Nanez was one of 18 women picked to represent Mexico in this month's Summer Olympics and she was set to fly with her teammates to Athens, Greece, on Aug. 4. Instead, she had to fly back home to Los Gatos, her Olympic dream left behind on a Mexico City soccer field.

A huge administrative mistake by the Mexican Soccer Federation has denied Nanez, a third-generation Mexican, an opportunity to play in the Olympic Games.

"They don't have her paperwork—they've lost it," explained Linda Nanez, Lisa's mother, last week. "There's been a big search on for two weeks, trying to find what they need for her to go with them."

Lisa Nanez, along with her father, Tony, had naturalized and gained dual citizenship five years ago, enabling her to compete for Mexico's 1999 Women's World Cup team. The Mexican Soccer Federation kept all of the documentation, Linda Nanez said.

"The federation moved its offices two years ago," Linda Nanez explained. "Apparently they lost records and computer files that included all of the paperwork and info from the naturalization process."

The Mexican team also lost a fine defender.

Lisa, 27, graduated from Los Gatos High School in 1995 and earned a bachelor of arts degree in communication in 1999 from Santa Clara University. She played collegiately at Santa Clara and professionally with the San Jose Cyberrays.

At Santa Clara, Nanez was a member of Bronco teams that went to the NCAA Final Four. She was Santa Clara's Defensive Player of the Year in 1997 and 1998. She was second team all-West Coast Conference in 1998 and 1999.

As a player with the Cyberrays in 2001 and 2002, Nanez played next to world-class players Brandi Chastain, Sissi and Katia. In 2001, she was part of the first championship team of the Women's United Soccer Association.

Since the folding of the Cyberrays in September 2003, Nanez had been pursuing a teaching credential. She was working as a substitute and taking masters classes at National University.

When Mexico coach Leo Cuellar telephoned Lisa in early June, inviting her to fly to Mexico City and join 29 other hopefuls at a tryout camp, she was finishing a job as a substitute teacher. Cuellar's call surprised her.

"It was pretty special that he called," Nanez said. "After I thought about it, I began to feel overwhelmed, excited and honored to be able to represent a country."

Nanez' family encouraged her to accept Cuellar's offer to try out for the Olympics. She quickly agreed.

After all, she thought, "Playing against all of the best players of an entire country is not something everybody has a chance to do."

But instead of defending against the best offensive players from China on Aug. 14 and Germany on Aug. 17, Lisa Nanez will be back home preparing for a student-teaching assignment this fall.

"I enjoy teaching," she said. "I enjoy seeing the smiles on the kids' faces."