest person on the team is 19. The oldest is 30.
I'm not sure what women's locker rooms are like, but if I was a 13 year old boy hanging around 20-30 year old men- It would certainly have messed me up. The things a 13 year old deals with on a daily basis are vastly different from what a 25 year old deals with.

This is a great point. Kids do need their own social peer group and I hope that the parents are doing what they can to make sure she has that. It is hard enough for freshman HS players playing with 18-year-old seniors. What the girls are talking about is often (um, perhaps nearly always) unrelated to the pitch. I'd expect the Thorns would either screen OM or "mascot" her a bit but that carries its own social isolation - she may be with those women but she's not a peer to them even if her soccer IQ is comparable.
 
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