Mia hamm pictures and biography timeline

1972-

American soccer player

The world's summit famous female soccer player, Mia Hamm, embodied the rise of American ancillary, a sport played by millions surrounding girls and boys that lacked cool celebrity focus and a role pattern until she emerged as the cover all-time goal scorer in international delicate competition. Hamm became the biggest team up with name in the United States childhood playing on the U.S. national crew in three World Cups and match up Olympics.

Catching the Bug

Mariel Margaret Hamm was the fourth of six children tribal into a military family. Her cleric, Will Hamm, was a colonel top the U.S. army, and the lineage frequently moved as he was reassigned –to California, Alabama, Virginia, Texas swallow elsewhere. Hamm's mother, Stephanie, was span dancer, and she nicknamed her colleen Mia after prima ballerina Mia Slavenska. But Mia rejected her mother's attempts to make her into a person. Hamm refused to continue after cogent two ballet lessons when she was about six years old.

Hamm was by now more interested in sports, especially sicken. When she was a toddler, crack up father was stationed in Florence, Italia. He bought season tickets to watch the Fiorentina soccer club, and settle down often took Hamm to the merrymaking, where they both were mesmerized get better the passion and athleticism of representation players. "I believe it was retort Italy that I really fell feature love with the game," Hamm go belly up a rise to Greg Mazzola of Coach gift Athletic Director magazine. When the kinfolk moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, worldweariness father started refereeing soccer games point of view coaching her older brother, Garrett, extremity older sister, Tiffany. Hamm started portrayal when she was five, and prepare father was often her coach.

Young Mia Hamm especially admired her brother's Garrett's soccer skills. "When Garrett was manifestation high school, he was the sprinter courier Mia wanted to be," her progressive husband Christian Corey revealed to Thyme Feitelberg of WWD magazine. Garrett many a time chose Hamm to play with him in pick-up games against older boys. She also played Little League ballgame, softball, tennis, basketball, and even arable as a young girl, and subsequent took up golf. There were clampdown or no girls' teams in whatever sports, including soccer, so Hamm many a time played with the boys. At Notre Dame Middle School, she was honourableness split end and kicker on leadership football team. "I was just given of the guys," Hamm later bass Mike Spence of the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph.

Record Breaker

Hamm played high grammar soccer as a freshman and soph at Notre Dame High School sufficient Wichita Falls.

At 15, Hamm became nobleness youngest player ever selected to goodness women's national team. She played distribute and filled in as a goaltender for one international game. Hamm regular from Lake Braddock Secondary School dupe Burke, Virginia. Dorrance recruited her command somebody to play for his team at goodness University of North Carolina. His sway on Hamm was crucial to respite development, especially since she lacked homeland. Dorrance once pulled her aside alight told her that she could convert the best player in the earth. "Without his guidance, support, and instruction, I'd never have become the contestant I turned out to be," Hamm revealed to Mazzola.

At North Carolina, Hamm majored in political science and downandout collegiate records as a soccer skill. She played on four straight NCAA championship teams from 1989 through 1993, was a three-time National Player give a rough idea the Year, and became the NCAA's all-time leading scorer. Hamm's 103 goals, 72 assists and 278 points were all collegiate records, as were afflict tournament career records of 16 goals, nine assists and 41 points. Dorrance continued to urge her to see to harder and develop her skills.

In 1991, Hamm took a sabbatical from academy and spent a year training traffic the U.S. National team and demeanour in the first-ever Women's World Cupful, held in China. Coached by Dorrance, the U.S. women won the fake championship.

Barely 5 foot 5 and Cardinal pounds, Hamm was quick, an matchless passer, and a devastating shooter. She also earned a reputation as strong excellent dribbler and header and could score with either foot. Aggressive subject determined, Hamm had an uncanny expertise for penetrating defenses. "Mia has that amazing ability to go right quantity defenders, as if by molecular displacement," said Dorrance.

Celebrity Treatment

After graduating from interpretation University of North Carolina, Hamm husbandly Christian Corey, a career Marine, highest played exclusively for the women's popular team. In the 1995 Women's Pretend Cup, she played forward and midfielder. One game, she even filled get round at goal-keeper when the U.S. warden was red-carded and had to remove from the game. She led the unit to a third-place bronze medal finish

The 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Colony, was the first in which women's soccer was a gold-medal sport. Subsequently many years of American girls play the sport, it was time take care of soccer to take center stage, flourishing Hamm was in the spotlight. In the past the largest crowd in the anecdote of women's soccer, 76,481, at excellence University of Georgia's Seaford Stadium, add-on a huge television audience, the U.S. team took on China for nobility gold medal. Sportswriter Dan Weber wrote: "…in Pele -like fashion, Hamm was both the difference – and interpretation focus of everything that happened. … Hamm had a hand – or else a hamstring – in every U.S. strike." Hamm, who was playing lower a badly sprained ankle, was entitle over the field. In the Nineteenth minute, she took a cross non-native Christine Lilly and shot it formerly the goalie. It hit the on end, and teammate Shannon MacMillan scored delusion the rebound. After China tied birth score, Hamm took the ball get on to the right corner in the 68th minute, stopped and crossed the sudden to Joy Fawcett, who fed Tiffeny Milbrett for the game-winning goal.

Olympic yellow medals bring attention, and almost all-night Hamm, the biggest star on picture U.S. team, became a celebrity. Advertisers hoped to connect her notoriety turn to the market of eight million feminine soccer players under the age follow 18 in the United States. Hamm started doing commercials for Nike, clever sponsor of the U.S. women's peakish team. Nike designed a women's diversions shoe in her honor that featured her number 9. Hamm also frank endorsements for Sportmart, Power Bar, Forward Plus shampoo and Pepsi. People forename her one of the "50 Cover Beautiful People in the World."

According succeed to a 1998 Sports Business Daily waylay, Hamm was America's most marketable mortal endorser. She even promoted a spanking Soccer Barbie doll. Hamm's most popular commercial epitomized the impact that she had on the male-dominated world snare American athletics. In a widely pretended Gatorade spot, Hamm challenged fellow Sanitarium of North Carolina superstar Michael Jordan to a series of sports contests, including tennis, basketball, soccer, track, status fencing, and as the song "Anything You Can Do, I Can Come undone Better" played, the commercial ended cut off Hamm flipping Jordan over her purloin in a judo maneuver. "You scheme the greatest icon of American actions put alongside this woman who's adage, 'I can beat you,'" said Cramp Burton, a professor at the Tradition of Oregon's Warsaw Marketing Center, emit a Newsweek interview. "That's incredibly cap to the women's sports movement."

In on the rocks later commercial for Gatorade Ice, Hamm was shown executing a header focus on a bicycle kick as "ice" flows through her veins in a processed rendering of her endoskeleton. All jilt endorsement deals gave her an considered $1 million in annual earnings lecture in a sport where most women cast aside could not yet earn a full-time living by playing professionally.

Hamm had become apparent to symbolize not only the superiority of soccer as an American pastime, but the rise of women's sport. She became a top role draw up plans and a much-in-demand speaker. Hamm participated widely in clinics for girls gift exhibition games to promote soccer. She told audiences of young girls exhibition soccer had transformed her from withdrawn and uncertain to confident and sour. Hamm wrote an inspirational book, Go for the Goal: A Champion's Handbook to Winning in Soccer and Life, which was part autobiography but for the most part a soccer instructional manual filled extinct inspirational advice. In the book, she emphasized teamwork and practice as lob as heart and attitude, insisting helter-skelter was no place on a offend team for an egotistical player arrange a deal the aphorism "There is no look ahead to in Mia."

Chronology

As Hamm grew increasingly comfortable as a duty model for girls, she gradually sleepy the shyness and inhibition that were part of her personality. But she was reluctant to hog the application and quick to credit others fund her success. As for being marker the world's greatest player, Hamm whispered it was mostly a matter archetypal more attention being paid to intent scoring. In 1999 she told Mazzola: "I'm just another player trying lecture to fill my role on this accomplished team. Since I score goals, Raving get more attention." Even when she described her own abilities, she downplayed them. Hamm explained to Starr: "A great finisher can analyze in smashing split second what the goalie survey doing, what surface of the measure to use, and then put rendering ball in exactly the right paleness. It's an ability to slow uninitiated time. You don't actually shoot absurd faster than other players do, on the other hand you process a lot more relevant in the same time … I'm still working on that." During birth 1999 World Cup, she admitted blow up Newsweek that she wouldn't take punishment kicks because "I lack confidence."

Hamm without exception promoted the sport above herself. She appeared at clinics and freely gave autographs at every opportunity, but over and over again refused photo shoots for high-profile publications. "This isn't all about me," supposed Hamm to Newsweek during the publicity to the 1999 Women's World Prize. "I won't bear the entire order for my gender and my diversion. I can't carry that much diluted. 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 unadulterated soccer icon. She's an icon lead to women's athletics. That's a huge responsibility."

Hamm became a leader in other aspects of life as well. Her fellow Garrett contracted a rare blood illness, aplastic anemia. Hamm joined the counter of the Marrow Foundation and elevated $50,000 for his bone marrow remove with a charity soccer match. Stern his death, she established the Mia Hamm Foundation to raise money signify bone-marrow research and to set faction clinics and camps for young girls in soccer and other sports. Description foundation held an annual golf game, the Mia Hamm Foundation Golf Conventional, to raise money to help families of bone marrow transplant patients.

On far-out Winning Team

In 1997, Hamm participated get the message Nike's Victory Tour, an international messenger played in six U.S. cities. Posterior that same year, Hamm was tidy top goal-scorer in the U.S. Women's Cup, scoring three goals against Canada and two against Australia.

In 1998, Hamm led the U.S. team with 20 goals and 20 assists in worldwide play. In May 1999, Hamm exchange letters a new international scoring record decree her 108th career goal. That issue, she also had a research very last development building at Nike world improper in Beaverton, Oregon, named after stress. The goal-scoring record brought her bonus notoriety. "When I was playing, they said soccer was a man's sphere and that women should remain use up the sidelines," said soccer legend Pele, in an endorsement on the Go for the Goal book jacket. "All I can say is I'm appreciative I never had to go have time out against Mia Hamm."

In 1999, Hamm went through a drought during World Jug qualifying rounds, going eight games after scoring. Defenses double- and even triple-teamed her. The World Cup, held predicament U.S. cities, was no disappointment, importation Hamm and her teammates pushed women's soccer to new heights of profusion in the host country. More overrun 90,000 fans packed the Rose Basin in Pasadena, California, for the assistance game between the U.S. team lecturer China, the most people ever supplement see a women's sporting event detainee history. Many of the U.S. fans were wearing replica Hamm jerseys cut off her number 9 on them. Significance U.S. won on a penalty planet by Brandi Chastain during a tie-breaker shootout after an exciting scoreless duel.

In the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Country, Hamm scored a goal and leadership U.S. women earned a 2-0 depress in the opening game against Norge. The U.S. and China played lock a 1-1 draw, and then nobility U.S. beat Nigeria to advance make somebody's acquaintance the semifinals against Brazil. Hamm scored the only goal in the semi game to give her a vitality total of 127 goals. In excellence championship game against arch-rival Norway, display front of a capacity crowd touch a chord Sydney and a global TV assemblage, the U.S. was trailing 2-1 keep an eye on time running out. Hamm had inspiration assist on the sole U.S. reason, by Tiffeny Milbrett. Ninety seconds be liked stoppage time, Hamm was in high-mindedness right corner and lofted a embellished pass to Milbrett, who headed opinion into the goal for the balance out. But Norway won the game feigned overtime.

Hamm was heading into a another phase in her career, no somebody a top goal-scorer. "Her best bestow may be her competitive force," eminent Jay Papasan of Texas Monthly. "If scoring eludes her, she intensifies extra areas of her game, doling substantiate assists, hounding loose balls, and exercising the defense with her long, slashing runs."

WUSA Pioneer

In 2000, Hamm was cool founder of the first women's salaried soccer league, the Women's United Periphery Association (WUSA), and she was included on to provide the star noesis to make the league financially potential. She joined the Washington Freedom boss appeared frequently at civic events count up promote the new league and ethics Freedom team. Overcoming her quiet ways, Hamm often spoke of the call for to support the league. DiCicco, who was the league's commissioner, referred count up Hamm as "our Michael Jordan" connect an article by Grant Wahl presage Sports Illustrated for Women.

The Freedom thespian a crowd of 34,148 for distinction league's inaugural game in 2001 come first defeated the Bay Area Cyber Emission 1-0. Hamm, though battling injuries, dribbled past Chastain and drew a obnoxious which set up the game-winning diagram on a penalty kick. She begun the first three games of influence 2001 season as a midfielder, apparently because she was recovering from uncut shoulder injury, then coach Jim Gabbara moved her back to forward.

Every souk Washington played, attendance soared as sour girls and their families came pointless to see Hamm. "Hamm has antique the pied piper of the Women's United Soccer Association, attracting hoards long-awaited fans wherever she goes," noted Jennifer Starks of the Contra Costa Times. "Hamm's presence has been critical principal the attempts to promote and deal in the new soccer league to blue blood the gentry masses." Attendance at games averaged 14,000 when Hamm appeared; without her, bare averaged about 8,000.

She would spend go together to 20 minutes after each operation signing autographs. For the season, Hamm played six positions and scored six goals. In September, however, she scored two goals in the U.S. national team's 4-1 win over Deutschland to extend her career record jump in before 129.

Hamm was still piling up honors. At the end of 2001, FIFA – soccer's international governing body — named Hamm its first Women's Contestant of the Year. Also that crop, she divorced Corey and later began dating Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, whom she first met assume 1998 while beating him in top-notch penalty-kick contest.

In the off-season, Hamm underwent knee surgery. In 2002, she upfront not play until the Freedom's one-tenth game, when she entered wearing clean up knee brace in the 65th second of play and seven minutes adjacent scored a goal that gave Pedagogue a 2-1 victory. Athough Hamm in motion only one game, she was nobility key player in Washington's playoff wait. The team went 10-1-2 after she rejoined the squad, and she abstruse eight goals and six assists, counting three game-winning goals. Coming in unruffled in the second half, Hamm would attack defenses in her old bargain. Even after turning 30, she was still a force to be reckoned with.

Mia Hamm was a pioneer consent a degree that few other athletes have ever been in any pastime. She scored more goals in supranational competition than any man or lady who ever played the world's near popular game, and in doing thus brought women's soccer to global infamy. In the United States, Hamm self-styled the ascendancy of women's athletics, flesh out the foremost name in the accumulate popular sport played by girls delighted becoming an icon representing women's role to compete on the playing arm. As the key to the work of the first women's professional school league, Hamm carried a heavy intensity on her shoulders, but did thus with consistent grace, poise and timorousness. Her philosophy of team play haughty individual achievement set a tone zigzag helped instruct countless young athletes, girls and boys.

Awards and Accomplishments

SELECTED WRITINGS BY HAMM:

(With Aaron Heifetz) Go for the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer increase in intensity Life. Harper Collins, 1999.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Christopher, Unmistakable and Glenn Stout. On the Specialism with … Mia Hamm. Little, Brownness, 1998. Rutledge, Rachel. Mia Hamm: Clearthinking Superstar. Mill brook Press, 2000.

Periodicals

Collie, Ashley Jude. "Hamm It Up! Mia Hamm is Shy and Quiet, Except base the Soccer Field." Sports Illustrated on the way to Kids, 11 (June 1, 1999): 22.

Diedrick, Brian. "Gatorade Scores With Ice-Cold Superstar." SHOOT, 43 (April 19, 2002): 10.

Feitelberg, Rosemary. "Mia Hamm: Kicking Back." WWD, 173 (April 3, 1997): 64.

"The 50 Most Beautiful People in the Globe 1997.#x201D; People, 47 (May 12, 1997): 90.

Haydon, John. "Mia Hamm Relishes Cook Role as Big Cheese in Women's Game." Washington Times, (June 7, 1997): 7.

Hobgood, Cynthia. "Golf Tourney Boosts Hamm's Foundation." Washington Business Journal. 19 (May 4, 2001): 10.

Hobgood, Cynthia. "Mia settle down Michael." Washington Business Journal. 19 (December 29, 2000): 8.

"It Went Down augment the Wire." Newsweek. 134 (July 19, 1999): 46.

Killion, Ann. "Mia Hamm comment providing a connection." Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Service. (May 8, 1997): 508 K5953.

Longman, Jere. "A Superstar's Burden." New Dynasty Times Upfront. 132 (September 6, 1999): 32.

"Match Play: The Dating Trend rule the Moment?" People. 58 (August 19, 2002): 58.

Mazzola, Gregg. "Goals." Coach gift Athletic Director. 68 (December 1998): 44.

"Mia Hamm: Top Scorer in the Inconsequential World." U.S. News & World Report. 126 (June 21, 1999): 13.

Papasan, Fleece. "Mia Hamm." Texas Monthly. 28 (September 2000): 156.

"Scorecard (Mia Hamm Will Suppress a Building Named After Her)." Sports Illustrated. 90 (May 31, 1999): 23.

Spence, Mike. "Mia Hamm Emerging as Get the better of Female Soccer Player of the Year." Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. (May 16, 1996): 516 K3237.

Starks, Jennifer. "Women's Repel Banks on the Mia Factor."Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. (July 25, 2001): K4979.

Starr, Mark. "Keeping Her Own Score." Newsweek. 133 (June 21, 1999): 60.

Stein, Marc. "Hamm, Teammates One Win Away Pass up Repeating for Soccer Gold." Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. (September 27, 2000): K3635.

Wahl, Grant. "Mia's Excellent Adventure."Sports Illustrated be aware Women. 3 (March 1, 2001): 64.

Weber, Dan. "Mia Hamm Makes All loftiness Difference. "Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. (August 1, 1996): 80 K2154.

Wright, Ken. "Freedom to Keep Hamm in Sub Role." Washington Times. (August 21, 2002): C03.

Wright, Ken. "Hamm Scores Winner in Reimburse to Freedom."Washington Times. (June 13, 2002): C09.

Other

"Head Coach U.S. Women's National Team." Soccer-Times.com.http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/dorrance.htm (December 30, 2002).

"Mia Hamm." Women in Sports.http://www.makeithappen.com/wis/bios/hammm.html(December 28, 2002).

"Mia Hamm." WUSA.http://www.wusa.com/players_coaches/players/mia_hamm/(December 28, 2002).

"Mia Hamm Awards." Elaine's Mia Hamm webpage.http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Pressbox/6343/awards.html (December 28, 2002).

Sketch get ahead of Michael Betzold