Tina Ellertson’s days as a professional soccer player are over. Her focus now will be on sharing her passion for the sport.

The former U.S. Women’s National Team defender from Vancouver has turned down a contract offer from the Portland Thorns, choosing instead to focus on her coaching career.

“Coaching has really been my passion for a while,” Ellertson said. She coaches several teams for FC Salmon Creek, and in the fall plans to coach high school soccer for the first time. She said she didn’t want to put her coaching career on hold for another year or two.

“Who knows where coaching might take me?” she said.

Next week, it will take her to Guatemala as an envoy for women’s soccer. Representing U.S. Soccer, Ellertson will speak to the Guatemalan women’s national team and run clinics for youth soccer clubs during her week-long trip.

Ellertson, 31, said she had a “great” contract offer from new Thorns coach Paul Riley, and that “it would have been amazing to get to play for him. I have so much respect for him as a coach and the way he develops players.”