Top World Cup soccer player pays a visit to Cape today

Since winning the World Cup in July, U.S. women's national team midfielder Carli Lloyd hasn't had a chance to slow down.

Lloyd, who capped a hat trick in the first 16 minutes of the 5-2 win in the final against Japan with a 54-yard shot, has remained busy since becoming a World Cup champion and the recipient of the Golden Ball Trophy as the best player of the tournament and the Silver Boot after scoring six goals and recording an assist in the tournament.

Lloyd, 33, who plays for the Houston Dash in the National Women's Soccer League, has competed with the national team on its victory tour and visited the White House last week with the team, among other things.

"Every day, something new pops up, and I've gotten to experience so many different things, and it's been absolutely amazing," Lloyd said in an interview with the Southeast Missourian. "Not too many people can say that they've gotten to shake the president's hand and chat and have a few words with him, which was something I'll cherish forever. It's been a lot of fun. I do need a vacation at some point, and hopefully in December, I'll be able to get away for a little bit."

Her next stop is the Show Me Center tonight for "An Evening with Carli Lloyd" as part of the Southeast Missouri State University Speaker Series.

"It's been very busy. I've been on a whirlwind," Lloyd said, "but I'm really looking forward to it."

The event begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the public are $10 and can be bought online at showmecenter.biz or at the Show Me Center box office.

"I think it's just a good opportunity for me to just come and share my journey," Lloyd said. "With all the success that I've had in my career, there's lots of ups and downs, and there's lots of tough moments that have shaped me, and I think in those tough moments is when I've learned a great deal -- more so than the successful moments. And it's just about working hard each and every day and having a dream and working on achieving that dream each and every day."

Lloyd added she hopes people learn from her speech to focus on the things they can control.

"I think a big thing is turning your weaknesses into strengths and just being passionate about what you want to do in life," Lloyd said. "You know, you can't rely on anybody else to fulfill your dreams. You have to be one that is going to go out there and work hard each and every day."

Lloyd, a Delran, New Jersey, native, was part of the USA's Olympic gold-medal teams in 2008 and 2012 and scored the game-winning goals in each of the finals.

"My message can be heard amongst lots of different people, not just little girls playing soccer, and I think it's really great to be able to go into markets that are smaller towns, because I know that I grew up in a small town," Lloyd said. "And to hear somebody speak or have a live role model, it goes a long way and is definitely priceless."

Lloyd also will attend a soccer clinic the Southeast soccer team will hold at Houck Stadium for about 100 children 14 and older this afternoon before her speech.

"High-fiving kids and smiling and taking photos, that goes a long way," Lloyd said. "It instantly can change a child's life just by that, so it's really important to me, and I'm really looking forward to it."