Carly Smolak
{{Short description|American soccer player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}{{Use American English|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|08|13}}
| birth_place = Lake Oswego, Oregon, United States
| position = Goalkeeper
| height = 5 ft 10 in
| college1 = Stanford Cardinal
| collegeyears1 = 1997–2000
| clubs1 = Philadelphia Charge
| years1 = 2001
| years2 = 2001–2002
| clubs2 = San Diego Spirit
| caps2 = 11
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2003
| clubs3 = New York Power
| caps3 = 9
| goals3 = 0
}}
Carly Smolak (born August 13, 1979, in Lake Oswego, Oregon) is a retired American soccer player who played in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA).
Early life and education
Smolak was born in Lake Oswego, Oregon on August 13, 1979.{{Cite web |title=Carly Smolak women's soccer Statistics |url=https://www.statscrew.com/womenssoccer/stats/p-smolacar001 |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=StatsCrew.com |language=en |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811004834/https://www.statscrew.com/womenssoccer/stats/p-smolacar001 |url-status=live }} She attended Lake Oswego High School and Stanford University, graduating in 2000.{{Cite web |title=Carly Smolak – Women's Soccer |url=https://gostanford.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/carly-smolak/9480 |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=Stanford University Athletics |language=en |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811004835/https://gostanford.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/carly-smolak/9480 |url-status=live }} She later received a Master of Business Administration from the same university.
Career
= Athletic career =
While studying at Stanford University, Smolak played for the school's soccer team. Upon graduation, she was ranked second in the university's history for minutes played (6142) and saves (247).{{Cite web |date=2000-12-15 |title=Stanford senior goalie picked in women's pro soccer draft |url=https://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/sports/2000_Dec_15.SOCCER.html |access-date=2023-08-10 |website=Palo Alto Online |archive-date=February 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228081219/https://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/sports/2000_Dec_15.SOCCER.html |url-status=live }}
Upon WUSA's in 2000, Smolak was drafted in the tenth round to play for the Philadelphia Charge. She transferred to the San Diego Spirit in 2001, where she remained for two seasons before playing for the New York Power.{{Cite web |last=Lilly |first=Brandon |date=2003-06-15 |title=SOCCER; Power Glad Its Goalie Is Back |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/15/sports/soccer-power-glad-its-goalie-is-back.html |access-date=2023-08-10 |website=The New York Times |via= |archive-date=December 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229182940/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/15/sports/soccer-power-glad-its-goalie-is-back.html |url-status=live }} WUSA folded in 2003.
Following her time in WUSA, Smolak began playing Australian rules football, playing as a centre half-forward for the USA Freedom and San Francisco Iron Maidens.{{Cite web |title=Staff |url=https://www.usaflfreedom.com/staff |website=USA Freedom |access-date=August 10, 2023 |archive-date=August 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811004837/https://www.usaflfreedom.com/staff |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2017-03-21 |title=Carly Smolak |url=https://usafl.com/player/carly-smolak |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=United States Australian Football League |language=en |archive-date=August 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810085853/http://usafl.com/player/carly-smolak |url-status=live }} While playing for the latter, the team won two national championships.
= Coaching =
Smolak has served as the head coach for the San Francisco Iron Maidens, during which the team won two national championships.
As of August 2023, she was senior coach for the USA Freedom.
Entrepreneurship
Smolak is the co-founder and CEO of the San Diego Canine Club.{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://sandiegocanineclub.com/about/ |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=San Diego Canine Club LLC |language=en-US |archive-date=July 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724024125/https://sandiegocanineclub.com/about/ |url-status=live }}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smolak, Carly}}
Category:American women's soccer players
Category:21st-century American sportswomen
Category:Stanford Cardinal women's soccer players
Category:Sportspeople from Lake Oswego, Oregon
Category:New York Power players
Category:Philadelphia Charge players
Category:San Diego Spirit players
Category:Women's United Soccer Association players
{{US-women-footy-bio-stub}}