Taylor Ava Smith (born October 14, 2007) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Fort Lauderdale United FC of the USL Super League.
Career.
Early life.
Raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Smith began playing soccer around age six, often playing with boys growing up. She joined the varsity team at NSU University School in Davie, Florida, in eighth grade. In her freshman season, she scored 17 goals and added 24 assists as she captained the team to the state finals in 2023. After posting 24 goals and 33 assists and returning to the state semifinals as a sophomore, she was named the "Miami Herald" Broward 4A-2A Girls' Soccer Player of the Year in 2024.
Fort Lauderdale United.
Smith joined newly formed local team Fort Lauderdale United FC as an academy player before the USL Super League's inaugural season. She was the youngest player on the team at 16 years of age. She made her professional debut on September 6, 2024, coming on as a second-half substitute for Nia Christopher in the team's second game, a 2–1 loss to the Carolina Ascent. She became a starter and contributed to a run of nine games unbeaten that put the team at the top of the standings during the spring. On March 20, 2025, the team announced that they had signed Smith to her first professional contract, making her the league's first academy player to turn professional and the youngest professional player in the league.