Olivia Moultrie: Rewriting the Rules of Women’s Soccer

At just 7 years old, Olivia Moultrie wrote a note to her parents stating she wanted to be the best soccer player in the world. By 13, she had signed a historic Nike endorsement deal. At 15, she sued the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to lift its age restriction — and won — forever changing the landscape of American professional sports.

Now 20, and an established superstar for the Portland Thorns and the U.S. women's national team, Moultrie joins Deseret News reporter Krysyan Edler on a special edition of "Deseret Voices." She pulls back the curtain on her meteoric rise, her recent return from a calf injury, and what it felt like to have soccer legend Abby Wambach tell her she has the potential to score in every single international match.

But behind the highlight reels, the history-making lawsuits, and the intense drive that fuels her, lies a deeply grounded individual. Moultrie opens up about her faith as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, how she navigates the pressures of professional sports by remembering her identity as a daughter of God, and why she believes she is still only scratching the surface of what is possible.

Welcome to Deseret Voices, a weekly podcast from the Deseret News (https://deseret.com) that brings depth, nuance and respect to conversations about today’s complex topics and current events. Join our hosts, award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, every Thursday as they go beyond news headlines by talking with newsmakers and thought leaders to find common ground and uncover unique perspectives on today’s critical issues in politics, faith, sports, and more.