Will the third time also be a charm for Katie Smith? In 2000 and 2004, Smith helped the U.S. Women's National Team win Olympic gold medals. Named to the Olympic roster for Beijing 2008, Smith is now a veteran on a roster that combines talent both young and experienced. Prior to jetting off to China, Smith spoke with WNBA.com to discuss the National Team's golden goal.

Q01: WNBA.com: What are you trying to get out of the time before you head over to China?

Katie Smith: "We are just re-teaching the offenses and a little bit of our defensive philosophy as well. Mostly, we're just getting on the floor, getting used to each other again, understanding how we play and understanding that we have 12 All-stars. Also, we are learning that we'll dominate with our inside game. We have to be ready to space it out. We are just getting our feet underneath us and getting ready to roll."

Q02: WNBA.com: What is different this time around? Coming off the defeat at the World Championships a few years ago, is there a slightly different form of motivation? Does that really weigh in your minds?

Katie Smith: "It does. You never really want to get beat. I think everyone is feeling pretty confident that they can give us a good run, especially Australia and Russia. I think it is motivation because it hurt in '06 when we got beat down in Brazil. So I think the desire to put ourselves back at the top is huge."

Q03: WNBA.com: Is that added motivation a positive thing or is it just another thing to think about while you're playing?

Katie Smith: "I think it's positive because our roster hasn't ever been together like this and now we are together finally. Lisa Leslie is here. She wasn’t here in '06. We have had groups that have been here at times, but it's nice to have everyone all together. I feel confident that we will be ready."

Q04: WNBA.com: Specifically because you have not had people practicing together for a while, is defense the key to success?

Katie Smith: "I think that in any type of championship-level team, you have to have defense. Nine out of 10 games you might shoot the ball well, but you may have one game where you don’t shoot the ball well or maybe you are in foul trouble or something and you are going to have to rely on your defense. If you are not scoring, they should not be scoring. It is huge. It is also not giving them easy opportunities, whether it's letting them go to the free throw line or giving them fast breaks. It is being solid and making them earn everything."

Q05: WNBA.com: On this team of offensive stars, what makes you so tough defensively as a group?

Katie Smith: "The good thing is that we are deep. You can go out there and work hard on defense for five minutes and you have someone coming right back out there onto the court who can do the same thing and keep it rolling. That is definitely a strength of ours."

Q06: WNBA.com: You've played many roles in your career. What role do you see yourself playing on this team?

Katie Smith: "Obviously it’s a little bit of the veteran leadership. I have been around a long time with USA Basketball and with a lot of different players. I think it’s the work ethic, coming to work everyday, being prepared. I lead more by example than I do by talking. But I think it's just a respect thing and a calming thing. It is not about me getting shots, it's about me setting a great pick. I am going to be there. I am going to space out and keep my position. I know what I need to do. We are just making sure everyone is on the same page but a lot of people have been here before. There are a lot of leaders. In a sense, I think my role -- hopefully -- is more of a comfort to my coaches and my teammates. I hope I am easy for people to play with and be out there on the floor with."

Q07: WNBA.com: Do you feel like there is a real defensive stopper on this team?

Katie Smith: "As a wing defender, that is probably one of my roles. I like playing that role with the Shock. I like doing it here. Also, Tamika Catchings is one of the best defenders you'll ever see. And definitely Kara Lawson brings terrific intensity on the perimeter and also I think Seimone Augustus has come a long way. She has really thrived in the defensive half over the last couple of years."

Q08: WNBA.com: If there is one thing you feel like you need to do as a team over the next few weeks to bring home gold, what is it?

Katie Smith: "I think the key for us is keeping the game simple: not making the home run pass, not taking tough shots when there are 15 seconds left on the shot clock. It is keeping it simple and relying on each other to make the extra pass. It is just keeping it simple, not making turnovers or flashy passes. Let this game come to you and keep it simple. If we can do that, it is going to be tough for anybody to beat us."