Olivia Haga ‘23 played for the Occidental women’s soccer team and has played professionally overseas since graduating. Haga said her path to the pros has been difficult and convoluted, moving to Sweden, Australia, Greece and now the United Kingdom.
There’s no clear path laid out for NCAA Division III athletes after graduation. Professional rosters are mostly populated by players from top-tier Division I schools with visibility and resources to reach the next level. Athletes who make the jump from Division III to professional leagues are usually standout players who built a reputation as the best in their programs.
“Women’s soccer compared to men’s soccer, the landscape is very different,” Haga said. “On the women’s side, there are so many very talented players coming out of the college system, and way more [players] than there are spots to play to continue playing professionally […] learning to navigate it has been a huge learning process […] there’s not a whole lot of opportunities.”
Harvey Moyes, founder of Libero Pathways, created the program to simplify that process for athletes looking to play overseas while also pursuing Master’s degree programs. According to Moyes, he recruited Haga to join Libero’s program in Newcastle upon Tyne after she had already played for teams in multiple countries.
“Since [Haga] left Oxy, she’s had a pretty interesting journey,” Moyes said. ”She played in Australia for a year. She played in Greece for a short time before coming across us. The first time we spoke to her, she said [she] went to Australia and stayed with the team, and [on] the first day was having to cycle around town trying to find an apartment to live in. We were like, that’s not going to happen to you [here]. Everything’s going to be arranged months and months in advance, and if something’s wrong, we’re here to fix it.”
Haga said it’s been difficult adjusting to life abroad, but she’s getting used to it.
“Going in blind would probably be the best way to describe it,” Haga said. “It’s always a little bit of a shock to land somewhere […] [But] I knew what to expect [and] I knew what hiccups were going to be there, so it was definitely smoother sailing this time around.”
Moyes said Haga has managed the whole process since she signed up with Libero.
“You only need to look at her background and where she’s been to see that she’s a go-getter,” Moyes said. “She finds her own path and can certainly look after herself with everything she wants to do. She’s very driven, motivated [and] straight to the point. She’s handled the whole thing. She’s strong-minded and well-rounded for her age.”
According to Colm McFeely, former head coach of Occidental women’s soccer, Haga’s dedication to soccer extended beyond her own personal work ethic.
“[Haga] demanded the best for herself, and she demanded more from others as well,” McFeely said. “Her idea was, ‘Well, if you’re going to be here and you’re on this team, and we’re all working to achieve something, then I’m going to hold you accountable.’ She had the right to, because she held herself accountable […] that’s going to be the difference between her and some of the ones that don’t make it to [her] level.”
Haga said she studied kinesiology at Occidental, and is resuming her academic work in sports science.
“[I am pursuing a] master’s in Sports Performance and Analysis,” Haga said. “[It’s] the data behind [and] the physiology of elite performance and coaching. [I’m] working with elite athletes [and the] all-encompassing, various aspects of working in a club environment.”
According to Haga, she’s been an active environmentalist since her time at Occidental and is continuing that journey in Newcastle with EcoAthletes.
“I was a part of the FEAST Garden, [which] was an awesome experience,” Haga said. “[Now] I’m part of this organization called EcoAthletes. They work with athletes who want to use their platform to talk about the effects of climate change, and specifically how it affects people’s access to sport. They put money towards beach cleanups [and] different environmental efforts each year.”
Moyes said Haga is the perfect candidate for Libero’s mission of combining athletics and academics.
“We’re not just looking for the best players,” Moyes said. “We’re looking for people that are well-rounded candidates that understand the value of academics [and are] obviously really motivated.”
McFeely said Haga needs to stay as driven as ever to continue her professional career.
“Somebody else is after your role, somebody else is after your position,” McFeely said. “So every day, turn up, show up, be early. Even on the days when you’re not feeling the best, or you don’t have the greatest attitude […] coaches are watching you and other people are watching you. Never sell yourself short, and Olivia has never done that.”
Contact Angus Kapstein Parkhill at parkhill@oxy.edu
