HOUSTON — Kealia Watt is putting in the homework but admits preparing for a soccer match as a broadcaster is much different than as a player.
"It has been a lot harder for me because there's so much studying," Watt said during an interview with KHOU 11's Jason Bristol. "I was just talking to Mike Watts, who's in the booth for Prime Video (doing play-by-play) and he has four games a week for different leagues and different things. And I'm like, 'How do you prepare for all this?' Because I have one game as a sideline reporter, and it is so difficult to make sure you have everything straight. It's such a different thing. You've played soccer your whole life. And you just you know how to do it (compared to broadcasting)."
Watt is now a sideline analyst for Prime Video and her broadcast debut is Friday in Houston where the Dash -- her former club -- will face Washington. She believes now is the right time to try something new.
"I think that for any professional athlete that's retiring, the transition is really hard," Watt said. "And I went straight from -- I tore my ACL, and then I got pregnant and had Koa, my son (with her husband, former Texans star J.J. Watt). It was really so many changes. And I was fortunate enough to get to take some time to figure out what I want to do."
J.J. Watt recently completed his first season as a National Football League commentator for CBS Sports.
The Dash will host a pregame ceremony for Kealia Watt as part of the club's 10th Anniversary celebration. Kealia Ohai was the first player selected by the Dash in the NWSL Draft and played for the team from 2014–2019.
"I'm so excited to see everybody," she said. "It's going to be very emotional. My son has never been to that stadium (in Houston) and has never been on the field there. So to get to share that with him and have him down there is going to be incredible."
Watt scored 28 goals and tallied 16 assists during her career with the Dash and was named to the NWSL Best XI in 2016.