Cait Oppermann photographs the stars of the National Women’s Soccer League

“This body of work came from my own personal interest in soccer as a former player as well as an interest in the hard work and struggle of female players within the National Women’s Soccer League,” says photographer Cait Oppermann. This series of photos captures the players of the NWSL in the US. Cait photographed five of the ten NWSL teams including the Chicago Red Stars, Portland Thorns, Boston Breakers, FC Kansas City, and Sky Blue FC in New Jersey.

The photographs show the players in action, in training, at home and socialising – capturing how sport infiltrates every aspect of the athlete’s lives. The struggle for success is not only physical however, as women’s football exists on the edge of the lucrative, commercialised world and this presents its own problems. “While some players have significant sponsorships and attention due to playing on the US Women’s National Team, there are also single mothers whose salaries barely cover child care costs and many of the players compensate their income with other jobs on top of being professional athletes,” explains Cait. “The 2016 season is coming to an end, but I do have plans to pick up where I left off next spring!”