I chose Mia Hamm because she was a famous soccer player. I play soccer and may want to play when I grow up. Mia also helps people with blood diseses. When Mia was little, she played soccer, just like me. She grew up to be considered the best female player in history. Mia Hamm also started the Mia Hamm Foundation. The foundation helps with bone marrow research, in honor of her brother Garret, who died of the disease. To learn more about the Mia Hamm Foundation, click here.

 

            There are many famous soccer players in history, and also today. Pele, David Beckham, the list goes on and on.  But what about women soccer players?  Who’s considered to be one of the best and the most famous?   That’s where Mia Hamm comes in.  She is considered the best women soccer player in history.  Mia is even considered one of the most famous women athletes in the world!  Mia was even chosen to be one of 125 best soccer players in the world.  She was one of two of the only women and one of two from the United States! 

 

As a child, Mia played lots of sports.  At five, Mia tried out ballet.  Her mother thought it would be a great way to let her energetic little girl let off some steam.  Mia was not as enthusiastic.  “I hated it, Mia says. I lasted only one class.” But Mia did play lots of other sports.  Soccer, football, and basketball- she was even the first girl to ever play in the little league when she was living in Wichita Falls! 

 

When Mia was older, she switched to just playing soccer.  She was an outstanding player, even as a kid.  Although Mia was small, she was fast. If there was a large group of players, Mia could get the ball and then could run at full speed.  This was an amazing thing to be able to do, especially if you were able to do it when you’re only twelve years old! 

 

When Mia turned 14, she wasn’t thinking of herself as a great soccer player.  Then, John Cossaboon saw Mia play.  He was a coach for a developmental team. Developmental team coaches look for really good players, (usually in high school or college) to recommend for the national team.  When he saw Mia, he was amazed.  When he found out that she was only fourteen at the time, he was even more amazed.  Cossaboon even talked to the college coach at the University of North Carolina (UNC) to check and make sure that he wasn’t crazy.  The coach was named Anson Dorrance.  He spotted Mia right away.  He said that she was great. After, Cossaboon talked to Mia’s parents, and Mia was put on the developmental team.  When Mia was fifteen, she went to Team USA training camp.  Mia wasn’t used to this level of soccer.  The girls had to train with weights and in gyms.  Mia even said “When I first did fitness with the national team, I thought I’d die.”  When she got back from training camp, Mia had two dreams.  One was to go to UNC and the other was to win a world championship.

 

Mia was asked to join Team USA in August, 1987.  Mia accepted, and then, at 15, Mia became the youngest player to ever play on a national team.

 

Now Mia was really excited about soccer.  She knew that she would soon be one of the best players in the world.  Mia didn’t want to play high school soccer for two more years.  So, after talking to her parents and principal, Mia took two years of high school lessons in a year.

 

           When Mia was done with high school, she went to the University of North Carolina.  There, she studied political science, along with playing on the college team the Tar Heels.  Her coach was Anson Dorrance, the coach who had seen her play before. Mia graduated in 1994.  Also in 1994, Mia got married to Christiaan Correy.  Christiaan worked in the military, and was not home a lot.  Since Mia was a professional soccer player, the couple did not see each other a lot.

 

 

 

          Now Mia was an adult.  She and the rest of Team USA were ready for the 1996 Summer Olympics.  Mia and Team USA were getting a lot of publicity, and Mia was then in Nike Advertisements, and even got her own trading card!  Team USA was becoming popular.  Now they were ready to go to the Olympics.  And sure enough, after a tough game against China, Team USA won the gold medal in the 1996 Olympics.  Just as any soccer player would, Mia rejoiced.  But she didn’t for long.  Soon after her Olympic victory, her brother and close companion Garrett, died. Mia was devastated.  She said afterward that she would give all of her victories back to have Garrett still living.  Yet, Mia carried on.  She had good seasons in 1997 and 1998.  Her team won the 1999 World Cup. In 2001, Mia had surgery on her knee, and didn’t have a good season.  In 2000, the team won a silver medal in the Olympics.  But then, Mia and Christiaan Correy divorced after six years of marriage.  With Christiaan in the military and Mia playing soccer, the two didn’t see each other much.  Then, On November 22, 2003, she remarried Nomar Garciaparra, a professional baseball player.  After winning a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics, Mia retired in 2004 to start a family.  She had twins, Ada and Grace, on March 27, 2007.          Mia Hamm made many contributions to our world. She started the Mia Hamm Foundation. It helps kids achieve their athletic goals andhelps with bone marrow disease research. She is considered the best woman soccer player in history, and is a role model for young soccer players.

 

 

   Mia’s contributions helped our society. The research she helps with makes our society healthier. The research helps people with the disease. She is a role model for young athletes, and helps them make good decisions in their sport. She helps young athletes reach their goals, and builds up their confidence.

 

 

          Today, Mia continues to help with bone marrow research. She also still helps kids reach their goals. Mia Hamm was an interesting person to study because she was such a great soccer player, helped so many people, and accomplished so much.     

 

WORKS CITED:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rutledge, Rachel.  Mia Hamm Striking Superstar.  Brookfield, Connecticut:  The Millbrook Press, 2000.

 

 

 

Christopher, Matt.  On the Field with… Mia Hamm.  New York:  Little, Brown and Company, 1998.

 

 

 

Currie, Stephen.  Mia Hamm.  San Diego:  Kidhaven Press, 2003.

 

 

 

Zarzycki, Davis, Daryl.  Mia Hamm Soccer Star.  Hockessin, Delaware: 

 

          Mitchell Lane Publishers, 2005.

 

 

 

“Biography for Mia Hamm”. 21 Apr. 2008. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1202847/bio

 

 

 

“Mia Hamm Biography”. 17 Mar. 2008. http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=16472547

 

 

 

“Mia Hamm” 25 Apr. 2008. http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?tname=mia%2Dhamm&print=true

 

 

 

“Sports Hero: Mia Hamm” 25 Apr. 2008. http://myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=hamm_mms_ul

 

 

 

“Hamm, Mia”. World Book Online Reference Center. 2008. World Book. 22 April 2008. http://www.worldbookonline

 

 

 

“Hamm Mia” Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. 2008. Grolier Online. 9 Apr. 2008 http://gmegrolier.com/cgi-bin/article?assetid=0131067-07

 

 

 

“Mia Hamm”. The Columbia Encyclopedia. 2008. The Columbia Encyclopedia. 22 Apr. 2008. http://www.encyclopedia.com/printable.aspx?id=1E1:HammMia