On playing for the hometown team

“I was born on the North Side and grew up in Elk Grove Village, which was really boring. When I tell people where I’m from, I’m like, ‘I was born in Chicago!’ and whisper, ‘I grew up in Elk Grove.’ I was adopted at birth and grew up mixed in the white suburbs. I played every sport: soccer, track, basketball, volleyball — even did cheerleading at one point. With soccer, I stood out. I was the little girl who was really fast. It was an amazing feeling to get drafted by the Red Stars, but it kind of went over my head. Now I’m grateful to be able to represent people that I know and love. It means more to put on the jersey here than it would in a random city.”

Ugg polyester bucket hat, $55, Nordstrom. Wool dress, $2,500, Bottega Veneta, 800 N. Michigan Ave. Canvas slip-ons, $40, Vans, 1051 N. Rush St. 18-karat gold earrings, $3,700, Sidney Garber, 118 E. Delaware Pl. Acetate and gold metal sunglasses, $580, gucci.com. Sofa, $3,150, Jayson Home.

On motherhood

“I was a junior at DePaul when I had Caiden, who’s now 7. It wasn’t difficult to lose the weight — I was so young — but the pregnancy was hard on my ligaments. After all that time off, it took five to six months to get up to speed and be able to move the same way again. There’s no greater pressure than being a parent. Sometimes I have to step back and be like, You’re doing a great job. Because it’s a lot, especially in these times, with what’s going on in the world and with homeschooling. It can get heavy. But overall, I’m grateful to be following this path and feel very aligned. The best way to raise your kids is to teach them to be respectful and kind and to follow their dreams. That’s how I try to live my life.”

Cotton jacket, $3,500, polyester-blend swimsuit, $660, and cotton shorts, $1,600, Dior, 931 N. Rush St. Tiffany HardWear 18-karat rose gold necklace, $12,000, Tiffany HardWear 18-karat gold bracelet (worn as choker), $8,500, Tiffany HardWear 18-karat gold bracelet, $7,600, 18-karat rose gold and diamond hinged bangle, $30,000, and 18-karat rose gold diamond ring, $5,500, Tiffany & Co.

On playing defender

“I was drawn to the position. In every sport — I also played basketball [at James B. Conant High School] — I was defensively sound. On the soccer field, I was good at chasing people down and getting the ball from them and stopping a goal. Defenders go overlooked. If you make a mistake, it’s all your fault, but if you do something good, it’s like, ‘OK, cool — but you know, so-and-so scored.’ You do the dirty work. You hold it down. You set the tone for your team and you lead, back to front. You can see the whole field. I love being a defender. It’s like protecting the house.”

Agnona silk shirt, $1,350, and Etro silk jacket, $3,470, Neiman Marcus, 737 N. Michigan Ave. Linen and cotton headband, $49, lelesadoughi.com. Oblik Atelier 14-karat gold-plated brass ring, $170, Adornment + Theory. Chanel metal and plastic choker, $175 for one-week rental, Janet Mandell, 311 W. Superior St.

On her nonprofit

“Yoga and meditation have come across as white and upper class. But these are beautiful outlets for anyone to process emotions and help with mindfulness. They helped me be a better athlete and a better parent. And if anybody needs those outlets, it’s people of color. HoodSpace was created to help girls of color in Chicago. Right now, it’s going to be virtual; in the future, hopefully we will have camps using Chicago Park District spaces. The yoga sessions will start with a meditation and end with a meditation, but there will be sports in there. I also want to do affirmation setting and journaling — it’s a way to process difficult feelings or try to move forward.”

Cotton dress, $5,850, and leather shoes, $1,060, Louis Vuitton, 919 N. Michigan Ave. Oblik Atelier 14-karat gold-plated brass rings, $210 and $395, Adornment + Theory. Sterling silver and diamond ring, $1,795, and 18-karat gold and sterling silver ring, $1,195, Ippolita, 900 N. Michigan Ave.

Staud rayon-blend top, $150, and Nike x Off White polyester-blend bicycle shorts, $125, Nordstrom, 55 E. Grand Ave. Oblik Atelier 14-karat gold-plated brass and leather necklace, $600, and 14-karat gold-plated brass cuffs, $350 each, Adornment + Theory, 2644 N. Milwaukee Ave. Patent-leather ankle-strap heels, $245, katmaconie.com. Nest 22-karat gold-plated earrings, $75, neimanmarcus.com.

Silk pajamas, $560, oliviavonhalle.com. Turquoise-embellished candy jeweled headband, $195, lelesadoughi.com. Tiffany HardWear 18-karat gold earrings, $3,200, Tiffany & Co., 730 N. Michigan Ave. 22-karat gold-plated ring, $95, and 22-karat gold-plated circle ring, $150, nestjewelry.com. Nest 22-karat gold-plated necklace, $295, and 22-karat gold-plated bracelet, $195, neimanmarcus.com. Nest 22-karat gold-plated bangles, $195 for set of seven, saks.com.

Organic denim top, $2,300, and pants, $1,250, Gucci, 900 N. Michigan Ave. Cotton and leather sneakers, $900, Chanel, 65 E. Oak St. 18-karat gold bangle, $5,600, Tiffany & Co. Oblik Atelier 14-karat gold-plated brass earrings, $200, Adornment + Theory. 22-karat gold-plated brass ring, $95, nestjewelry.com. Stump table, $295, Jayson Home, 1885 N. Clybourn Ave.

Denim jacket, $500, sheilarashid.com. Viscose jumpsuit, $1,960, fendi.com. Acetate and crystal earrings, $195, lelesadoughi.com. 18-karat rose gold bracelet, $11,400, 18-karat yellow gold bracelet, $8,600, and 18-karat white gold bracelet, $11,400, Sidney Garber. Chanel cuff with gold logo, $250 for one-week rental, and with black crystals, $225 for one-week rental, Janet Mandell.