Mia Hamm

Mia Hamm playing soccer at her best, as always (http://8photos.com/Models/Mia-Hamm/Pictures/List/index.shtml)

A young girl who made the United States soccer team at age fifteen, a young adult who donates so much to others after a tragic death in her family, a mature adult who helps so many people, in so many ways, Mia Hamm is a role model for a lot of young athletes. She seems invincible and perfect, but underneath it all, she is a complex person who wants to help people. She was born on March 17, 1972 in Selma, Arizona (Milbert). Mia was born with a small case of club foot. Club foot is when the feet are turned in at an angle (Clubfoot Johns Hopkins Orthopedic Surgery). She had to wear casts on her feet, but she recovered with determination (CNN Programs - People in the News). After only being able to watch sports because of her clubfoot, Mia was the youngest girl at age fifteen to make the US national soccer team (McConnell). She played for her college team also (University of North Carolina Tar Heels). Soccer was her calling, and she answered to it. But in 1997, her adopted brother, Garrett, died of a rare bone marrow disease. It was hard on all of her family, but Hamm took it to heart because Garrett was one of her heroes. Mia wanted to take her grief a step forward, so she made the Mia Hamm foundation. This foundation helps raise awareness for bone marrow diseases and cord blood illnesses (Milbert). Mia is an astounding athlete, and what makes her an inspiration and a hero is that when she is on or off the field, she always thinks of others, she gives up a lot to help others, and she is 100% reliable.

Mia Hamm doesn't just think about soccer, or hanging out with her friends like most people do. What goes on in her mind is much deeper; she thinks of people in need, people she wants to care for. Hamm cares for her kids and she wants them to have a normal life; she expresses these feelings in this quote: "They're gonna have so much pressure on them. We didn't have that type of pressure growing up. We just want them to enjoy it," (Hall). Mia wants what is best for her kids, even though she knows growing up with two star athlete parents is going to be tough. She feels they should be okay and they should enjoy life even if it gets tough to try to live freely sometimes (Hall). Mia is widely known for encouraging athletes to follow their dreams, but she wants them to do it safely. "We are encouraging...athletes to set a goal of protecting those smiles," (Soccer Expert Mia Hamm Teaches Lesson in Sport Safety, Emphasizes the Importance of Protecting Kids' Smiles). Hamm wants kids to be safe, which is why she is always promoting mouth guards and eye safety when they are playing sports. She wants them to take care of themselves so they can live without any injuries because she is always thinking of them. Mia Hamm is working with the American Association of Orthodontists because she wants kids to have safe fun while in sports because she cares for them and is always thinking of their safety (Soccer Expert Mia Hamm Teaches Lesson in Sport Safety, Emphasizes the Importance of Protecting Kids' Smiles). Mia's mind is filled with making sure people are safe and how she can help people who are not safe or are in need. She honestly cares about people, and wants what is best for not only her family, but for everyone (Milbert). Unlike most people, who just think about how people need help, Hamm takes the next step and does something about it.

Mia Hamm helping bone marrow patients. (http://secufamilyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/MiaVictor-300x205.jpg)

Hamm wants to make a difference in the world, and she tries hard to accomplish that goal even though she can be very busy. She gives up her own time, money, and so much more towards her dream of being proactive at helping others and making a difference in everyone's individual world (FIFA.com - FIFA Women's World Cup: Organisation - Mia HAMM USA). Mia was grieving so much when her brother, Garrett, died that she decided to put her grief into her work and created a foundation based on bone marrow disease (McConnell). "Hamm formed the Mia Hamm Foundation, dedicated to raising funds and awareness for research for bone marrow diseases," (Milbert). She knew she had to do something before someone felt the same way she did when Garrett died. Mia Hamm was already bombarded with so much, but she still took all of her spare minutes and donated them to this project. Hamm wanted to make sure people knew about this disease and wanted them to know there can be a cure, if people help. She wants to give people hope and influence them that a cure can be found, with some help. Mia wants to make sure people are cared for and that they know it. Instead of just writing a message to the people she is reaching out to, she goes out of her way to visit them and personally tell them. "Hamm will visit Woodrow Wilson Middle School…" (Soccer Expert Mia Hamm Teaches Lesson in Sport Safety, Emphasizes the Importance of Protecting Kids' Smiles). Mia Hamm is taking time out of her life to visit kids to encourage them to follow their dreams and to make sure they are safe. She cares about the smiles that kids have when they play on the field and she wants it to stay that way because she cares about them (Soccer Expert Mia Hamm Teaches Lesson in Sport Safety, Emphasizes the Importance of Protecting Kids' Smiles). Mia wants to put all of her effort into letting kids have safe fun. Mia Hamm is dedicating herself to the tough job of helping people in a way that changes their life perspective in a good and optimistic way. Any organization she volunteers herself to do, she sticks with it and never fails to be a team player the whole time.

Mia Hamm with her team. (http://info.specialolympics.org/)

Mia Hamm is there when anyone is in need of help, whether it is a close friend, or someone she just met. Either way, she is a person you can rely on. Hamm was a teammate who never failed to play her best. Even at her last games, she played her hardest. This shows just how reliable she is at playing her best: “Mariel Margret "Mia" Hamm helped bring the women’s game to new heights...She was the best-known player in the USA women’s national team…” (FIFA.com - FIFA Women's World Cup: Organization - Mia HAMM USA). No team could be that good without having everyone play their best and give 110%. Mia Hamm gave it her all, and it paid off. She did this in every game and everyone on the team knew they could rely on her to do everything in her power to win. Mia never gave up. This led to her scoring a total of hundred fifty eight goals (McConnell). She was always there, not only for the practices and games, but for the people on the team. Not only is Mia a reliable player on her soccer teams, she is a loyal person to anything she signs on to, such as what is stated: "Together with Mia, we are encouraging parents, coaches and young athletes..." (Soccer Expert Mia Hamm Teaches Lesson in Sport Safety, Emphasizes the Importance of Protecting Kids' Smiles). She never fails to show up and do her part and so much more in any project that she devotes herself to. Mia Hamm is always there for people and they know that she will always be there for them. She is willing to give up so much if the final product is helping people (McConnell). Mia Hamm is so much more than just an amazing athlete. Even though soccer is a big part of her life, she wants to be remembered as a person everyone could trust, a person that you could rely on, a person who wanted to help others live good lives.

Mia is an all around great person with great determination and willpower. The top things on her mind are other people in need of help. Hamm not only helps others, but she is there for them. Mia was a reliable player on soccer teams and she is a reliable person every other time of the day too (McConnell). She inspires me because people are always on her mind and she wants to prove to herself that she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to. Mia Hamm is my hero because what really matters in a person (caring, and thoughtfulness for others), are her best qualities. She wants everyone to follow their dreams and never give up. Hamm wants people to know that they can be whoever they want to be if they work hard enough. When you take a first glance at her, she is just an amazing soccer player, but when you look down and see underneath, Mia Hamm is a hero in disguise. She helped so many people, she changed so many lives, and she will continue to do that (Hall). Hamm wants to leave a mark on all of us. "You can't just beat a team; you have to leave a lasting impression in their minds..." (Mia Hamm Quotes).