Growing up as a girl in soccer, I did not have many athletes I could look up to. Almost every popular soccer player was a man and while I could admire their skill, I just couldn’t connect with them. I didn’t feel like I could relate to them at all. It made me believe that soccer was a sport you could only be successful in if you were a man. That was until I found Alex Morgan. I became aware of Alex Morgan’s presence in women’s soccer around the 2016 Rio Olympics. Coincidentally, I was considering quitting soccer around this time. Soccer had become a large time commitment and I was simultaneously doing gymnastics, so I considered quitting one of them. I was specifically considering quitting soccer because it seemed that it was a sport that only gave recognition to men. When you think of successful gymnasts, you think of women such as Simone Biles, Suni Lee, etc. but when you think of successful soccer players, you typically think of men such as Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, etc. I started to believe that no matter how good I was at soccer, I would never be truly recognized. Then, I saw Alex Morgan playing in the 2016 Rio Olympics for Team USA. I saw how incredibly talented she was, but I also saw the attention she was receiving from the public. She was receiving praise comparable to a male soccer player and it was a joy to see. After the Olympics, I decided that I would continue playing soccer. Of course, it was a huge time commitment, but it was worth it. Alex Morgan helped me fall back in love with a sport I was ready to give up on, a sport that I love very dearly. Even though I no longer play soccer, Alex Morgan’s impact on my life cannot be understated. I have continued following her career for the past eight years and because of her, I have been paying more attention to women’s sports as a whole. I was ecstatic when she came to San Diego Wave FC, as I have lived in San Diego my entire life. When Alex announced her retirement a few days before the Wave vs. Courage match at Snapdragon Stadium, I immediately texted my mom and asked if she could buy tickets. I could not pass up the opportunity to see her play one last time in my hometown. Thankfully, my mom was able to get tickets before they became too expensive and I was able to watch my favorite soccer player’s final game. Since the moment we arrived at the stadium, I was trying my hardest not to cry but when she got subbed out of the game in the 13th minute, I simply could not help it. Alex Morgan’s retirement message perfectly encompasses why I have admired her for so long. She states “Success, for me, is defined by never giving up and giving your all,” and because of her, I did not give up on soccer. If not for her, I likely would have stopped playing soccer in 2016. I keep a poster of Alex Morgan, the one they gave away at her final game, in my room to remind me to never give up. I am eternally grateful to Alex Morgan, for all that she has done for women’s sports as a whole and all that she has done for me.