MIAMI -- Lindsay Tarpley's sterling playing resume is full of remarkable feats, from winning a NCAA national championship at the University of North Carolina to capturing Olympic gold and competing in World Cups with the United States.

The retired attacking standout, however, remembers the roads to achievement more fondly than the trophy-lifting snapshots.

"The final, obviously you want to win," Tarpley told CONCACAF.com on the eve of Sunday's 2018 CONCACAF Under-20 Women's Championship final between the U.S. and Mexico. "But how did you get there? What did it take to get there?

"Throughout my career, I looked back at those moments in my life, the truly defining moments that helped build my character and taught me how to respond when I would be in a situation such as a final game."

Especially influential in Tarpley's career was participating in the first-ever CONCACAF Under-20 Women's Championship in 2002 (then a U-19 competition). Although a champion was not crowned in that edition, at stake was a chance to play in the inaugural FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship.

She recalled how head coach Tracey Leone, a former U.S. international, would talk about the first FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991 and the steps taken to win the title.

"I look back at that experience and how much it helped me grow as a player and then for me to transition from youth into my professional career," said Tarpley. "It had a major impact on my success at the professional level as well."

Tarpley, who played for the Chicago Red Stars, the St. Louis Athletics and the Boston Breakers, actually scored the USA's first-ever goal in CU20W play - and added three more - in a 15-0 win over Suriname. She also netted in a 5-0 win over Haiti and struck for a brace in a 14-1 win over Costa Rica. In total, the Americans outscored the opposition 34-1 en route to the first of what would be eight World Cup appearances.

"I do remember the (first) goal because the journey to get to the qualifiers was very impactful for my development," Tarpley expressed. "Going through that journey and being able to be at the qualification tournament, finally starting to put pieces together and knowing that we had to qualify in that tournament to get to the World Cup, it was an incredible experience to be a part of."

Now, the U.S. is vying for a fifth consecutive CONCACAF U-20 title. Tarpley will watch and cheer. She realizes that becoming a champion is more difficult than ever before, believing that reality demonstrates the progress of women's football in the region.

"I think the game has grown so much as a result of having tournaments like this which was first started in 2002," finished Tarpley. "I think now we're seeing the impact and the development changes countries are making in order to be able to compete in these tournaments at the highest level."