Interview with USA soccer player Alex Morgan

We met USA soccer star Alex Morgan when she was in Manhattan recently. Her new book, "The Kicks: Saving the Team" (Simon & Schuster), is a fun book for every kid to read.

Do you have any superstitions about the number 13?

I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing another number, so considering that, yes, I feel like number 13 is a very lucky number, and I hope to have it whenever I play.

In your new book, the main

character has superstitions.

Do you have any superstitions?

I actually do have some superstitions like Devin's. I also wear a pink headband every time I play a game, and I also put my right sock on first and I put my left shoe on first.

What inspired you to write

a book?

It was really inspiring to see all the little kids coming out to see me play, and I feel there's not really much out there for the girls and boys to see what it takes to become a professional athlete and the hard work that it takes and the teamwork and the responsibilities.

What was your most

memorable goal?

My dream was to be an Olympian and an Olympic gold medalist was just even further along. I hadn't even jumped at it. I just wanted to be an Olympian. So scoring the goal, like against Canada, the semi-final at the Olympics to put us into the gold medal match is probably my most memorable goal.

When they called your name for the gold medal, what thought came into your head?

That was the moment I will always remember so vividly -- them putting the gold medal around my neck and calling my name. I don't feel that there were thoughts. The only thing I was thinking was, "Is this real life or am I living a dream?" I had to sort of take a look around and see the 80,000 fans and realize that this is the life I was living in at the current moment. It was a very surreal moment.

Is there a professional soccer player whom you looked up to when you were a kid?

When I was growing up I looked up to a couple of soccer players, but mostly Kristine Lilly, and then, when I got a little bit older, Abby Wambach. And I actually was able to play on the National Team with Kristine Lilly for six months before she retired, so that was amazing . . . now I'm still able to play with Abby and she still teaches me so much about the game.

You're used to winning. What do you do the day after you lose?

I'm a very competitive person, and so when there is a game that didn't go our way, or even when we have a tie or a loss, I think I just try to talk to my parents. Try to see what I could have done better, see how I could have contributed more to the team.

Did you ever think you would

be on an Olympic team?

I had hoped that I would, but before the World Cup, I wasn't sure if I was going to make the World Cup team. So after I made the World Cup team and felt a lot more comfortable on the team, I felt like I had come into my role on the team. And so after the World Cup, going into the Olympics, I felt confident that I would be a member of the 2012 Olympic roster.

What do you think about when you're playing a soccer game?

I try not to think too much during a soccer game. I try to let instinct take over because when I think too much, like if I'm thinking I need to score, I need to do more, I need to do this. Then I feel it has the reverse effect. When I come into the game feeling like I need to score. I just don't score. Whereas, I let instinct take over when I just get the feel of the game and that's when good things happen.

Do you any have free time, and, if you do, what do you do?

I don't have much free time. I feel when I do have free time I like to be a little lazy because I am working out and traveling so much. I like to read a lot. I'll definitely watch TV shows -- series sometimes, like on planes or in the hotel. I try to keep off my feet more because I was working out so much, and I try to save my legs for the soccer games.