Cristina Alexander

Yeah.

And as you prepare for your return later this season, what has this phase looked like for you?

Physically, mentally, and as you reconnect with the player that you are now, how is that process?

Yeah, I think I got a couple advice from

a couple coaches that are moms and they both were like the first like three months like really just like slow down um like it's a lot your body goes through a lot um and you're not really going to get those moments back so like really like slow down and that's what I've kind of been trying to do but also like having the balance of being eager and like excited to come back

And you've been through a significant injury before in the recovery earlier in your career, and now this return looks slightly different.

How has that past experience helped shape now how you're approaching this comeback?

Yeah, I think really just from the past one, I learned that leaning on your people, leaning on your teammates, the support staff, your family is the most important.

So doing that now in this fashion, especially with something like this, I've never gone through this before.

It's completely different than an injury.

But yeah, just really leaning on the people close to me.

And you've achieved so much already.

Olympic gold, major moments, leadership within the national team as well.

Has motherhood reshaped how you define success at this specific stage in your career?

I think so.

I hope it will once I really get back on the field.

Because now I'm like, I hope, I mean, Josie's going to, she's like two months old.

She's going to like...

When I get back, she's going to be a little bit older and she won't remember anything, but I hope she can look back and look at it and that my mom came back to do the thing that she loves to do and share those moments with her.

And you had a huge milestone.