Fawcett Finds the Time to Do It All : Soccer: America’s top defender is a mother, coach and inspiration for her teammates.

The forward sprints down the wing, cuts inside, feints one way and heads the other--and is stripped of the ball.

The midfielder charges through the center, her eyes fixed on the goal. She unleashes a stinging shot--and it is blocked.

The ball is fired from long range, dropping dangerously into the goal area, where strikers wait to pounce--and it is headed clear.

Once again, just as they did in China in 1991, opponents are finding that Joy Lynn Fawcett is virtually impossible to beat.

Fawcett, a 27-year-old defender on the U.S. women’s national soccer team, is recognized as one of the best in the world at her craft.

The Danes found that out earlier this week, when Fawcett’s play helped shut them out and helped the defending champion U.S. team reach the quarterfinals at the second FIFA Women’s World Championship.

But, like everything else in her life, Fawcett takes it all in stride.

It is her coaches and teammates who are continually astonished by her performance and her ability to successfully juggle various lives at once.

Fawcett is not simply a world-class player; she is also coach of the UCLA women’s team, a wife and mother of a year-old daughter.

“She’s Wonderwoman, what can I say?” teammate Michelle Akers said. “I don’t think too many people could do that and still be able to be such a player on the field. And such a great person. She’s so laid back and just takes things in stride. She’s an inspiration, I think, to a lot of women, and a great mom, too.”

After the U.S. victory over Denmark on Thursday, U.S. Coach Tony DiCicco said, “Joy is so special because she handles the best strikers in the world and shuts them out. Their [the Danes’] leading scorer didn’t get a shot today, never mind a goal. I’ve seen newspapers talk about her [the Danish star] being triple-teamed. Well, we triple-teamed her with Joy.

“What was great today was to see Joy get forward. When she goes forward, she’s one of the best flank midfielders in the world, too. She’s incredibly fast, with excellent skills. Joy is underrated by everybody except the U.S. team because we know how good she is.”

Just then, the world’s most underrated defender appeared and, before being cornered by a reporter, went directly to her husband, Walter, and their daughter, Katelyn Rose. Family and teammates are everything to Fawcett.

“I don’t think I’d be able to do it without the support of the team and my family,” she said. “They’re all there to baby-sit and to help me take care of her. There’s no way I can do it without them.”

Not so, says former teammate and now U.S. assistant coach April Heinrichs.

“Joy is a remarkable individual,” Heinrichs said. “I think if you took a poll of all the players, asking them who was one of the athletes that they admire the most, I would have to say that Joy would come in the top two or three.

“The best way to describe Joy is she’s got a baby on one arm, a backpack on her back, a smile on her face, a diaper bag in her right hand and she still refuses to ask for help. Here’s a girl who has an out, who doesn’t have to carry bags, but not only does she refuse the help we’re all offering, she refuses to use an excuse to cut a corner. I think that is a very clear indication of her values.”

For Fawcett--Joy Biefeld before her 1992 marriage--being the best and doing things her way and without fanfare have always been important. Her friendly, carefree manner hides an unmatched determination and competitive nature.

The chart on Fawcett tells the story:

--Four consecutive league championships at Edison High in Huntington Beach, where she was league MVP.

--Three-time All-American at California in 1987-89, twice leading the team to the NCAA tournament semifinals.

--Still Cal’s all-time scoring leader with 55 goals and 23 assists.

--U.S. Soccer’s female athlete of the year in 1988.

--Gold and silver medal winner, respectively, at the 1987 and 1994 Olympic festivals.

--CONCACAF champion with the United States in 1991, 1993 and 1994.

--U.S. National Women’s Amateur Cup winner with her club team, Ajax, in 1992 and 1993.

--World champion, 1991.

--Named UCLA’s first women’s soccer coach in 1993.

So, after all this time, why is she still playing and putting herself through the strain of trying to remain an elite athlete when she easily could retire a champion? What else is left to achieve?

Fawcett almost laughs at the question.

“Why?” she repeats. “Because I love the game. I still enjoy playing soccer.”

Then there is the matter of Atlanta ’96.

“To play in the Olympics has always been a dream of mine,” she said. “I was thrilled to hear that women’s soccer would finally be in the Olympics. So I definitely want to hold on until then. It’s always been a dream to win a gold medal.”

And who’s to say she won’t?