Dreaming of becoming a professional soccer player is not always easy, especially for females. Sure, starting a career at a young age and playing for a club may sound appealing, with aspiring talents even willing to sacrifice a typical upbringing, including their education. But if the same question had been asked a few years ago, it wouldn’t have seemed so ideal, right? At least, Tierna Davidson thinks so. The USWNT star knows from experience how barriers once prevented young players including herself from making it to leagues like the NWSL.
Pursuing an engineering degree from Stanford while also playing for the college team, the Cardinals, Davidson was living her life. In fact, talk about versatility as the talented defender was keen to give her 100% in both soccer and education. But that only dragged her to a point where she no longer was enjoying anything. It was almost as if she was living in “survival mode.”
That made her think, “I don’t want to rush through my four years to get a degree and then go play soccer.” So the only option left for her was to focus on only one aspect. But that too, wasn’t an easy call to make. “It was really difficult because at that time there weren’t many people skipping college or dropping out of college to go play professionally,” said Tierna, while speaking on Sam Mewis-hosted The Women’s Game podcast.
Fun fact: the few who did take the path of missing graduating included Lindsey Heaps and Mallory Swanson. But who would have thought Davidson would be next? The Gotham FC revealed that it was her mentor who urged Tierna to quit her education for the time being and continue pursuing the beautiful game.
Then again, the decision left her feeling a bit skeptical. “There have been waves of how stable the league has been. A four-year college degree at some point was much more valuable than entering into a professional league that maybe didn’t pay players that well and also could not be there the next year,” admitted Davidson.
Interestingly, even Mewis agreed with her former national teammate’s viewpoint. After all, the former midfielder herself was a part of NWSL since 2015. She stated that the “resources at UCLA were better than in NWSL.” Be it athletic training, the facilities, the fields—everything was a step down when compared to college.
It is indeed quite shocking to see and hear how difficult it used to be for young female players back in the day to choose between education and the very sport they wish to excel in. But the real question stands; how’s the situation today?
USWNT star praiseful over current NWSL scenario for youngsters
“I think that is changing now,” continued Tierna Davidson in a similar chat. “The league is flourishing and players are getting offered large contracts, better facilities, and better treatment. It’s becoming a much more professional environment,” highlighted the 2019 World Cup winner, also the youngest player in the USWNT roster at that time.
She insisted that players, especially the young generation, are starting to realize that they can make a full-time career in women’s soccer. Likewise, Davidson also realized that one isn’t specifically required now to break into national teams in order to build a long-lasting career. “You can have a super successful career as an NWSL player or as a player overseas. The decision points are shifting a little bit,” added Tierna.
It’s good to hear that today’s generation isn’t facing what players like Tierna Davidson had to go through. As for her, she’s lucky to have finally realized that every athlete has a ticking clock on their body. And the ability to play at the highest level comes just once. Education is something that she can continue in the later stages of her career.
Rest assured, one doesn’t need to worry about whether she’ll complete her studies or not; Davidson has promised her mom to complete her engineering degree someday. “Shout out to my mom but I think I literally would not live another day if I didn’t end up getting a degree at some point…”
“…but it’s certainly something that I’d like to do when I’m done playing.”
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.
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