SUMMER SANDERS SCHLOPY

Age: 35

Resides: Los Angeles and Park City, Utah.

Family: Husband Erik Schlopy; children Skye, 2, and Charles, 7 months.

Then: Won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, in swimming. Attended Oakmont High School in Roseville and Stanford. Host of "NBA Inside Stuff."

Now: She has shot a series of commercials for Johnson and Johnson and is the commissioner of two fantasy football leagues for women. She is the co-host of the "JB Awards" with CBS sportscaster James Brown. The event is part of the NFL Players Gala, which recognizes the NFL athletes who do the most community service. She is a spokeswoman for 24 Hour Fitness and will help open a new facility in Denver in late September.

Q – What are your thoughts on some of the swimming performances in the Olympics?

A – First thing that comes to mind is young Rebecca Soni and her winning the 200-meter breaststroke. She came out of nowhere. Few had heard of her on the international scene. Still, she won the gold medal. Then, of course, how could you not appreciate the things Michael Phelps accomplished, especially in the 4x100 relay. The performance should win an ESPY Award next year. It was absolutely incredible.

Q – Swimmer Dara Torres made news for participating in her fifth Olympics at age 41. Does she inspire you to come out of retirement and train for the 2012 Olympics in London?

A – What Dara did was awesome. But it's hard to compare what she did and say I can do it, too. First of all, I was a distance swimmer, and Dara is a short-distance swimmer. Because of that, I think it would require more time and energy to train. And that would be tough for me, especially being a mother of two children. Moreover, I don't think I have the physical or mental energy anymore. So I don't see myself making a comeback.

Q – What was the reasoning behind your book "Champions Are Raised, Not Born: How My Parents Made Me A Success"?

A – It came to me after an autograph session when a parent walked up and said their kid was going to the Olympics in 2012. From there, I thought parents need to understand it takes more than just taking your kids to events and saying their son or daughter will become an Olympic champion. Parents need to understand there are crucial moments or key decisions that can make or break their child's career. There are many kids that had tons of talent, but their parents made a bad decision that hampered their child's career. So the book serves as a guide.

Q – Why do some female athletes take being a role model more serious than some male athletes?

A – I can't speak for the men. But I think the women take it so seriously because they remember when opportunities for women were few. It was not long ago when Billie Jean King became a key figure in women's tennis. Or the impact a person like Ann Meyers had on women's basketball. The women of that generation still stay in touch with the current generation, helping the younger ones understand that the opportunities were limited maybe 30 years ago. So they help the younger ones appreciate the opportunities they currently have and not squander them.

Q – Some may not know this, but your childhood home in Granite Bay was destroyed in a fire last year. What was the impact?

A – I lost every single award or medal I won in my career, except for the ones I earned at the Olympics. If anything, I learned how to appreciate life's memories. That's all you have when it's all said and done. Memories are something no one can take away. That's why I've learned to cherish them so much.