With a popularity that crosses the borders, Alex Morgan adapts his successful book "The Kicks", in a series-comedy, in collaboration with Amazon. The American star wanted her stories to "inspire young girls" and celebrate her love of football. A short film dedicated to the promotion of women's football in short. We wanted to know more.

"I do not want a crown, I have a headband, I do not wear high heels, I use crampons, I'm not a princess, I'm a football beast." tenit Devin Burke, the main character in "The Kicks".

A committed player

Alex Morgan has published six books "The Kicks" in 2013 in cooperation with Simon & Schuster. Inspired by her bestseller collection - the youth novels of the Olympic gold medalist and 2015 World Champion - the series was born this summer. Indeed, the first episode of the series is available since June 26, but the following was launched at the end of August.

The Stars and Stripes player never stops adding strings to her bow, and focuses on several activities beyond football, as if to mark her presence even off the field. A major asset in the popularization of women's football. A strong personal commitment, which allows girls to be accomplished through sport.

A nascent passion

We all have in our minds a fact that has led us to love football, to practice it for some. The World Cup 98 being the key factor for many players or even animated series like "Olive and Tom" or even big brothers / sisters who played there, specific matches watched on TV, players / star players Admired ... There are many things that can make you jump on the field. This is the main objective of this series launched by Alex Morgan, after the publication of his books that have been a hit in the United States. The American international wants to create the trigger for the practice of football among young girls.

Synopsis

The series follows a young soccer player, Devin Burke - played by Sixx Orange - who leaves her school on the East Coast where she was a star, to join California, part of the Kentville school team.
The player will have to adapt to this new city and new friends, who will be highlighted during the first 10 episodes of the season. The series wanted to be as real as possible so that the greatest number of people could identify with it. There are many scenes of conflict, of sporting rivalries, but in the heart of the show, the friendship developed between Devin and her teammates. The series emphasizes this point, as well as sportsmanship and family.

Popularity enhancer

The United States, a country where football in its place as much for girls as for boys, was the ideal place to spread this message. Through indulging, Alex Morgan tries to change the mindset around women athletes. A fight led by many of her teammates and they in their campaign "Equal Play - Equal Pay" which aims to address the inequality of salary of the players, compared to their counterparts, who earn more by doing less and having a palmares much less prestigious.

A fight that EA Sports understood by integrating women in its game. The release of FIFA 16 with twelve women's teams, marked a leap forward for media coverage of women's football.

"The Kicks" is really just a continuation of Alex Morgan's commitment to his campaign for the equality of athletes, both in terms of salary and media coverage ... The short film is also an accelerator of this popularization of football practiced by young girls.

A role model

Growing up, Morgan was deeply attached to football, but there were no figures on television or in movies she could relate to. All her childhood, until university, she will express herself in sports, especially football. She played on the UC Berkeley (California Golden Bears) university team between 2007 and 2010. At that time, Britney Spears was the iconic image for Morgan's age girls.

"I loved [Britney Spears], but I did not want to be like her," she says. "I watched some of the national team players, like Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly, but apart from football, there were not many models I could relate to." says Morgan.

"The Kicks" is one of the solutions to this lack of consideration around women's sport. The 12-year-old heroine can be the voice of many girls who play sports. "The Kicks" could also help fill this gaping media gap, focusing on a 

main character, who is passionate about the sport. Morgan did not produce the TV show to change the society, she did it because she thought girls should have a realistic portrayal on TV. "Football is the sport most played by women. young people in the United States ... Devin is identifiable, "Morgan says of her main character, staged by new actress Sixx Orange." What she lives in the series, is derived from my real experiences as a young female athlete. "adds Alex Morgan.

Break the stereotypes

"Media informs cultural norms," ​​says Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who wrote, directed and produced the documentary "Miss Representation" in 2011, which detailed the impact of the media on the under-representation of women in power in our society . "The fact that we have given so little time and space to women who play sports in any media, ultimately has a negative impact on young girls and boys who grow up thinking that girls are not as powerful or brave as athletes Is it any wonder that when it happens in professional leagues, women are paid so little? "
For Morgan, who was born after Title IX (Gender Equality in Athletics and Sport), it is not strange that this is told, that a girl would be an athlete and he would not be either the generation of girls that the series aims. It is probably incomprehensible that there is not a series like this already.

"The fact that we are not even discussing it in 2016 is totally pathetic," says Orenstein. "That we do not have images of girls and women playing sports in the culture is naturally ridiculous."

The summary of the first episode:

It all starts with the removal of the heroine from this series, comedy. On her first day in her new college, the young player performs a chest check and returns the ball to boys playing ball. Two girls who play on the women's soccer team, surprised by this gesture, then asks her to join their team. Devin accepts the invitation and during the first training, she realizes that the team, except a player, Mirabelle, does not have the level she thought. A fact that can be explained by the lack of involvement of the players but also that of the coach, who lacks experience and struggles to embrace these players in a group cohesion and a strategic game. During the second training, the coach will not be present and Devin then makes the decision to coach the team, but she will turn Mirabelle back and leave the training. The day of the match, she will stay at home, while her teammates, including Emma, ​​claims by phone. Push by his father, and sms received from Emma, ​​Devin is volt-face and goes to the game. Mirabelle is on the bench and does not want to take part in the match, insisting that she is sick and that she does not want to be humiliated, but that she wants to come to the match for her father, who does not even watch her play. Devin agreed to come play with her, because she has a talent for that. Mirabelle can be convinced, but the tough team, which is coached by American star Alex Morgan, is only a bite of Devin's home team with seven goals. But just before the final whistle, Devin claims the ball to Emma on a touch, and rushes to the opposite goal, Mirabelle to his left and demarcated. Devin had the choice to hit the goal, or pass his ball to Mirabelle. She then chooses the second choice and hands the ball over to her teammate, who scores Kentville's only goal. A goal that allows the team to save the honor and especially to create a group cohesion necessary to build a team spirit. The first episode highlights the difficulty of integrating Devin into her new team, which finds her a leader. Devin, for his part, realizes that team spirit is sometimes more important than victory. A strong message that allows girls to thrive through football.

Adapt elsewhere

A series that could be spread across several continents to create the emulation needed to make football "feminine" attractive and a social norm. A series that would therefore, totally his place in France, because it allows girls to identify with the heroine or one of his teammates, to gain confidence in her to assume their passion even on the ground, pavement of their crampon.

Photo: Dave Kotinsky

Source: sports.vice.com