As a defender for the top-ranked U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (WNT), it's Stephanie's job to hold the line and push for that dominating shutout. In 2005, she was the youngest player on the team and the first Hispanic woman to hold a prominent spot on the roster. In addition to the WNT, Stephanie stayed loyal to her college team, playing for the University of Portland Pilots as a student athlete. Now graduated and a full-time pro at 22, Stephanie is one of the youngest players chosen from the already elite ranks of the WNT to be on the 18-player roster at the Beijing Olympics, where the team will fight for a repeat of their 2004 gold medal.

"I think some of my strengths are attributed to my personality off the field," she says. "I'm more of a background person -- I like to just hang out and observe." And that's exactly why the team needs Stephanie -- a powerful defense to balance out the offensive play.

In an era where professional sports typically come with an entourage of celebrity egos and over-the-top profits, Stephanie is a breath of fresh air. USA Today touts her as "well-grounded" in addition to being humble and compassionate. In a recent ad campaign, Nike dubbed the WNT "The Greatest Team You've Never Heard Of." Stephanie embodies the team's ethos of hard work, and that overstated glamour is out and genuine grit is in.

It's early afternoon when Stephanie arrives at practice field number three in the Home Depot Center stadium, training ground for the U.S. National Soccer Teams and Major League Soccer's LA Galaxy -- known for superstar David Beckham.

Above, the California sun beats down like a fist, ringing off the steel stadium arches as Stephanie walks up wearing her National Team uniform. Given the reputation preceding her, you'd expect to see an Amazon warrior, but in person Stephanie has a quick smile and stands a normal 5'6". She faces the same issues of twentysomething life as most, despite the role she plays in the elite world of soccer. On the field, however, the easygoing Stephanie undergoes a change.

"When you get on the field, you definitely have to go to a different place -- to be so zoned in and in tune to the game," she says. "You're focused for 90 minutes, or however long the game is, to let nothing slip by you and take advantage of every moment that you have out there."

At practice her eyes sharpen and cut down the field. Shouts turn to battle commands. The team's intensity rises, and suddenly it's clear the WNT is a juggernaut, a fearsomely trained force that will steamroll all but the strongest teams. With a total player pool of 27 women and only 11 spots on the field, the rule is simple: if you want to play, you need to perform. This requires the mental toughness that got Stephanie to the top, and it's what has kept her there.

Stephanie has played soccer since age five, leading up to becoming a four-time All-American Defender in college. The University of Portland is renowned for its soccer program, and Stephanie played a key role in the Pilots' NCAA Championship win in 2005. She's been recognized time and again for her accomplishments on the field and in the classroom.

"Sometimes it's easier when you have more on your plate, but you have to be more focused and more disciplined," she says.

She's accepted all the attention and accolades with a soft-spoken grace. Quick to turn the spotlight back on the team rather than have it linger on herself, she says it's about "presenting yourself to the media [in a way] that shows the values you have. Placing your team first -- representing your team well."

Compassion for others runs deep for Stephanie; it's rooted in her upbringing. A California native, her family has taken in and cared for over 90 foster children in the past 15 years.

"My parents emphasized helping others," she says. "They emphasized on us as kids that the world didn't revolve around us."

For Stephanie, life revolves around doing what she loves, and using her position with the WNT to inspire and help others.

With the WNT, Stephanie has traveled to over a dozen countries to play soccer, known internationally as "football."

"It's an amazing place to be, to get to travel for your job," she beams. "Soccer has taken me to a lot of places I'm sure I couldn't afford to go on my own."

Team trips can last for weeks, but it's this time that brings the team closer together. Her birthday in April fell during the Olympic qualifying games in Mexico, and everyone helped her celebrate. A YouTube team video chronicles the occasion and her face-off with a dangling piñata.

"We're all peers," she says. "You're playing every day -- it unites you and brings you together."

With their new coach, Pia Sundhage, training them to "press the attack," even defenders play an integral role in offense. In the Olympics, Stephanie knows she and the team will have to move as one.

It's sunset in Los Angeles. The day has ended, but for Stephanie practice has only just begun. Massive fluorescent spotlights hum to life, casting cold shadows across the practice field. Sounds from the team rise up as their sharp in-game chatter carries on the wind. Here, she swiftly becomes part of something much larger.

At the edge of the light, a 9-year-old girl sporting a WNT team jersey sits transfixed -- she and her dad drove out to watch her favorite team in action. Before practice, several players stopped to talk to the young soccer player, and she's still glowing with delight.

"Sports these days, you don't see that kind of friendliness," her dad says.

At first the attention took getting used to, but now Stephanie says it's motivated her to continue to act responsibly. "You begin to realize the position you're in as a role model," she says. "[You] hopefully inspire people through the way you act and to give back."

Stephanie says the chance to be a positive role model is as rich as life can get. For now, she wants to continue playing the game she loves -- playing hard, staying fierce and going for gold.

"Every moment matters… pay attention to the small things," she says. "Be responsible from where you are and give your best, not only for yourself, but to help carry those around you."

Thank you: U.S. Women's National Soccer Team