I want to be strong. I want to be able to hit people. I want people to be able to bounce off me. When I go out there and play, I play to intimidate people. If someone gets hit down by me, they're going to think twice about coming near me again.

I'm not having to go outside and switch the role model hat on. It's me, and it's important for me to leave that legacy to help inspire younger players because I didn't have a role model growing up.

When I first joined the team, I was playing with the likes of Mia Hamm, Shannon MacMillan, Tiffeny Milbrett - all those big-time players. It was very intimidating. I had some of these players' posters on my wall growing up, and now I was able to play with them.

I have scored some big-time goals. I've done well in Algarve Cups. I've done well in World Cup and Olympic qualifiers, Olympics. In big games when we're playing top-five teams. But yet, you never see my face or my name out there. And it has frustrated me my entire career.

It's so great to watch sports live. I think everyone should watch it up close once, if possible. I would like to see every sport live at least once to fully appreciate what's happening on the court or on the field or on the ice or whatever the playing surface may be.

The concentration of the elite athlete is akin perhaps to the concentration of the writer.

Football is unconditional love.

Football's a part of me. If I'm not playing, then I'm not me.