NJ/NY Gotham FC’s Kelley O’Hara planned to retire at the end of this NWSL. But in September, she experienced a season-ending knee injury that meant she would have to retire sooner than planned. Despite being unable to play, O’Hara decided to remain on the team and continue to support her teammates the rest of this season, her fifteenth in the NWSL. After Gotham’s 3-1 victory over the Orlando Pride in its final regular-season game, O’Hara’s fans, family, teammates, and coaches gathered for a celebration of her retirement.
Throughout her fifteen years playing professional soccer, O’Hara has represented the USWNT 160 times, won two FIFA World Cups, and won an Olympic gold medal. These accomplishments prove O’Hara’s prowess as a soccer player, but her influence on the sport extends far beyond that. O’Hara herself feels that her career was about more than wins on the field. “I’m really proud of…the wins on the field and the wins off the field in terms of equal pay, and advancing this game and the sport and women in general,” she said in an interview with Doug Roberson.
A Winning Attitude and Leadership Style
Despite dealing with various injuries throughout her career, O’Hara maintained a positive attitude and supported her teammates. As O’Hara gained more experience in the sport, she embraced her role as a team leader and mentor to younger players. “She never gives less than 100 percent and just having a winning mentality and her experience in and around, and (her) always talking to players and always giving the extra little nuggets of advice really helps the dressing room and a lot of players look up to her,” Gotham’s Assistant Coach Shaun Harris said in an interview with The Athletic. In setting a positive example for her younger teammates and making them feel welcome, O’Hara cultivated a supportive environment that helped her teammates thrive on the field.
“Coming into this environment, she was one of the first people to come up and introduce herself to me and make me feel welcome…she’s been great for everyone on the team and she left a lasting impact on this sport, for sure,” O’Hara’s younger Gotham teammate Ella Stevens said. Since joining Gotham FC team earlier this year, Stevens has become a key contributor to the team. Her ability to improve on and adjust so quickly to a new team would not have been possible without O’Hara’s influence. By mentoring and setting a good example for her younger teammates, O’Hara has effectively shaped the next generation of women’s soccer players on and off the field.
“It’s high time that we give women, [women] athletes, and women’s sports the amount of coverage and content that they deserve…I want to be a decision maker in the room that is highlighting women’s soccer and women’s sports.”
Increasing VISibility
O’Hara, who came out publicly as gay in 2019, served as the executive producer of Ripe! alongside her fiancé. The short film, which premiered earlier this year, uses storytelling to bring VISibility to queer athletes. “Our ultimate goal is getting the feature made and having even more people see this and experience the intersection of sport and queerness,” O’Hara told Forbes when asked about her motivation for making the film. Ripe! has already touched many people and was named Best Narrative Short Film at the Tribeca Film Festival. O’Hara’s openness about her sexuality and work to create more VISibility for queer athletes are an inspiration to everyone who struggles with their identity.
Plans for Retirement
Although her time as a player has come to an end, O’Hara hopes to stay involved in women’s soccer and sports in general throughout her retirement. “I feel a really big responsibility to continue to grow the game, especially on the visibility side…I want to be covering games and growing women's sports,” she said. O’Hara plans to use her experience in production from Ripe! to increase women’s sports coverage.
O’Hara has fought alongside her USWNT teammates for equal pay and VISibility in sports, but she knows that there is still a lot of work to be done. “It’s high time that we give women, [women] athletes, and women’s sports the amount of coverage and content that they deserve…I want to be a decision maker in the room that is highlighting women’s soccer and women’s sports,” O’Hara said in an interview with Desai Gomez.
O’Hara’s career and journey proves that our legacy as athletes is so much more than our accomplishments on the field. Our teammates and coaches will cherish our attitudes, leadership, and advocacy just as much, if not more, than any achievement.
