Olivia Moultrie: Rewriting the Rules of Women’s Soccer

<p dir="ltr">At just 7 years old, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/olivia_moultrie/?hl=en">Olivia Moultrie</a> wrote a note to her parents stating she wanted to be the best soccer player in the world. By 13, she had <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2822497-13-year-old-soccer-player-olivia-moultrie-turns-pro-signs-contract-with-nike">signed a historic Nike endorsement deal</a>. At 15, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4203718/2021/07/30/nwsl-olivia-moultrie-reach-settlement-over-antitrust-lawsuit/">she sued</a> the National Women&rsquo;s Soccer League (NWSL) to lift its age restriction &mdash; and won &mdash; forever changing the landscape of American professional sports.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Now 20, and an <a href="https://www.thorns.com/players/olivia-moultrie">established superstar</a> for the <a href="https://www.thorns.com/">Portland Thorns</a> and the <a href="https://www.ussoccer.com/teams/uswnt">U.S. women's national team</a>, Moultrie joins Deseret News reporter <a href="https://www.deseret.com/authors/krysyan-edler/">Krysyan Edler</a> on a special edition of "<a href="https://pages.deseret.com/podcasts/deseret-voices">Deseret Voices</a>." She pulls back the curtain on her meteoric rise, her recent return from a calf injury, and what it felt like to have soccer legend Abby Wambach tell her she has the potential to score in every single international match.</p>

<p dir="ltr">But behind the highlight reels, the history-making lawsuits, and the intense drive that fuels her, lies a deeply grounded individual. Moultrie opens up about her faith as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, how she navigates the pressures of professional sports by remembering her identity as a daughter of God, and why she believes she is still only scratching the surface of what is possible.</p>

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