Mia Hamm: The Pioneer of Women's Soccer

“Defined broadly, ‘a hero is someone who rises above his or her fears and limitations to achieve something extraordinary’” (Fleming 1). James Fleming in his article “Review of ‘Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell us about Ourselves’” conveys that a hero is a someone who possesses the bravery to both face and persevere through his or her obstacles to achieve an altruistic goal that can benefit society as a whole. One common conception in modern society is that a hero must accomplish an extraordinary task, but this definition does not adequately outline the complex character of a heroic figure. Heroism can be seen today in vastly different levels and scenarios, whether it is a doctor who saves lives by finding a cure for a disease or a child who stands up to a bully. Despite the difference in magnitude of these events, they both create a positive impact on society. Therefore, they can be proclaimed as heroic actions. In the present social landscape society often resorts to choosing their heroes predicated on physical appearance, fame and wealth which distorts the correct definition of a hero. Someone’s traits should ultimately determine whether they are worthy of the title of a hero. These traits can range anywhere from altruistic ambitions and ethical leadership to constant perseverance through conflict. A real hero is one who embodies these traits and inspires others to accomplish their goals, no matter difficult it may be.

Hamm with her nephew Dillon and brother Garrettcnn.comOne person who embodies perseverance and serves as an inspirational role model is Mariel Margaret Hamm. Mia Hamm, for short, was born in Selma, Alabama on March 17, 1972. She grew up with five siblings, who served as role models and inspirations for her athleticism and competitiveness. Growing up, Hamm loved to play a variety of sports and often played with the boys. Later on, at just fifteen years old, she became the youngest player to play on the US National Team. While attending the University of North Carolina, Anson Dorrance, one of the most successful women’s soccer coaches in the world, pushed Hamm to get better not only as a player but also as a person. In 1999, she became the leading goal scorer in all of soccer, including males, with 108 goals. After winning two Olympic medals and two World Cups, Hamm retired in 2004. Throughout her soccer career and life, Hamm played through countless injuries and setbacks. Nowadays, she runs clinics and gives speeches to encourage young girls to follow in her footsteps by sharing her story of how she became a confident and secure woman. Due to her continuous drive to persevere through mental and physical hardships and leadership in pioneering women’s soccer and inspiring young female athletes, Mia Hamm possesses the essential attributes of a hero.

Anson Dorrance and Mia Hammwww.espn.comAs shown by her ability to overcome both mental and physical obstacles, Hamm demonstrates the perseverance of a hero. Anson Dorrance identified the mental toughness displayed by Hamm when he saw her he saw her sprinting at the park by herself. This incident prompted him to give her a note that read: “The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching” (Dorrance 1). Fitness is an important aspect of being a good player; however, as Dorrance explains, it leaves players “drenched in sweat” and “at the point of exhaustion.” Although one's body is physically capable of sprinting back and forth, the more difficult part is overcoming the mental hurdle of not wanting to do it. As a hero does, Hamm disregarded the pain and pushed her body to its limit to become a better player. This ability to persevere through physical torture establishes her as an admirable figure worthy of respect. Another example of Hamm’s mental toughness occurred in the championship game of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics against China where she performed at the highest level despite a leg injury:

Hamm, who was playing on a badly sprained ankle, was all over the field. In the 19th minute, she took a cross from Christine Lilly and shot it past the goalie. It hit the upright, and teammate Shannon MacMillan scored on the rebound. After China tied the score, Hamm took the ball into the right corner in the 68th minute, stopped and crossed the ball to Joy Fawcett, who fed Tiffeny Milbrett for the game-winning goal. (Mia Hamm)

Even though Hamm had a “badly sprained ankle” she fought through the debilitating pain and refused to stop playing. A sprained ankle is an injury that would unquestionably take out any other athlete for at least a few games, but Hamm selflessly persevered through this struggle and led her team to victory. Despite her injury, she was still able to play and serve as an integral player on her team, demonstrating that it is possible to overcome any obstacle with perseverance and mental strength. Hamm’s drive to conquer adversity exhibits her persistence and, in turn,  establishes her as a respectable individual. Her perseverance has the power to inspire not only her team but the entire world, displaying that adversity should be faced and can always be overcome.

Mia Hamm celebrates her goal in the Olympic semifinal. The United States beat Brazil, 1-0, Sunday at Canberra, Australia.https://www2.ljworld.com/Hamm’s success in conquering obstacles as well as her drive to shatter society’s gender stereotypes and publicize women’s athletics worldwide establish her as a leader. One significant gender expectation is that women should act modestly when celebrating their success, but Hamm strived to create a different definition: “It’s time to break this stereotype of the passive woman, and one of the best ways I can think of to do this is to raise a ruckus when you stick the ball in the back of the net” (Hamm 198). Hamm encourages women to not conform to society’s expectations and instead shows them that women can “raise a ruckus” after scoring goals too. Men celebrate their goals by running around the field, doing backflips, and even performing choreographed dances with their teammates, and society sees nothing wrong with this. However, women are expected to act humble and would be viewed as flashy and arrogant individuals if they celebrated similarly to men. Both verbally and through her actions, Hamm promotes the choice to break gender stereotypes, thus relieving the pressure on women and improving society as a whole. Even though males dominated the sports industry Hamm managed to capture the world’s attention through her success on the field:

Hamm dribbles the ball towards the goaldiamondwiki.wikispaces.comHamm had come to symbolize not only the ascendancy of soccer as an American sport but the rise of women's athletics. She became a top role model and an in-demand speaker. Hamm participated widely in clinics for girls and exhibition games to promote soccer. She told audiences of young girls how soccer transformed her from shy and uncertain to confident and strong. (Mia Hamm)

Her performance while playing professional soccer, allowed not only her sport but all of the women’s athletics to progress. Hamm gained an enormous fan base as a result of her hard work, and she uses her fame to act as a leader when inspiring young athletes to be “confident and strong,” just like her. Her leadership in pioneering women’s soccer proved to the world that women could be as good as men. She channels her fame into an altruistic direction, which allows her to inspire others and thus better society as a whole.

Due to the perseverance and leadership, she demonstrates when striving to make a name for women’s soccer, Mia Hamm is worthy of the title as a hero. Julie Foudy presents her gratitude for the values and motivation Hamm provided for the team as well as the next generation of athletes: “Thanks for showing young kids that they don't have to compromise who they are to find success. Thanks for being a constant reminder of the brilliant balance between competing and collaborating. Thanks for inspiring generations to come” (Foudy). Hamm does not let anything get in the way of her passion, soccer. She played through multiple injuries despite their physical pain, and still managed to perform at the highest level. She displays a leadership that empowers women to rebel against societal stereotypes. Through her actions, she teaches not only young female soccer players but also all women, that they can achieve anything that men can. Hamm not only serves as an inspiration to others but also to me, as she is always willing to put in the extra work to become a better player, influencing me to do the same. This translates to training individually to sharpen my skills before going back to train with my team. As a teenage girl, I feel the pressure of needing to look a certain way or act modest, but Hamm encourages me to voice my opinions and to break society’s stereotypes. She influences me to value the team before myself, whether that means going into a tackle that I know will leave a bruise or playing an unfamiliar position. Hamm is a player that I will always look up to, someone who inspires me, and someone who I strive to be; the beneficiary of society. Mia Hamm models all the characteristics of a hero, as her drive to rise above her challenges and act as a significant figure for others continue to influence the actions of future players and society alike.

Works Cited

Dorrance, Anson. The Vision of a Champion: Advice and Inspiration from the World's Most

Successful Women's Soccer Coach. Huron River Press, 2002.

Fleming, James R. “Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us about Ourselves and Our Society.” English Department Website, www.english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/v2_2/reviews/fleming.shtml.

Foudy, Julie. “The Essence of Mia Hamm.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 22 June 2012, www.espn.com/espnw/title-ix/article/8078671/the-essence-mia-hamm.

Hamm, Mia, and Aaron Heifetz. Go for the Goal: a Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life. Quill, 2002.

"Mia Hamm." Notable Sports Figures, edited by Dana R. Barnes, Gale, 2004. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K2440301211/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=a18aa8b3. Accessed 15 Apr. 2018.