(Photo Credit: ESPN)

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Olivia Moultrie has already signed a deal with Nike soccer, the Portland Thorns, and has committed to North Carolina and she is not even 16 years old yet. From a small town of Wilsonville, Oregon, Moultrie is set to be one of the next big stars in women’s soccer. 

 

Moultrie began playing soccer at the age of 3 years old. She began playing for the American Youth Soccer Organization and averaged 10 goals per game for her youth clubs. When she was 8 years old she joined the premiere club SoCal Blues. Shortly after joining the Blues she made the commitment to become the best player in the world and began to work nonstop until she reached that goal. In her first season with the Blues, Moultrie led the team to a 58-4-4 record with 5 tournament wins as she finished the season with 51 goals. 

 

Her early success with the Blues has made her join the  boys U.S Soccer Development Academy and became the first female soccer player to play for a boys development team and to win the Surf Cup. At the age of 11 Moultrie made her first appearance with the USWNT Youth academy when she played for the U-14 side. She also became the youngest player to accept a college offer as she committed to North Carolina at the age of 11. 

 

Moultrie began to draw attention from several big european clubs like PSG, Lyon, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich when she played in the Mediterranean International Cup for the men’s division. She also became the youngest female player ever to be recruited by a european team at the age of 12. She also led the USWNT U-15 team to a CONCACAF title at the age of 12.

 

When Moultrie was 13 years old she made the decision to turn pro, where she became the youngest female player to turn professional. She also became the youngest female athlete to sign a deal with Nike at the age of 13. Moultrie began to draw national attention when she appeared in her first Nike commercial with USWNT Star Tobin Heath.

 

The Portland Thorns signed Moultrie shortly after she declared professional. She also made her debut with the USWNT U-17 team in a friendly against England. Moutrie has since then been training with the Thorns, only appearing in friendlys and exhibition games with the team. She is now trying to make her NWSL debut with the Thorns, however last month the league blocked Moutrie from playing due to the age restriction set in the league.

 

According to the NWSL, you must be 18 years or older to be granted permission to play professionally in the league. Last month Moultrie sued the league over the fact that the MLS has allowed players younger than 18 to join the league. Her court filing comes after pleading for injustice of eligibility due to her gender and that the NWSL age limit was a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

 

On Thursday the court agreed with Moultrie, granting her a preliminary injunction in the case.

"This Court again finds that the merits clearly favor Plaintiff's position, that she will be irreparably harmed if it does not grant the preliminary injunction, and that the balance of equities and the public interest strongly favor affording girls in the United States the same opportunities as boys," Judge Karin Immergut wrote on Thursday according to USA Today.

 

The Portland Thorns will continue to work with the NWSL in granting Moultrie permission to play in the league. She has already decided to not take the offer to North Carolina as she will focus on getting her professional soccer debut in the NWSL. The NWSL can still appeal the court’s decision, delaying Montrie’s debut even longer. However, the NWSL may decide not to appeal as signing her can benefit the league. 

 

Already a professional athlete and a contract with Nike before her 16th birthday, Moultrie has the potential to become a huge name in women’s soccer. Moultrie wants to continue the work with the current U.S Women’s National Team, who are also her idols, in the team’s fight for equal rights in women’s soccer.

 

“I think just continuing what the U.S National Team is doing and really just fighting for equal right, equal pay, any of that to help it be better for women’s soccer and all the people that paved the way before me. I hope I can just continue what they’re doing” said Moutrie to Utalk radio.

 

Though Moutrie has accomplished so much at the age of only 15, she does not feel that she has accomplished everything she wants. 

 

“I just feel that I’m not at where I want to be yet so I’m still in the process of growing and accomplishing my goals so it’s not even like I’ve looked at it like I've accomplished anything yet” said Moutrie to SoccerGrlProbs. “It’s really just all these little stepping stones to the big and the main goals so I mean I’m  probably just proud of myself for continuing to love it [playing soccer] so much and doing everything I can to be the best every single day. I’m still just right in the middle or right in the beginning of where I want to be so I’m just trying to continue to grow every single day” 

 

Moultrie has the mentality of an everyday professional athlete. She continues to work hard and sets her goals high and will not stop until she has achieved all her goals. As she continues to train and fight for her NWSL debut with the Thorns, Moultrie will continue to grow and work her hardest to become the best soccer player in the world. Moultrie is a name that should be remembered as she has the potential to become the next Mia Hamm or Abby Wambach in women’s soccer in America.

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