SOCCER AMERICA: When you were a kid, did you dream about becoming a pro soccer player and celebrity?
ALEX MORGAN:
[Laughs] Celebrity, no. Professional soccer player, definitely. I
didn’t know there were a lot of other responsibilities that come along
with being a
professional soccer player, but when I was 7 or 8 years old I remember
writing a note to my mom that when I grow up I want to become a
professional soccer player. That was my dream and I stuck to it.
SA: What helped inspire that dream?
ALEX MORGAN: When I was 9 the Women’s World Cup was going on. … Kristine
Lilly is a big reason I wear No. 13 today. Mia Hamm was obviously one of the most popular players. … But I just loved the game of soccer. I played all sorts of sports
growing up but soccer I was just drawn to immediately. That was the sport I had the most fun with.
SA: Is there any particular
style of soccer you like watching?
ALEX MORGAN:
I like Barcelona because they’re one of the most technical teams I’ve
ever seen. I love the way they
play one-, two-touch and they’re supporting each other so much. When
they lose the ball, they really work hard to win the ball back in the
first five seconds. I enjoy their style of play.
It’s fun to watch them.
SA: Is there anything you
remember about the coaching you got during your youth days that you
think was especially important to your
success?
ALEX MORGAN: I was pretty
much with the same club team [Cypress FC Elite] from age 14 through when
I went to college and I still keep in close contact
with those coaches, because they really helped me become the player I
am. Not only during practice, but they worked with me before and after
training, whenever I wanted extra shooting or speed and
agility work.
Not only with them, but with my dad as well. My
dad bought one of the full-size nets you can build on your own, because
there weren’t full-size goals for kids to shoot
on where I grew up. My dad would set up the goal three times a week and
I’d shoot on him for about an hour three times a week.
SA: Besides practicing your shooting so much,
what else do you think contributed to you becoming such a high scorer?
ALEX MORGAN: Making the drills realistic. To play a lot. To play games. To get
competition. That’s why I’m promoting the Copa Coca-Cola -- a nationwide youth tournament that gives an opportunity to
teenagers play games, and registration is free.
SA: What about the pressure of being a goalscorer? Even if you have a good game, you’re mostly going to be judged on whether
you scored or not.
ALEX MORGAN: Our job as forwards is to score. When you don’t for a couple games, people notice because they expect you to score. So I
put a lot of pressure on myself. As a forward you take on that pressure and enjoy it or else you wouldn’t last as a forward.
SA: What advice do you have for young players
striving to succeed at the higher levels?
ALEX MORGAN:
I want young girls and boys to enjoy playing the game. Build
friendships. Soccer really helped build my
character on and off the field. Whenever I can promote playing soccer
and getting out in the community and living an active lifestyle I’m for
that.
SA: At this point in your
career, do you still think about improving parts of your game? Do you analyze your own play?
ALEX MORGAN:
I set goals for myself every month, specific things I
want to work on each month. I go out by myself, or with teammates after
training and do specific shooting drills, long balls, one-v-one --
whatever it is I need to work on. As a soccer player
I’m always developing and continuing to improve myself. I definitely
don’t think I’ve reached my potential.
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