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Mia Hamm

by Mia from Liberty Township


           Imagine being the youngest female to play for the national soccer team (if you're a male, then imagine being the youngest male to play for the national soccer team). Anyway, everyone cheering your name. Wouldn't that be awesome? Well, Mia Hamm got to experience that glory. Now, she is a former soccer player who inspires people around the world.            Mia Hamm is currently 43 years old and has a wonderful family. Mia Hamm was born as Mariel Margaret Hamm on March 17th, 1972, in Selma, Alabama. Her father is Bill Hamm and her mother was Stephanie Hamm. She first married Christian Corry in 1994, but split in 2001. She remarried Nomar Garciaparra in 2003 and now has 3 children named Grace Isabella Garciaparra, Ava Caroline Garciaparra, and Garrett Garciaparra. Hamm was 1 of 4 children: Caroline Hamm, Tiffany Hamm, Lovdy Hamm (her sisters), and Garrett Hamm (her brother, but he unfortunately passed away).            Mia Hamm had quite a few struggles/hardships that were not easy to overcome. Mia Hamm was a child of an air force pilot (which means she had to move frequently), so she never got to have deep, lasting relationships with many people outside her family. She was born with a club foot, a condition in which the foot turns inward. I think that's kind of ironic since she was a great soccer player. Hamm's brother unfortunately died of aplastic anemia, a rare blood disease.            Mia Hamm accomplished a lot and won countless awards. Mia Hamm won the Women's World Cup in 1991 and in 1999. She got Olympic gold medals in 1996 and in 2004. Hamm held the record the record for most international goals until June 2013. She won the Best Female Soccer Player ESPY Award in 2004. Hamm also won the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001 and in 2002. She won the Mary Garber award in 1993 and in 1994.

Mia Hamm embodies many, many, many heroic virtues. Mia Hamm embodies determination. She once said, "Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it". She also embodies dedication. Another quote from Mia Hamm is, "I'm building a fire, and everyday I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match". Hamm embodies selflessness too. She likes to help people and not focus just on herself. Hamm founded the Mia Foundation and the Women's United Soccer Association. That's a program that benefits young women in sports.

In conclusion, Mia Hamm is an amazing person. She is an inspiration to people everywhere, especially to females. Hamm has achieved so, so much with a bunch of titles and awards. She was very passionate about soccer. Hamm didn't play soccer for the fame and publicity, she played because she truly loved the sport. She accomplished so much, yet she still continues to strive for bigger and better. 100% is not good enough for Hamm, which is why I think she is a really hard-worker in every single thing she does. She has made a huge impact on many people's lives. How does Mia Hamm make an impact on your life?

Page created on 7/18/2016 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 7/18/2016 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

Related Links

bio.com - Awesome site to check out if you want to learn more about Mia Hamm

Bibliography

Biography.com Editor. "Mia Hamm Biography." [Online] Available http://www.biography.com/people/mia-hamm-16472547.