On their new podcast, Welcome to the Party, soccer legends Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach take on a question that seems simple but opens up a world of lessons for parents: Is being a professional athlete hard?
The episode is packed with laughter, honesty and surprising insight for parents raising athletes. For the whole conversation, listen here or watch the full episode on YouTube.
Foudy and Wambach know this question better than almost anyone. They are two of the most accomplished players in soccer history, with multiple World Cups, Olympic gold medals and Hall of Fame inductions between them. Wambach is one of the game’s most decorated goal scorers, while Foudy captained the U.S. Women’s National Team through its early years of dominance.
Today, they’re also parents raising athletes themselves — Foudy with a daughter playing Division I soccer, Wambach with a daughter committed to play D-1, and both with other kids who play. They’ve lived both sides of this journey: as players at the very top and now as parents on the sidelines.
I had the privilege of helping produce this conversation, and even as I listened I kept thinking: this is gold for sports parents. The way Foudy and Wambach described their different paths — one fueled by balance and joy, the other by unmatched intensity — is exactly the kind of contrast families wrestle with every day.
Foudy: Balance, Perspective and 'Other Interests'
Foudy explained that she never let soccer take over her entire life. “I always had other interests in my life,” she said, remembering how reading, exploring and staying curious beyond the field helped her keep perspective. Even when coaches told her she should spend more time analyzing film, she resisted. “Yeah, I should. But guess what? I wouldn’t be a happier player. And when I’m a happier player, I discovered I play better.”
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Her parents supported her journey without living through it. They didn’t feel the need to be at every single game or track every detail of her career. Foudy said they gave her space: “They were like, yeah, that’s your thing. Have fun. We’re gonna go live our life.” It wasn’t indifference — it was trust. And for Foudy, that freedom kept the game joyful.
Wambach: All-In, All the Time
Wambach’s path couldn’t have been more different. From the beginning, she made soccer her everything. “I didn’t go to class, I didn’t study... I was putting all of my eggs in this soccer basket,” she explained. “If I had no Plan B, then that would push me in the moments, in the dark moments, in the last sprint.”
The sport became all-consuming. “The amount of times I had to consider myself and my body,” she said, “I became like the solar system of myself. ”
That total focus propelled her to greatness — but it also left scars. Wambach admitted that after retirement, she needed time to heal from the years of relentless focus required to compete at that level.
Foudy and Wambach's debate revealed just how much mindset and personality shape the athlete experience. For Foudy, it was a gift, sustained by balance. For Wambach, it was a grind, fueled by intensity.
What Parents Can Learn
Foudy and Wambach’s stories remind us there is no single formula for raising a successful athlete. For one, balance and perspective were the secret to thriving. For the other, intensity and sacrifice drove her forward. But the lesson for parents isn’t that you should steer your child toward one or the other — it’s that you have to know your child.
Some kids are happiest and perform their best when sports are just one part of their life. Others may be naturally wired to go all-in. But that kind of drive has to come from within them, not from a parent’s push. What works for one athlete can backfire for another.
The role of a parent isn’t to script the path, but to create the space where kids can figure it out for themselves. That means watching how they respond, listening more than directing, and supporting them in ways that match who they already are.
The Twist: Texting the GOATs
The first part of the episode is a fascinating look into the minds of two of soccer’s biggest legends. But then came the twist: Foudy and Wambach decided to text their superstar friends to weigh in on the same question – Is being a professional athlete hard? Soon, voices from across the sports world — Mia Hamm, Alex Morgan, Kerri Walsh Jennings, Peyton Manning, Crystal Dunn, Lynn Bienidolo and so many more — were chiming in.
Brandi Chastain reflected, “Simply put, no. Because I loved the game and the people so much… Was it hard when I was injured or not playing? Yes. But I never sacrificed anything. I chose to be there.”
Kerri Walsh Jennings boiled it down to just two words: “No. Love.”
Crystal Dunn admitted with a laugh, “Yes. It’s extremely hard. LOL.”
And Lynn Bienidolo may have offered the most telling perspective of all: “Yes — depending on how much you care about being great.”
Even among the best in the world, there wasn’t one answer. Some called it joy. Some called it hard. Some carried both truths at once.
The Big Picture
There is no single roadmap to raising or coaching a successful athlete. Foudy and Wambach are proof. One leaned on balance and perspective; the other leaned on intensity and focus. Both reached greatness.
For youth sports parents, the takeaway is clear: the best thing you can do is understand who your child is and support the path that fits them best. Joy and balance will fuel some kids. Drive and intensity may motivate others. What matters most is that it comes from them, not from you.
To hear the full debate — and all the superstar responses — listen to Welcome to the Party wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the full episode on YouTube. And if you want to weigh in yourself, join the poll on Instagram @welcometothepartyshow.
Oh, and stay tuned: Foudy and Wambach will continue to share their best perspective from the other side of the sideline. More conversations every sports parent will want to hear.
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