Tina Ellertson's Olympic gold medal has a beautiful smile and striking dimples and likes to play in her bouncy swing.
It's not exactly the reward Ellertson was expecting from the Beijing Games, but she wouldn't trade 6-month-old Mya for all the gold in Fort Knox.
"This year was bittersweet," Ellertson said, sitting in the Salmon Creek home she shares with husband Brad and their two daughters. "I got to spend time with my family, but I was missing my teammates, missing the Olympics."
Yes, while Ellertson's teammates on the U.S. Women's Soccer Team were winning gold in Beijing, the 26-year-old was on maternity leave. She recently rejoined the squad, seeing action in two games against South Korea while trying to regain her grip on a roster spot.
Not that maternity leave was limited to dirty diapers and Pablum. Not that the demands of Ellertson's sport would allow anything less than this: "Don't get me wrong. I started running five days after she was born."
Such is the life of a professional athlete, particularly in an endeavor as competitive as women's soccer. While the National Team has spent the past decade as the most prominent women's athletic team in this country, it has spawned thousands upon thousands of young women who dream of joining the squad.
"I'm not going to lie," Ellertson said, "it's a lot of hard work. There's always somebody who can take your spot. I love that about my job, but I also don't like it."
Read full article: Ellertson reconnects with the sport she loves
