Mia Hamm

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Who is my hero?” My hero is Mia Hamm. Mia Hamm was born in Selma, Alabama, on March 17, 1972. She played for the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team. Mia now lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with her husband, Nomar Garciapara. She said, “I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.”

Mia Hamm has been my hero ever since I was in first grade. I started giving up and getting annoyed at myself every time I would miss a goal. My hero is Mia Hamm because she doesn’t give up and that is why every girl looks up to her!

Mia has a lot of role models. The biggest influence in life was her brother, Garett, who died from a rare bone marrow disease. She started the Mia Hamm Foundation for Garett and people with bone marrow disease. Ten percent of the cost of every 1999 Women’s World Cup ticket bought with a Master Card was donated to the Mia Hamm Foundation.

Mia holds the all-time scoring record for men and for women. She carried the torch for her last ever Olympics in 2004. She is a Goodwill Games Gold Medalist, National Player of the Year, Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist, and U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year.

Everyone wonders what famous stars do before a game, and Mia Hamm does a lot of things. Mia Hamm relaxes by reading a book or cooking a short meal before a game. Then she gets dressed, runs a mile and, of course, signs autographs. Mia Hamm didn’t just become famous overnight. She worked late, practicing and thinking of strategies and moves. Her hard work finally paid off. Mia Hamm is awesome for that!

Mia is known for her hammer kick and her world high score, but what don’t we know about her? Mia doesn’t let anything get in her way so she can go for the gold. Her coach once said, “Little girls begin falling asleep with Mia’s face on their walls and ceilings, this woman who convinces them that it’s o.k. to sweat, seethe, leap, let go.”

When Mia first decided to make soccer her life, she was called the Hamm Hammer. Mia went to college at the University of North Carolina along with Michael Jordan. Mia always puts everyone else first. She tells her fans, “Make sure you are playing soccer because you love it, not because your parents are making you do it!”

Mia Hamm is very important to me and we have some things in common, such as we both enjoy cooking, playing soccer and other sports, and reading. She shares the same view I do of teamwork in sport. “The goals and the champions are nice, but the emotions, the tears, the smile on my teammates’ faces are my championships!”

Mia Hamm is important to all girls because she is a role model to them. She takes time to sign autographs and take pictures. She is important to me because she tries her hardest during games, and practices with perseverance. She makes people feel like they’re a million dollars and puts a smile on every face. She is the best woman soccer player alive today. Pele said, “When I was playing, they said soccer was a man’s world and that women should remain on the sidelines. All I can say is, I am glad I never had to go up against Mia Hamm!”