Soccer was written in the stars early on for Kelley O’Hara. The pro athlete — and one of the faces of Under Armour’s new women’s campaign — began competing at a young age, but she hasn’t lost any enthusiasm for the sport. “When I play soccer today, I still love it like I did when I was a 10-year-old kid,” O’Hara said.
At 26, her success has a lot to do with that love: She is an Olympic gold medalist, was named the top U.S. female soccer player while at Stanford University, was a 2011 World Cup competitor and just helped secure the 2015 U.S. Women’s World Cup team a spot in the finals and now plays defender for the New Jersey Sky Blue FC.
In Under Armour’s campaign, taglined “I Will What I Want,” O’Hara joins other fit ladies including skier Lindsey Vonn, tennis star Sloane Stephens and American Ballet Theatre principal Misty Copeland. “[The theme] is about you and not letting external factors and the competition get the best of you. What you believe is inside of you is all you need,” she explained.
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So what is it O’Hara wants more than anything? “To win a World Cup. We’re overdue for that.” Here, a few more of her musts.
Best Workout Tunes: “I’m a big Spotify person, but really any rap or pop song. I love Katy Perry — her stuff just gets you going. I like rap when I work out.”
Favorite New York Haunt: “I’m such a coffee addict, and Gasoline Alley Coffee north of Houston Street is amazing. Anywhere you can find great coffee, you’ll find me.”
Where I Go to Hang Out: “Wherever there are waves. Around New York, Rockaway Beach, and Manasquan in New Jersey. I love El Porto and Manhattan beaches in Los Angeles, and Ocean Beach in San Francisco.”
Perfect Saturday Night: “I could go out to dinner and drinks with friends. Or I could stay in, make dinner, make some cookie dough — not make the cookies but eat the dough — and watch Netflix.”
Game Day Breakfast: “I make two eggs over medium, on toast with avocado.”
If I Wasn’t A Professional Soccer Player, I’d Be: “A professional surfer.”
