Eleven seasons into her professional career and Sarah Gordon finally has a career she can live up to on and off the field. As a captain Women’s National Football LeagueAngel City FC and mother of 12-year-old son, Kayden, Gorden is a multi-faceted icon: professional footballer, fashion designer and philanthropist.
His latest project? Sara (pronounced “Sara”), her new fashion line. Stylish pieces that work beautifully whether you’re going out, staying in, or sleeping. It all fits, and it’s a metaphor for Gorden’s own life.
This is up to HoodSpacea nonprofit organization that connects her love of yoga to something bigger: creating a space for girls and women of color in her hometown of Chicago to tap into consciousness, movement, and community. Through special events, she helps people find their flow.
And that’s partly due to the changes sweeping the NWSL that allow players to build full and rich lives. “The biggest change is the salary,” says the Angel City FC defender. “But being able to make a living and take care of my family – that’s all.” That transition, along with better support for parents, from scholarships to childcare resources, represents a very different reality when Gorden first entered the NWSL in 2016. During that time, she had to figure out how to juggle soccer while being a mom.
“It wasn’t really sustainable,” he says. And yet, she did it. Here’s how it looks like in real life:
About wanting to be like Mia Hamm
“I remember being like 12 or 13 and saying I want to be a professional soccer player like Mia Hamm. And someone told me to be real. It’s funny looking back now because that’s what I’m doing.”
When it became real
“It wasn’t until my junior or senior year – after my son was born – that I realized that this could actually be a career. I could be drafted. I could play. But the pay, the structure – it’s just not built to support that kind of life. I think sometimes going in with a little more energy will do better in the future.”
About what has changed in the NSWL
“It’s not just a paycheck. It’s support. Especially as a mom. It’s day and night. Being able to actually live and take care of my family — that’s all.”
About Saera and clothes for real life
“I’ve always loved fashion – from morning wear to haute couture. I find inspiration really easily – nature, people, my colleagues, just in Los Angeles. Everything I’ve experienced, good and bad, is reflected in what I want to create.”
In HoodSpace and creating space for others
“I needed space in my life. I was really emotional and I didn’t know how to process it. Yoga and meditation guided me through that. It’s about giving people access to something that helped me.”
About leadership
“You have to read the energy. Sometimes you speak. Sometimes you just show up the way your team needs you to. When you’re really connected with your team, it makes those moments a lot easier.”
About parenting now
“It’s a great age. You’re still their mom, but you also… love them as a person. It’s really special to see them for who they are.”
Rapid fire…
A few quick questions to get to know you without much thought.
What is your famous song?: “You Broke My Heart” – Drake
Last show you watched?: Pitt
you pre-game meal?: Pancakes + fruit
How about a post-game meal?: Double cheeseburger
what are you is reading now?: The year of magical thinking by Joan Didion
A book of yours always recommend?: No bad parts by Richard C. Schwartz
