Mia Hamm

Hamm and opponent fighting for the ball (http://library.thinkquest.org/4147/clips.htm ())

Pele said "When I was playing, they said soccer was a man's world and women should remain on the sidelines. All I can say is that I'm glad I never had to go up against Mia Hamm." This quote form Pele describes how good Mia was and how not even the best male soccer player in the world would go up against her if he grew up in her generation. Mariel Margret "Mia" Hamm, one of the best and most widely known women soccer players to ever play the game, was born on March 17, 1972 in Selma, Alabama. She is the fourth of six children born to William and Stephanie Hamm (Loveday). When the family moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, her father started refereeing soccer games and coaching her older brother, Garrett, and older sister, Tiffany. Hamm started playing when she was five, and her father was often her coach. Young Mia Hamm especially admired her brother's Garrett's soccer skills. When Garrett was in high school, he was the athlete Mia wanted to be (Barnes). While Hamm was a team player, she has won numerous awards for her individual talents. From 1994-1998, Hamm was named the US Soccer Federation's Female Athlete of the Year. From 1994-1996, she was also named US Soccer Athlete of the Year (Loveday). During her soccer career, Mia Hamm achieved an impressive amount of accomplishments. However, her accomplishments did not stop after she retired. Hamm went on and founded the Mia Hamm Foundation, a group that raises money for bone marrow disease and helps to create opportunities for young female athletes. Mia Hamm is more than just a legendary soccer player; she is an inspiration because of her hard work, her effort of giving back, and her amazing status as a soccer player.

Hamm passes brazil player and heads to the goal (http://www.davidraemorris.com/mia.html ())

Mia does big things to help others in need. She wants to help people as well as ask them to give back. Mia wants to help others with bone marrow disease like her brother Garrett. "She encourages people everywhere to take part in bone marrow screenings. 'A simple blood test can save someone's life,' she says" (Biography Today). Mia includes that giving back to your community in a simple way can make a huge difference in someone's life. As well as the time and effort of giving back to your community can help complete and make a difference in people daily lives today. Mia overcame the tragedy of her brother's death. "She founded the Mia Hamm Foundation, a group that raises money for bone marrow disease and helps to create opportunities for young female athletes. Mia's older brother, Garrett, (adopted by her parents when he was eight) loved sports and Mia credits him as her inspiration and great influence on her accomplishments" (Loveday). Mia founded and foundation that raises money for bone marrow disease in honor of her older brother Garrett who passed away in 1997 due to complications during a bone marrow transplant. Mia does everything she can to help people with bone marrow disease. Mia is selfless and helps others in need.

Mia playing soccer (http://www.dosomething.org/blog/chatterbox/change-maker-womens-history-mia-hamm ())

Mia always had a positive attitude and uses her amazing status as a soccer player to help people. "Hamm teaches soccer skills of the game to young players at soccer clinics" (Biography Today). Mia is proud of her accomplishments and teaches younger kids who want to be just as good as her, what it takes to get to that level of play. Mia wants to teach these younger kids what soccer is all about and what it takes to have it all and to always do the best that you can do every time you step on the field. Mia achieved many successful goals in her career and lifetime. Hamm always promoted the sport above herself. She appeared at clinics and freely gave autographs at every opportunity, but often refused photo shoots for high-profile publications. "'This isn't all about me,' said Hamm to Newsweek during the build-up to the 1999 Women's World Cup. 'I won't bear the entire responsibility for my gender and my sport. I can't carry that much weight. I'm not that strong a person.' Her national team coach, Tony DiCicco, told Jere Longman of the New York Times: 'She's not only a soccer icon. She's an icon for women's athletics. That's a huge responsibility'" (Barnes). Like Mia said she always promoted the sport above herself. She never puts herself first and she always is considerate of other people who look up to her and around her. Mia's coach is right about Mia being a soccer icon because so many girls look up to Mia and want to be just like her when they grow up. This is a huge responsibility for one person. She uses her amazing soccer skills to help kids learn the skills and what it takes to be the best.

Mia Hamm with her gold medal at the 2004 Olympics (http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/lilly-iron-lady-of-u-s-soccer-retires-at-39/ ())

Mia wanted to be the best in every sport, and worked hard to prove the boys wrong. "Hamm was very athletic and loved to play sports. With very few all-girl sports teams, Mia often played amongst the boys. She tried baseball, basketball, tennis and soccer. Mia even played football. While attending the Notre Dame Middle School in Wichita Falls, Texas, Mia was the split end and kicker for the junior high football team" (Loveday). Mia was determined to play soccer even if there wasn't a girls' team. She loved the game and would do whatever to be the best. Mia looked up to her older brother Garrett and would always want to play the sports he played even if she was the only girl on the team. Mia had to be the best at everything as well as every sport. "She was still the youngest player on the team, at 19, when the United States won the first Women's World Cup soccer championship in 1991" (Biography Today). Hamm was determined to play but she had to work her way up to the top still only being 19 years old. Hamm made the U.S. Women's National team at the age of 15 and when she was 19 she still was the youngest player on the team and was determined to work for a starting spot. I have looked up to Mia Hamm since I was a little girl and Mia has done great things to help her community and young soccer players. She is my hero and I hope that other girls like me have Mia as their hero.

Mia playing college soccer (http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/unc/sports/w-soccer/auto_action/m-hamm.jpg ())

"If you don't love what you do, you won't do it with much conviction or passion" (Hamm). Mia had so much passion for the game and would give it all she had in practice and especially in games. I have looked up to Mia all my life and I have always wanted to be just like her and I am sure I am like many other girls.  "I've worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down" (Hamm). Mia has worked so hard to not let anything stand in her way. She has put in 100% effort to get where she is today and will always try her best and won't let her teammates or herself down. That is something that you can never take away from a person. Mia is very determined to be everything in her power, to face everything in her way, and to show everyone that there is no mountain too high to climb. Mia really shows me that there are things that seem hard in life but you always have to try to overcome that obstacle. That doesn't apply to only physical things, but the mental state of "I can do anything", gives a single person the power to do anything.

Works Consulted

Loveday, Veronica. "Mia Hamm." Great Athletes Of Our Times (2011): 43. Biography

Reference Center. Web. 9 May 2012.

"Mia Hamm." Mia Hamm (Biography Today) (2010): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 9

May 2012.

"Mia Hamm." Notable Sports Figures. Ed. Dana R. Barnes. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Gale Biography

In Context. Web. 9 May 2012.

"Mia Hamm." Women in Sports.

http://www.makeithappen.com/wis/bios/hammm.html(December 28, 2002).