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Soccer Legend Kelley O’Hara Talks Retirement, Career Shifts, and Launching ‘Sports Are Fun!’

Sports Are Fun! host and soccer icon Kelley O'Hara poses in a blue hoodie and orange cap.
New JWS show 'Sports Are Fun!' with Kelley O'Hara launches today. (Just Women's Sports)

It's safe to say Kelley O'Hara is enjoying retirement.

Check her social media and you’ll see that the two-time World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist has been traveling. She's been hitting the slopes, jetting to Miami for Unrivaled's opening day, and even got a chance to celebrate former USWNT teammate Heather O'Reilly's 40th birthday in Los Angeles. 

And for the first time, there wasn't a voice in the back of her mind telling her she needed to get back to work. "The holiday season has never been relaxing for me," she tells Just Women's Sports. "I think people really don't realize the extent to which you have to prepare for preseason, and how little of a break we get as footballers."

That’s not to say that she didn't love playing soccer. O'Hara cherished every moment of her final season on the pitch with 2023 NWSL champs Gotham FC — one that was unfortunately shortened due to injury. But she's also very happy with the life she's created on the other side.

"Obviously, [playing] comes with its pitfalls or obstacles or annoyances, but I really loved it," she says. "So I'm surprised with how much I'm not missing it."

Gotham defender and Sports Are Fun! host Kelley O'Hara claps at the crowd after an NWSL match.
'Sports Are Fun!' host Kelley O'Hara played her last pro match on September 8th. (Evan Yu/Getty Images)

Lingering injury prompted O'Hara's retirement

O'Hara admits that some of her decision to retire was out of her hands prior to hanging up her cleats.  She spent much of her prestigious career holding lingering injuries at bay, and the physical toll finally caught up to her. And with a full trophy case and little room for regrets, it felt like the right time to step away. 

"I'm trying to sort out my knee. Unfortunately, it's pretty far gone," she continues. "So just managing it and figuring out how to do all the things I want to do, and enjoy life the way I want to enjoy it."

The sacrifice that led to success is still front of mind. O'Hara has already accepted that she will eventually have to undergo a knee replacement sooner rather than later.

But she also knows her second act is only just beginning.

Kelley O'Hara speaks into a microphone while filming JWS show Sports Are Fun!.
O'Hara launches her latest venture — Sports Are Fun! — this week. (Just Women's Sports)

O'Hara trades the pitch for the studio with 'Sports Are Fun!'

This week, the 36-year-old is diving headfirst into a new venture. After hosting multiple podcasts with JWS and trying her hand at broadcast commentary, O'Hara is stepping back into the studio to debut Sports Are Fun!, a new weekly women's sports show launching its first episode today.

O'Hara brings a championship-level of consistency to the podcast, set to run through the end of 2025. While the women's sports media space is used to player-hosted seasonal one-offs centered around major events, Sports Are Fun! is filling a significant gap: the regular, everyday coverage that’s long dominated the men's sports landscape.

"I'm looking forward to having this week-in and week-out show, to be able to connect with our fans, cover the sports, and have fun," she says. "Sports are fun!"

The show sets itself apart from long-form interview or analysis podcasts, shifting the format by focusing on real-life living room conversations women’s sports personalities are currently having. To bring that idea to fruition O'Hara will be joined by journalist and content creator Greydy Diaz as co-host in addition to a rotating cast of some of women’s sport’s biggest names. All that plus JWS intern BJ, there to add his own takes as the group's requisite Gen-Zer.

"Obviously we're gonna have guests come on that are relevant for whatever's happening in the world of sports, but it really is going to feel like a group hang," says O'Hara, noting that the show will draw just as heavily from pop culture as it will from the games on TV.

O'Hara still has close relationships with former teammates in this new chapter in her career (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

Tuning into the fun without losing the facts

"I love reality television, which is probably why I love sports, too — or maybe I love reality television because I love sports," O'Hara laughs. She personally enjoys podcasts that discuss the shows she's watching episode by episode, and thinks that same collaborative chatter can translate perfectly to the sports world.

"I'm not the be-all, end-all or the final word on women's sports," she says. "I might think one thing, and my guest co-host is gonna think another thing. To me, that just sparks more conversations." 

For O'Hara, the idea is to lean into those conflicting perspectives, mirroring the way real sports fans engage with the week's biggest stories.

However, as a former athlete with close ties to many active players, O'Hara knows there's a fine line between having honest conversations and being condescending. She hopes that her first-person knowledge lends some weight to whatever thoughtful criticism Sports Are Fun! stirs up. 

"You have to comment on your friends at times, and that's hard," she says. "But it's really good when you have people who have done it doing that, because they've been there."

Sports Are Fun! host Kelley O'Hara juggles a basketball outside Unrivaled's arena in Miami.
A fan of all sports, O'Hara traveled to Miami to catch Unrivaled 3×3's season tip-off. (Just Women's Sports)

O'Hara is all in on being a sports fan

While her playing career obviously influences her perspective as a sports commentator, O'Hara is also excited about just being a fan. "It's so funny, now that I am not having to play and work weekends, I'm like, 'Oh, I can go see all the things,'" she says.

And she really means all the things. In addition to hitting up Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball in Miami, she’s also getting into winter sports like Aspen's Snow League and she’s looking forward to making it down to Tampa for March Madness. She wants to experience it all.

"I'm a sports fan — put sports on and I'll pick a team," she says. "And I'll seem like I've been a lifelong fan, all in one game."

While fandom isn't exactly the same as playing in the pros, O'Hara is eager to tackle Sports Are Fun! with the same energy that fueled her soccer career. 

"Anything I do, I want to win, and this is no different," she adds. "And winning is  getting as many people as possible tuning in and creating this community that loves women's sports and loves talking about it."

Gotham FC Signs Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Dove

Emily Sonnett shows off the new Dove sponsorship above her last name on her Gotham jersey.
Dove's partnership with Gotham is the brand's first major investment in a women's sports team. (Gotham FC)

Gotham and Dove are teaming up, with the 2023 NWSL champs signing a record-setting multi-year kit partnership with the beauty brand on Thursday.

As Dove's first major investment in a women's sports team, the move also ranks as the highest-ever back-of-jersey sponsorship deal in NWSL history.

While Gotham did not provide specific numbers, the contract surpasses Bay FC's then-record $500,000 deal with private equity giant Sixth Street.

Dove joins Gotham in fight to keep girls in sports

The partnership is a part of Gotham's "Keep Her in the Game" initiative, a community effort launched last August to help adolescent girls stay in sports. Dove will serve as the program's presenting sponsor.

"Dove is the ultimate leader in female strength and empowerment, and we could not be prouder to partner with the brand in a number of impactful ways," Gotham FC chief business officer Ryan Dillon said in the team's release. "We are excited to team up with Dove to create key pathways for young female athletes to stay in sports, develop confidence, and become strong future leaders."

"The partnership is taking effect at a crucial time when supporting girls in sports has never been more important."

With girls twice as likely as boys to abandon sports by age 14, "Keep Her in the Game" aims to bolster young athletes' resilience and amplify the joy and connection that happens on and off the playing field.

After impacting 30 local New Jersey and New York youth clubs and more than 500 players in 2024, the initiative is aiming to double its reach in 2025. It will also pass the proverbial mic to the young athletes themselves by creating a Youth Leadership Council.

"The data is clear: Sports build confidence, leadership skills and resilience in young women, benefiting them for years to come," stated Laura DiMiceli, the head of personal care sports marketing for Dove's parent company, Unilever North America. "Dove is committed to supporting 'Keep Her in the Game' as part of our overall mission to help young girls pursue sports and keep playing the games they love."

Unrivaled to Crown First-Ever 1v1 Tournament Champion

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier dribbles the ball during an Unrivaled game.
Napheesa Collier is one of four Unrivaled players competing for the 1v1 tournament's $200,000 prize. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever 1v1 tournament champion on Friday night, when all four semifinalists take the court with a $200,000 grand prize on the line.

Vinyl guard Arike Ogunbowale will kick off the semis against Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards, before Unrivaled co-founder and Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier faces Rose forward Azurá Stevens. The victors will immediately advance to the night's best-of-three final series.

Notably, Friday's set puts alma mater pride on center court. A trio of UConn alums in Collier, Stevens, and Edwards will all clock in, while Ogunbowale reps Notre Dame — one of just three teams to beat the Huskies this NCAA season.

Along with those priceless bragging rights, the semifinalists are battling for a six-figure payday, though none will leave empty-handed. Each are guaranteed at least $25,000, with $50,000 on deck for the tournament's runner-up.

The players' Unrivaled teammates will also be watching with interest, as the winner's entire 3×3 team will snag $10,000 each.

Though 1v1 can feel like a schoolyard version of basketball, with this much money involved, expect the competition to rise miles above playground tussles.

Rose BC's Angel Reese defends Mist forward Aaliyah Edwards during an Unrivaled game.
Aaliyah Edwards is one of three UConn alums in the Unrivaled 1v1 semifinals. (Rich Storry/Getty Images)

Endurance could decide Unrivaled 1v1 tournament champion

Friday's format is in part a test of stamina, as players stare down a grueling schedule where the eventual winner must play either three or four 1v1 games in a single night.

To that end, Collier's elite conditioning could make her the favorite, if she can outlast Stevens in the pair's semifinal.

"Her motor is unmatched," Stevens said of Collier's endurance, a key factor in her success so far. "I try to conserve some energy in between possessions, especially when the games get really tiring."

Motors aside, Friday's title will boil down to fundamentals — and which athlete best leverages their personal skillset.

"I have to use my size and stick to my strengths," said Edwards. "It’s about imposing my will and getting the job done."

How to watch the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament finals

The inaugural Unrivaled 1v1 tournament concludes on Friday. Live coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on TNT.

USC Beats UCLA as JuJu Watkins Ends Bruins’ Undefeated NCAA Season

USC's JuJu Watkins drives to the basket between UCLA's Janiah Barker and Elina Aarnisalo.
Watkins scored 38 points to hand UCLA their first loss of the season. (Robert Hanashiro/Imagn Images)

The last perfect DI basketball season has officially fallen, as USC phenom JuJu Watkins put up a historic performance to lead the No. 6 Trojans to a 71-60 win over then-undefeated No. 1 UCLA on Thursday.

Watkins finished the night with 38 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and eight blocks, becoming the first DI player to register an overall stat-line so robust in 20 years.

"It took everything. It's been a rough couple weeks for me," Watkins said after the game, referencing uncharacteristic performances leading up to Thursday's rivalry matchup. "To be able to kind of snap back into it and get into my rhythm here at Galen versus UCLA, it's really all I could ask for."

"I'm really just like a kid out there and living out my dream."

Throughout the back-and-forth battle, Watkins's consistency made all the difference. She scored every one of USC's 14 second-quarter points, and helped lead a monster fourth quarter in which the Trojans slammed the door by outscoring the Bruins 24-8.

"I didn't teach JuJu any of that," commented USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after the game. "[I] just try to put her in situations to be her best self, and she does most of that work. What I was so impressed with tonight, obviously, was just the mentality she came out with."

With the marquee win, USC now sits firmly atop the Big Ten. That said, UCLA will have a chance to avenge the loss in the pair's March 1st rematch, when that final regular-season game could decide the conference title.

Until then, the Trojans will be riding high on their Thursday night dominance.

"We'll never forget this night," Gottlieb said. "It's as good as anything I've ever seen."

UConn star Paige Bueckers dribbles the ball during a game.
UConn takes on South Carolina on Sunday. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

How to watch Top 10 NCAA basketball this weekend

With no undefeated teams left in DI basketball, Watkins's performance has put the field on notice to not make any assumptions about who might end up on top.

While Sunday will see USC roll against unranked Washington and UCLA try to bounce back against No. 22 Michigan State, the NCAA slate will also serve up two huge Top 10 matchups.

First, No. 7 UConn will take their final major regular-season test when they visit No. 4 South Carolina at 1 PM ET, when Paige Bueckers and the Huskies will aim to pull off a similarly impressive USC-inspired upset.

Then at 3 PM ET, No. 5 LSU heads to No. 3 Texas, where the Tigers will hunt their first win over the Longhorns in more than 22 years.

Both elite meetings are set to air live on ABC.

Pro Women’s Lacrosse League Debuts at WLL Championship Series

A promotional graphic for the WLL Championship Series.
The WLL played its first-ever pro games at this week's Lexus Championship Series. (ESPN)

The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Team USA lacrosse star Charlotte North gestures during a 2022 World Championship game.
Team USA star Charlotte North competes for the WLL's Boston Guard. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

Former Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane shoots the ball during an NCAA game.
Izzy Scane, the NCAA DI lacrosse career scoring leader, plays for the New York Charging. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.

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