You wanted that,

correct? Yeah.

So at the time, basically we had explored every avenue that was possible for me to be able to play.

There was a thought that kind of the league was heading in the direction of getting the homegrown role, which is what the MLS has, where you can sign your own academy products and then they can play for the first team.

And also just this idea that in Europe, like there is no age limit.

That is a very kind of like US sports, I guess, mindset or mentality, how things have always kind of worked here.

And yeah, I'm just watching like the best players in the world over in Europe and just seeing what's happening.

How did you get such strong self-confidence in yourself at such a young age?

Or more than one

... you know how when you look at yourself, you think about like a bunch of things that are your strengths, but whenever I talk to my family, they're like, "No, your greatest strength is like your mental fortitude.

Like, your discipline in what you do is kind of..." I mean, for them, they see it every day, so like they get the ins and outs.

But like I think that at the end of the day, like yes, there is physical attributes involved.

Yes, there is work ethic.

Yes, there is t- like talent.

And, um, obviously I've been blessed to be in a lot of great situations that I've been able to take advantage of, but I do think at the end of the day my just like mental preparation for this life, like the things [laughs] that I have gone through to kind of set me up for the things that I now experience, um, like I don't know if that will ever or could really ever be recreated in the way it happened for me.

[laughs]

Mm

... that aspect of it, of like, okay, if I don't do this, like I'm never going to college to play soccer, right? Like I'm giving up that piece of this thing that I forever thought I would take part in.

Uh, like competing for an NCAA championship.

And so that was like a little sad to me, just seeing kind of the camaraderie and what that made people, just like the college experience, being a college athlete, like that, that teaches you so much.

And I was like, dang, okay, that's like a big thing to leave behind.

But on the other side of it, I'm gonna be a Nike athlete.

I'm gonna get to go train with arguably one of the best women's teams in the entire world, and put myself in an environment where like I know I will get better.

[laughs]

So what part of your game are you specifically most proud of, and what do you think has evolved the most since the start of the year for you?

you?Yeah.

I think the thing I'm the most proud of is kind of definitely the results piece.

Like I see myself as a dangerous attacking threat, (thunder claps) that's who I wanna be as a player.

So for those things to kind of come together and click a little bit, like I do think that the result of just consistency and hard work.

And people are like, "Have you changed anything?" And I'm like, "No, not really, (thunder claps) I just can finally see those things come together that I've been working for, for so long." Um, but yeah, obviously having the support of my teammates to really be who I am.

A 100% of Olivia all the time, and this year has been huge for me in terms of like truly just getting to unleash not only who I am on the field but just my personality.

What do you feel like when you're in that leadership position, and, uh, how do you feel on the field when your team is counting on you to, to show up in those moments?

Mm-hmm.

"... do more, produce more?" Um, and I'm always kind of striving for that. That's just how my brain is wired. Like, I'm that freak who literally wants to watch the game as soon as it's over. I watched it back on our flight home. (laughs) Um, and like am immediately writing things down. And then when we have off days, I'm like, "Gosh dang it, I'm just ready to, like, review the game and move forward." Um, so that's kind of how I am and how my brain's wired. So yeah, there are things that I'm happy with and things that I'm just like, "Okay, how can I just like, how can my movement be different here? How can I put myself in a more dangerous spot? How can I locate the most dangerous pass?" Film is a way for me to obviously do that. I love doing film on my own and then with my teammates. I, I'm also that weirdo who clips things and I'm like, go show my teammates in the locker room. I'm like, "Okay, do you see this?" And then, so yeah, that's, I, I am totally that person. Um, but yeah, I'm also like, see it, get what I need, move on. Don't need to dwell on anything. It's a long year and there's a lot we're gonna be able to learn from every game. Um, in terms of positioning, I think, like I love playing in the middle. I do love playing the 10 or the eight or things like that. That probably would be my number one choice. But honestly, like if I'm on the field, I don't really care where I am. Um, I'm kind of just like, what is needed for my team to be successful? And if I need to be somewhere else to do that, then that's perfectly fine with me. I think being able to play multiple positions has helped my game a lot in terms of like, how can I produce the same in a different position and how can I still be myself on different areas of the field? Um, I think I have like a makeup as a player, and so that kind of shines through no matter where I am, whether I'm on the wing, whether I float into the nine-

So can you just, you know, explain, if any, um, to us, what, what you want to achieve personally?

Yeah. I mean, obviously you named the obvi- the obvious things, like you wanna win. I wanna win. I wanna be a part of a winning squad. And I think, like, I'm just, in the years that I've been a professional, it's like, how can I be more influential each year, each game? Like, how am I basically perfecting my craft of like, I know what I'm great at, and I want to be able to do that at the highest level, and then know what my teammates are great at and be able to bring the best out of them in the way that I play as well? So like, knowing that someone's great at finishing, and then I can provide that ball to give to them, or knowing that this person is great at playing this ball, so I'm on the end of that. And I think it's like, so continuing to learn my teammates and then be the best at what I am the best at, and then being able to be on the end and be successful with what they are great at. And that's kind of my personal goals for the year, and continuing to just grow in my role, become the player I wanna be, like I want to be viewed as obviously a driving force for my team, but also just like in the league, like a midfielder who is extremely dynamic, who is able to put the ball in the back of the net and provide that for other people personally. And yeah, I think that comes down to obviously just growing a little bit every day. I kind of, I've mentioned that previously in, in other things, and I think just building a little bit more every day. Like that always will be a goal for me, no matter what year it is, no matter what point in my career. Like 100%, I wanna be able to foc- focus on can I just get a little bit better every day? Therefore putting me in the situations that I want for the bigger things, so...