Nike Chicago Profiles Three Female Soccer Players for World Cup Celebration Ads

Three high school female Chicago soccer phenoms share their journeys of persevering and playing the game they love in a series of digital films created by O’Keefe Reinhard and Paul in support of Nike Chicago.

The Chicago women were identified to amplify Nike’s 'Dream Crazy' campaign in celebration of the Women’s World Cup in Chicago and the brand’s summer 'Sport Changes Everything' platform. The three young women selected tell stories of chasing their crazy dreams and how sport changed their lives for the better. The three Chicago women were identified by OKRP and Nike Chicago as stand-out local athletes and role models that can inspire women young and old.

The featured players include Nayeli Rivera who, instead of giving up on her soccer dreams when she found out she was pregnant her junior year of high school, chose to train harder to become the best athlete possible to provide a better future for her son. As she says in the film: “I’m going to tell people who doubted me that they were wrong. Soccer has taught me to never give up on anything.” Nayeli’s story is part Nike’s Sport Changes everything initiative and can be seen on YouTube and Instagram, alongside the others in the series.

Daysha Del Valle talks of the challenges young Latino soccer players face as she explains the different experiences she sees on her club team versus her high school team. On the club team all the equipment and training are provided. While at her predominantly Latino school, she shares her shin guards and even her socks with her teammates. She believes “I don’t think it’s crazy for everybody to have the same type of opportunities. I won’t stop playing until we do.”

Also featured is Denise Marrufo who came to the US not speaking English. She found her voice in soccer and when she finds that she cannot express herself, she “let’s [her] game do the talking.”

“Knowing the aim was to inspire young female athletes, we wanted to share stories of real obstacles and real triumph over them,” said Jen Bills, group creative director at OKRP. “These young women embraced sport and it undoubtedly helped lift them up.”

The films represent the third local initiative developed by OKRP in support of Nike Chicago.