Soccer star tells life story in book
Current USA National Women player and former Diamond Bar star Alex Morgan shares personal experiences through new autobiography.
October 15, 2015
Alex Morgan is widely known as a world-famous soccer player, but what people might not be aware of is the fact that she is also a published author. “Breakaway: Beyond the Goal,” published June 2015, is an autobiography that describes Morgan’s life and soccer career.
Once a student at Diamond Bar High School, Morgan has overcome multiple obstacles, including a torn ACL in her junior year of high school, during her journey to become the soccer star she is today.
“Breakaway,” strays from traditional writing to keep things interesting. The novel adds several different methods of conveying information, including handwritten notes from age eight, full-color photos of important moments in Morgan’s life, and sections at the end of every chapter solely dedicated to the reader.
After a stellar career at DBHS, she went on to star on the soccer team at UC Berkeley, found a place on the U.S. under-20 women’s soccer team, and became a finalist for the Hermann trophy, awarded to the top college soccer players. Following her college graduation, Morgan played in the 2011 (and 2015) FIFA Women’s World Cup, won a gold medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics, and has played for Portland Thorns FC since 2013.
Aside from her soccer career, Morgan also writes about her teammates, her family, and even her effort to be an excellent role model for young girls everywhere.
“Being in this position, it’s a little weird to take a step back and think of myself in that way, but at the same time, we have such a big responsibility because so many young girls have such a big opportunity that 20 years ago they didn’t have in sports,” Morgan said to CBS. “So I think that’s important for me to show them that and help them spark that dream that I had because of these other players.”
The lessons in each chapter of Morgan’s book have been adapted so that while the content of each section is mostly about soccer, the life lessons can be extended to apply to anyone.
“Losing or failing is the most difficult thing in the whole world. When you work so hard for something, not making your goal feels like death. … It’s easy to blame yourself for the mistakes you made … but kicking yourself isn’t worth it,” Morgan advises.
In previous years, the gold-medal Olympian has also authored a fictional middle-grade series of chapter books, collectively called “The Kicks.”
Filled with advice on how to stay focused on one’s career and achieve one’s goals, “Breakaway” is the perfect book for novice athletes and soccer fans alike.
