Hope Solo, who made headlines after making controversial statements after being benched during last year's World Cup, traveled to the 2004 Athens Games as an alternate on the gold-medal winning U.S. soccer team. Now the goalkeeper is looking ahead to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Solo chats about the best and worst parts of being a goalkeeper and her love of reading.

You traveled with the U.S. team to the 2004 Athens Games. Did you learn anything from being at the Olympics that can help you prepare for Beijing?
You dream about the Olympics, you see it on TV, but you can't really capture it until you're in it. … I just remember the fans. People were literally dressed up in their country's flags and walking around on the streets.

What was your role with the team in Athens?
I just really helped them get ready. … I trained with the team and was just there in case someone got hurt.

What's the hardest part about being a goalkeeper?
When you don't stop the ball (laughs). … Mentally it's difficult and it's a high-pressure position.

What's the best part about being a goalkeeper?
We can save games. We can't win games, but we can save them.

What do you like to do when you're not playing soccer?
I like to go snowboarding. I'm so competitive, so I also like to play pick-up basketball. …I love to read. My teammates make fun of me because I travel with like eight to 10 books, thinking I'll get through all of them, and of course I never do.

Are there any sights you're looking forward to seeing in Beijing?
I've always wanted to see the Great Wall. My father passed away last year and he always wanted to see it. … It became an inside joke, every time I'd travel near the Great Wall he'd ask me if I got to see it, and I never did, I'd tell him that I only saw it from the plane.