Team USA's first Latina player tells us what she loves about soccer

World Cup soccer player Stephanie Cox has won enough high school and college sports awards to fill a large trophy case.

Unlike many high-profile athletes, she plays for her fellow teammates and for love of the game.

“My favorite part of soccer is that it’s a team sport and it’s a unified effort,” says Cox, a defender with the University of Portland Pilots. “It just doesn’t rest on one person’s shoulders, and it’s liberating to know that you have to work together to win.”

Camaraderie, composure under pressure, and hard work have taken the California native to competitions in China, Thailand, Russia and other far-off lands.

Last summer, Cox, 21, became the national team’s youngest player ever and the first Latina to play for the U.S. Women’s National Team, which earned a third-place finish in September in Shanghai after two previous first-place World Cup victories in 1991 and 1999.

MY FAVORITE PART OF SOCCER IS THAT IT’S A TEAM SPORT AND IT’S A UNIFIED EFFORT

In 2005 Cox helped lead the undefeated Pilots to a major victory at the NCAA national women’s soccer title, and throughout the 2007 season Portland maintained a No. 3 spot or higher.

Cox’s soccer development began early. She was kicking the ball at age 5 and made the youth national team at 14.

“I got involved in sports because my mom played soccer in high school,” she explained. “But my dad is my biggest fan. He keeps track of all of our individual and team stats.”

Cox’s parents encouraged the family to play sports. Cox also played high school basketball and volleyball. She lettered all four years in soccer, making several national All-American lists. She also excelled academically and graduated with a 4.17 grade point average.

“There’s a lot of people that you’re playing for and you’re really playing for your teammates, not just yourself,” she says. “A lot of times, especially these days, parents can get so intense. They want to get their kids scholarships and everything,” she says. “It’s a sport, a game, so just have fun, grow as a person and just enjoy the team you have around you. It’s a time to grow as an individual and as an athlete.”

Playing for the U.S. Women’s National Team has been one of her greatest challenges and achievements. And if all goes well, she should be preparing for more soccer action at the 2008 Olympics in China.

According to Cox, sports teaches many lessons. “You really have to rely on the support system around you, your team and your family,” she says. “Push to be your best and surround yourself with people who will challenge you.”