She's a trailblazer. I'm not a fan to send your child to youth soccer boarding school at a young age but like I said before, let each child and family their dreams the way they want to.
Turning Pro at 13
- Thread starter sdb
- Start date
Wave's Barcenas, 15, youngest to play in NWSL game
The San Diego native signed with the Wave in March.
theathletic.com
I wouldn't say skipping college is a waste. If Moultrie starts having injuries, what does she have to fall back on?
whatithink
GOLD
She's only 18, so she has plenty of time. She has a pro contract and a Nike sponsorship deal. She could pursue a degree over the next few years while she lives her dream as a pro player. More power to her.
College isn't for everyone. My oldest was top 10 at her High School. Hated college (pandemic didn't help). Now she is in her dream job (flight attendant) making pretty good money, but also travelling the world for free (Paris, Portugal next month, Hawaii, Canada) in just her first year. Younger daughter playing soccer in college, liking that.
Do what you love, and put your best effort into it. Can't ask for more.
SoccerFan4Life
PREMIER
For every OM turning pro there are tons of players failing. It worked out for her but you alway need plan B. College can be plan B. A recent MLS rookie drafted 10th a few years back thought he had it made. He just got dropped from his MLS team and nobody has picked him up. He didn’t finish college and now has no job and no degree. Gotta have plan B as a backup.
RandomSoccerFan
PREMIER
You're probably right - but you also have to figure that the pot suddenly doesn't automatically become bigger if the number of players were to become larger. If there were thousands more playing "pro", regardless of abilities, each one is getting a smaller piece of the pie - even if the whole gets slightly larger with more attention/ticket prices/tv deals.
Love this socalkdg. I know a few plumbers that are doing very well in OC. One started working for his uncle after high school. Learned the trade and then went on his own. He pulls in over a million a year with him and his brother. Small mom & pop company. Another started college but hated it and told his old man he's going to be a plumber. Dad laughed at him. 20 years later, he has over 23 trucks and is pulling in $6,000,000 a year in revenue. My other buddy has a dd that went into sales out of high school, never went to college and is now one of the top realtors in Laguan Beach. I have another dear friend who became a doctor, did all the schooling and is killing it. My son's BFF got his degree two years ago and works at Home Depot. Wants to be a manager. His degree helped him finish something and Home Depot promoted him as a lead for his brains, with manager around the corner. Bottomline, whatever your child ends up doing, support them. Not everyone is fit for school. I hated most of school. Many of my professors wouldn't answer my questions and thought they knew it all. Pushing the girls in soccer with college only was always my big gripe on here and I paid the price for my complaints. So many called me names and made fun of me because they believe it's college soccer or bust. I tell myself, my wife and my two kids all the time to work hard and have fun whatever you do.
Last edited:
Yeah, I get that, but she's a unicorn.
Pretty good money is relative, though, right? And I'm sure it's an amazing job for someone just getting started in a career. I'm sure she's paid well enough to live better than most people her age and get those perks, but I travel a lot for my job as well... hotels and restaurants get old very quickly. Gotta admit I'm jealous of the experiences she's getting now, though.
Piles of money?
I think she was playing in Mexico, right?
I think she (Mac Dre) was playing in Mexico, right? Club ball? The one that's funny to me is MAP's kid at UCLA, turning pro for 5 minutes and becoming a "social activist" after. Her father was certainly a professional victim. Apple? Meet tree.
Unicorns used to go to Big U and now they go Pro at 13 or 15. Unicorns are a one in a million-type soccer player. MAPs schooled me big time when my kid was being looked at from Big U as 7th and 8th grader. I appreciated him laying out the truth to me, although it stung my ego hard, and it actually pissed me off reading it, but MAPS was 100% right. He took time out of his day and night to educate me. I do agree with you that college is important (to those who want it and need if for their careers) and soccer can be a great door opener. We should do a "Where are the avatars now?" Maybe even have a reunion of sorts. 133,000 views are not bad.
MAP was a bully and a hypocrite.
Burn out could happen. Then again they can get by working 15 days a month. She gets 3-4 day trips then 2-4 days off. Flexibility if she wants a few more hours or a few less. What is amazing how often she is in first class flying for free during her days off. Worst case is usually comfort plus with a seat open next to her(flying to Seattle right this minute). Wife and I love the benefits she gets for us. It really brought her out of her shell as well. She has met a lot of other flight attendants' that have been working for 20+ years and they still like the work. As a parent you just want your kid to make a good living. We shall see.
