Growing up, I was often put under a lot of pressure. Being an athlete, I've been dealing with pressure for a long time.

I won the 2011 Visa Championships, the 2012 Pacific Rims, and then the 2013 American Cup (the first and only senior elite competition of my elite career).

My back is permanently messed up.

By 2012, I probably had, like, three stress reactions in my back. Two stress fractures in my fibula.

When I had to go for surgery, all the country sent positive messages. I was very happy with that, and all I want is to give back some of this happiness I received both with the national team and at my club.

There are as many kinds of beauty as there are habitual ways of seeking happiness.

I'm a coach who likes to have the ball, but what I really think is, 'How can you be in charge of the game?' I think, but maybe I am the only one, that the defensive process can take care of the game. Why is that? Because teams wait to defend. If you create something where you go to defend, to steal the ball where you want, it's different.

I added a new strength training regimen in my training, and I feel like I've become a much stronger, more dynamic athlete. That makes me much more dangerous against anyone.