What if there were no cleats, no shin guards, and no soccer balls?

Mia Hamm was a U.S. soccer icon, but at some point even she had to retire from soccer. Where would the stars of today's WPS be if they weren't out on the pitch playing soccer?

It’s hard to imagine Marta anywhere but a soccer field. It’s hard to picture her without a navy and gold number ten soccer jersey on. And, what would the pitch look like without Hope Solo in her forest green goalie jersey and big paw like gloves? What if the WPS were vacant of the fiery boot and tattoo plastered body of Natasha Kai? Whether we like it or not at some point in all of the careers of the WPS stars the soccer field will take a back seat to the rest of their life. Players like Tiffeny Milbrett, Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly and co have managed to keep playing well beyond the usual prime, but this will not happen for every athlete currently playing in the WPS. At some point, these soccer superstars will lace up their cleats, tape their shin guards, and pull on their jerseys for one final time just like Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy did five years ago on Dec. 8th, 2004 when the two United States icons played in their final game for the United States Women’s National Team before retiring (The U.S. beat Mexico 5-0).

I read an interesting article a couple days ago in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch titled “Athletica’s Aluko Prepares for life... The article talks about Saint Louis forward Eniola Aluko’s life beyond the pitch. Aluko, who obtained a law degree at Brunel University in West London, is planning on studying for and taking the New York Bar exam in the offseason. Eventually, Aluko hopes to open up an entertainment law practice in both the US and the UK.

According to the article Aluko, “loves soccer, but has a passion for the law.”

The article begs an interesting question because soccer will not be around forever for Aluko and other superstars like Marta or Hope Solo. Furthermore, Aluko’s enthusiasm for the law proves that soccer is not the only passion in many player’s lives. There comes a certain point in your life where progression takes its toll and your body just can’t function like it used to. Even Mia Hamm eventually settled down, married Nomar Garciaparra and now does charity work for The Mia Hamm Foundation, which raises money for families in need of bone marrow or cord blood transplants.

So, what will many of the current WPS principal players do once they’ve settled down? Well to find out I went online to look at the player’s bios, where many team websites list what profession their teammates would be involved in if they weren’t playing soccer professionally. Some of these jobs are directly reflective on their soccer careers while others are just pure passions. Check out some of these interesting ones:

Veterinarians/Working with Animals: Amy LePeilbet (BOS), Kristine Lilly (BOS), Kelly Smith (BOS), Tiffeny Milbrett (BAY):

While LePeilbet, Lilly, and Milbrett know they’d want to work with animals in some way hopefully as a veterinarian, Smith says, “I would be the next dog whisperer; I would open my own dog center because I love dogs.”

Playing Another Sport: Abby Wambach (Pro Football--WSH), Yael Averbuch (Tennis--NY), Hope Solo (Beach Volleyball--STL)

If soccer defenders are shaking in their boots, when the 5’ 10” Wambach comes charging their way, just imagine what a force she’d be on the football field. Averbuch says she “would always want to be an athlete” citing professional tennis as her second sport of choice. While Solo, who with black hair vaguely resembles two time Olympic Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor, would choose to play professional volleyball—it’s a good use of her magic hands and she would get a great tan
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Teaching/Coaching: Erin McLeod (WSH), Sonia Bompastor (WSH), Heather O’Reilly (NY),Lori Chalupny (STL), Lindsay Tarpley (CHI), Karen Carney (CHI)

Chalupny and Tarpley find excitement in using their skills on the field to translate into coaching, while Bompastor and O’Reilly would teach simply because they love to work with kids. McLeod, who had an amazing experience in college, would either become a college professor or a personal trainer.

Journalism/Broadcasting: Cat Whitehill (WSH), Anita Asante (NY), Leslie Osborne (BAY), Heather Mitts (BOS):

Sports broadcasting is the theme for Whitehill, Asante, and Osborne, whom believe their experience in sports could translate well into the journalism industry. Mitts simply wants to become involved in TV, “because it’s interesting and very challenging.”

Police Officer: Karen Carney (CHI), Natasha Kai (NY):

The Red Stars forward from England along with wanting to be a teacher says that, “I don’t know why I have just always wanted to do something like this.” Kai has been a bruiser on the field this year and with 5 goals is fourth in WPS, seems like a natural choice for this profession.

Pilot: Keeley Dowling (NY), Carli Lloyd (CHI):

Dowling’s brother is a fighter pilot, so she is, “living vicariously through him” and Lloyd is purely amazed with planes and how they work.

Health/Doctor: Christie Rampone (NY),Angie Woznuk (STL), Tina Ellertson (STL), Amanda Cinalli (STL), Christine Sinclair (BAY), Caroline Jonsson (CHI), Amy Rodriguez (BOS):

Both Rodriguez and Jonsson want to work in psychologically while Sinclair is more interested in the physical therapy aspect and Rampone simply wants to be a nurse.

Cinalli finds pleasure in helping other people and would love to work as an emergency physician, while Ellertson would become a dentist so she would, “be able to make someone’s smile a little brighter”. Woznuk would probably work in maternity or maybe health and nutrition

Music/Dance/Art: Alex Scott (BOS), Nicole Barnhart (BAY), Angela Hucles (BOS):

Hucles, who has an ardor for music would become an artist, so she’d be able to make music videos (interestingly enough she would also be interested in real estate). The English defender, Scott, would become a professional dancer and Barnhart has always loved art. “It has been an important part of my life growing up,” said Barnhart. “The ability to be creative and design things is so much fun for me. Also, working with kids is so rewarding!” She would either be a graphic artist or an art therapist with kids.

As a varsity athlete at Northwestern University I don’t have any plans to continue pursuing soccer once I’ve completed my college career. I’m studying journalism right now and will probably pursue my zeal for writing after college, however, I know that the skills I’ve learned from participating on a team things like pressure, teamwork, pride, and heart will translate into my life after soccer as I’m sure it will for many of the players in the WPS.

Did you used to play soccer or another sport in college or professionally? Was that sport simply a staple of your life for a long time and at some point you had to stop playing it? What did you do with life after soccer or another major sport? Let me know!