Soccer has given me a place to express myself, fully and openly. To not be shy. To feel. To be crazy. To try things I might not try. To be honest in relationships. To make mistakes and realize that they're not life-shattering.

The thing I can say about Japan is they were progressive for a country that is very male dominant.

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.

You're going to make mistakes in life. It's what you do after the mistakes that counts.

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.

I think there are a lot of things that soccer does in the communities that transcend the soccer field.

To be honest with you, I never looked at soccer as a sacrifice.