After the '96 Olympics, we all started believing that this is bigger than we thought, and we were willing to do the work. We knew that it was up to us, the players, to make soccer successful.
And I remember how proud I was to put on my training jersey and go out on the field. Making it back to that environment was for me my greatest moment, because somebody had told me I couldn't do it and I never gave up on myself, the game and my teammates.
And then ultimately what I tell the kids is: coaches can give you information, they can give you guidelines, and they can put you in a position. But the only person who can truly make you better is you.
And to learn, you have to be willing to push yourself.
Even major league baseball has had times when fans weren't coming out to the games, and the leagues weren't as highly touted as they are today.
I have a 16 year-old son, so I'm now a soccer mom. I stand on the sidelines and I hear the things parents are saying, so I want them to understand what it is their kids are feeling in any sports environment.
I love soccer; I want to be on the field.
I played mostly games like Asteroids and Pac-Man. Today, when I go into an arcade, the games are much more difficult and complex. I don't think I could even play some of the video games that are out there today.
I think I'd like to be able to heal people's pain, whether it is hunger, loneliness or whatever.
I think soccer is more respected now than it ever has been. You can see that in the numbers of young kids who are playing and the numbers of people who are coming to watch.
I think there are a lot of things that soccer does in the communities that transcend the soccer field.
I think we should be happy about how soccer has made a positive impact on young kids.
I was a part of Backyard Soccer, and I hear that I score a lot of goals in it.
I was the kid who always liked to take the ball down to the school even in my free time, kick it against the wall, juggle it in the front yard and so it was kind of a perpetual state of playing soccer for me.
I went to professional men's soccer games, the old North American soccer league at that time, and I used to be a ticket holder with my family and family friends. We would go every weekend and I thought it was great, but I just thought of it as recreation, as family fun.
I'm still learning lessons about being on a team. Some of them come more easily than others and even more are difficult.
Initially, I thought I'd be a professional football player before I ever thought I'd be a professional soccer player.
It was a family affair; we all played soccer because my dad coached and my mom cheered. They were my whole support system.
It's always hard to sit on the sidelines because, as a competitive athlete, you want to be able to help your team.
Julie, Mia and I just met for a couple days, doing some work but really under the guise of having fun. We do events like the Women's Sports Foundation Dinner, where we get to not only do a good thing for the community but we get to hang out with one another again.
Like anything else, you have to pay your dues and create a positive environment for people to want to come out and be a part of it.
My parents and my grandfather on my mom's side would travel the earth. They went to Australia and China, and they went to probably every soccer game I ever played.
Nobody ever told me that I'm in charge of what kind of player I can become, but there's no limit to what I can do if I really choose to push myself.
Number one, it was a chance to thank my parents, because they passed away a couple of years ago. They gave me so much by giving me the opportunity to play soccer, and I wanted to share the story we had together.
So along with that is spending a lot of time with the ball. For me it was, I loved to juggle the ball in my front yard, and I always challenged myself - how many juggles can I get today? I think for players to get better, it's just about spending the time.
So I'm still doing my best to stay in shape and hope that opportunity will come back to me.
The thing I can say about Japan is they were progressive for a country that is very male dominant.
To be honest with you, I never looked at soccer as a sacrifice.
To be honest, I thought I was always pretty lucky because soccer was what I wanted to do, and nobody told me I couldn't do it.
We are shaping young kids to be leaders in their communities and also to be healthier.
Well I was a nose guard on my flag football team. Then I didn't grow very much, so I thought I'd be a wide receiver.
Well I'm still attempting to play soccer. I haven't been asked back to the national team, but you know, I'm very determined.
Well there are two things: Number one is, make sure you always enjoy yourself, because when you enjoy yourself, you'll learn, you'll want more information, you'll push yourself.
When I got injured, I was out and it was a big deal. I missed two and a half years of college soccer, which I thought was the end of the world.
When I was younger it was twice a day with a game on the weekend. Then when I got older, three times a day everyday in college and on the national team.
You have to be willing to accept the information, you have to be willing to work hard. You have to be motivated to go to practice with an open mind. You have to be willing to be criticized. Only you can do those things.
You'll be dedicated and that's what you should want to be in anything in life - whether it's sports or academics or your relationship. It all stems from finding that fun, that thrill, that excitement.
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