Photo Courtesy of AUM Athletics
Inspired by her role models, Emma Webster finds a way to balance her studies and soccer
By: Gracie Keith
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Growing up did you have an inspirational role model? Maybe this was a famous athlete, celebrity or a family member. The choice could be who is the coolest, or has the most money or medals. But for some, there is so much more to a role model. Emma Webster, a sophomore on the Auburn University Montgomery Women’s Soccer team, said her inspiration comes from Alex Morgan, a professional soccer player, and her parents.
In a recent interview, Webster talked about how her parents were her biggest inspiration. She said, “My parents have always been there for us through struggles and everything and they never showed it like we would have never known growing up.” Webster talked about how strong her parents were and how they inspired her to be strong too. It takes good parents like the Websters to create strong leaders, students and athletes.
However since, her parents weren’t Olympic gold medalists like Alex Morgan, also shared inspiration with the incredible soccer superstar. Webster said for as long as she can remember she has looked up to Alex Morgan as her role model, but in a different sense. Webster has been playing club ball since she was eight and then through junior high and high school and now into be a collegiate soccer player, but who sparked her interest and kept her intrigued? It was none other than soccer professional star Alex Morgan.
Morgan was a role model to girls all over the country, with her 2015 book Breakaway: Beyond the Goal, inspiring girls that there was more than just the game and that to be a true Olympian you had to put in work on and off the field.
Webster takes the values of hard work and dedication instilled in her from her parents and draws inspiration from Alex Morgan to navigate being both a full-time student and athlete. Between juggling classes, workouts, practices, run-throughs, and games, Webster hardly has time for herself. When asked how she juggles it all she said, “I would say like always being around our team like because we are all going through the same things and trying to not procrastinate, get stuff done when you have the time because if you put it off, you’re never going to find any time to do it, like ever.” Good habits of time management and a positive attitude keep Webster on top of her good grades and game-ready. But that is not all these habits are doing. These habits are the same practices her parents instilled in her and Alex Morgan.
As impressive as Emma Webster is with her history of playing soccer for the Goodpasture Christian High School Cougars and head coach Karli Eubanks, being a four-time All-District selection from 2019 to 2022, setting numerous program records, including most assists in a game, most assists in a season, and most career assists and not to mention, she set school marks for most goals scored in a game, a season, and a career. The most important characteristic and statistic about Emma Webster is the fact she is proving to young girls that it is cool to be smart, it is cool to be a good person, and it is cool to work hard.