Height can be an important aspect in all forms of athletics. A women's soccer forward is at times required to win aerial challenges and head ball toward the goal. Height can also help a soccer forward win battles with defenders for loose balls. The average height of a women's soccer forward can differ by team, style and level of play. Soccer Performance studied professional soccer players and says, simply, they “vary in weight and size.”
Style
The phrase “bigger is better” is a often used by coaches in many sports, but it is not always the case. While a taller female soccer forward is usually stronger in the aerial game, many shorter players possess the pace and ability to move the ball quickly on the ground to be effective.
Examples
The U.S. Women’s National Team has a pair of forwards who often play together and illustrate the differences in height requirements for soccer forwards. Abby Wambach started in the 2011 Women’s World Cup and is listed as 5 feet, 11 inches. Wambach’s size is an asset, and she scored multiple headed goals in the tournament. But Amy Rodriguez also started for the U.S. team during the 2011 World Cup and is listed at only 5 feet, 4 inches. Rodriguez has pace and ball skills that allow her to play at the elite level.
Elite Women’s Soccer
The U.S. women played for the title in the 2011 World Cup, and the team had five forwards ranging from Wambach's 5 feet, 11 inches down to Rodriguez's 5 feet, 4 inches. The average height for the forwards on U.S. women's roster was 5 feet, 7 inches.
Level of Play
A common belief is that higher levels of soccer see taller and bigger players. A brief look at selected rosters supports this. The forwards on the 2011 U.S. women's team averaged 5 feet, 7 inches. Wake Forest, an NCAA Division I team, had an average height of 5 feet, 7.5 inches among the forwards listed on the 2013-14 roster. Bates College, an NCAA Division III college team, had an average height of 5 feet, 6 inches for players listed as forwards.