Carla Overbeck

Photo from www.suncom.com/kicksforkids/

What is a hero? Is it someone who is famous or rich? Or is it simply someone who uses their talent for the good of others and not themselves? There is no universally acceptable answer. To me a hero is someone who sticks up for their beliefs, and tries to do what is good and right. Someone who has self confidence, and good moral character. Someone who gives back to the community.

My hero is Carla Overbeck. She has the dedication and athletic ability to play professional soccer, and she still makes time for her husband, Greg Overbeck, and child, Jason. Throughout the nine months she was pregnant with Jason she came to watch all the soccer practices, and cheered for her team at every game. She also traveled with her team to Germany just seven weeks after giving birth.

Photo from http://www.polkonline.com/stories/071899/spo_soccer.shtml

Carla Overbeck was born in Dallas, Texas, on May 9, 1968. By the time she was eleven years old she was playing on teams with fourteen year olds. She played for the Dallas Sting, a recreational organization, until she was nineteen, when she was drafted by the University of North Carolina. She played for the University of North Carolina for four years, and all four years she won the NCAA tournament. She also received All-American honors in her sophomore, Junior, and senior years at UNC.

Carla Overbeck is now thirty-six and has been a key player on the woman’s U.S. national team since 1988. Not only is she a member of the team, she is the co-captain along with Julie Foudy. She was captain of the U. She also plays for the newly instituted Carolina Courage soccer, and coaches the woman’s soccer team at Duke University in North Carolina. Captain of Gold Medal winning U.S. Women's National Team at the 1996 Olympic games tournament; she is a pioneer of the Women's National Soccer Team program.

Her teammates admire her and her coaches love her. She didn’t let fame go to her head. She teamed up with SunCom, a wireless phone company, to run clinics for young soccer players. I was fortunate enough to attend the clinic she ran in Lake of the Woods. Not only did I lean a lot and improve my skills, but I was able to talk with her briefly. I was surprised by how friendly and funny she was. She is a wonderful person and my hero.