Girls soccer players Alyssa Thompson ’23 and Gisele Thompson ’24 announced a deal with Nike on May 16. The sisters are the first high school athletes ever to sign a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with Nike. Exact details of the deal have not been released, but the multi-year agreement provides monetary compensation in exchange for the Thompsons’ consistent marketing and promotions.

The sisters will return to play on the girl’s varsity soccer team in the 2022-2023 season unless their United States Women’s National Teams (USWNT) training commitments prevent them from doing so.

Alyssa Thompson said she is thrilled to be able to work with the brand and appreciates the recognition that comes with signing the deal from her peers.

“My reaction to signing with Nike was excitement initially, and I felt so grateful that I was able to have this opportunity,” Alyssa Thompson said. “It felt like my hard work paid off. This has been my dream for such a long time,  and it still feels unreal to me.”

Gisele Thompson said she wants to use her new platform to create a positive impact.

“We want to empower young women and people in our culture,” Gisele Thompson said. “We want to inspire young girls that don’t have a lot of money to play soccer.”

After leading the girls soccer team in an undefeated season, both sisters won Cal-Hi Sports Player of the Year awards in September 2021. Additionally, Alyssa Thompson was named Gatorade Player of the Year in June 2021 after her sophomore season.

In February and April 2022 the sisters traveled to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic where they played for their respective USWNTs. Gisele Thompson helped lead the U-17 USWNT to the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) championship in May. Alyssa Thompson played on the U-20 USWNT, which also won a CONCACAF championship in March.

Girls Soccer Program Head Richard Simms said he is excited for the sisters’ deal with Nike and for their futures competing at a high level.

“They have earned their success with their hard work, dedication and undeniable talent,” Simms said. “Both Alyssa and Gisele are amazing people. They really care about others, they’re thoughtful in how they approach things and they always do what they say. Both these girls are of the highest character, as is the whole family.”

Field hockey player Megan Kim ’24 said although being a young athlete can be difficult at times, the sisters set a strong example for the utmost importance of true dedication.

“As a student-athlete, it is pretty cool to see such young role models around the same age as me,” Kim said. “I think their deal with Nike is a tremendous, well-deserved accomplishment.  “Their accolades reflect the successfulness of our athletic programs in addition to the talented sisters’ abilities.”

Kim said she is proud of how far the Thompson sisters have come and is excited to see what the future has in store for her.

“I know [the Thompson sisters] work very hard and they truly deserve this honor and opportunity. I look forward to seeing them grow as athletes and ambassadors of the sport.”

Alyssa Thompson said she is excited to train for and eventually play in the 2022 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica.

“I am looking forward to continuing to get better and working hard,” Alyssa Thompson said. “The World Cup is coming up in August and I am also excited for that in the near future.”

The sisters have committed to continuing their athletic and academic careers at Stanford University after graduating high school. The sisters said they are excited to see where their future leads.