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Who is Mia Hamm? She is the most famous woman soccer player, She is a symbol for the USA National Woman Soccer Team. She was born, as Mariel Margaret Hamm, on March 17, 1972, in Selma, Alabama, and her brother Garret introduced her to soccer, starting play at age 5. At 15 she became the youngest player ever to play for U.S. National Team.
Mia grew up as what they call a "military brat", Mia specifically was an Air Force brat. Her childhood was spent on different bases throughout the world including California, Texas, Virginia and Italy along with her five siblings and parents, COL. Bill and Stephanie Hamm. Her father fell in love with soccer while in Italy and urged Mia to play.
A coach in Waco named John Cossaboon called a friend of his, Anson Dorrance and said he had to come see this girl. Dorrance who had coached the University of North Carolina women since 1979 and was the U.S. national team coach from 1985 to '94, was familiar with calls like the one from John Cossaboon and was skeptical, but he went to Texas any ways.
After that Mia attended the University of North Carolina, and She got a Polital Science degree while play for the University Soccer team.
She was named by People Magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in 1997 and received the prestigious honor of being named the Women's Sports Foundation Athlete of the Year for 1997.
Won the 1998 ESPY Award for Outstanding Female Athlete at the ESPN Network's annual awards show, Her hobbies include cooking, golf and watching college basketball
Started the Mia Hamm Foundation in 1999 to raise funds and awareness for bone marrow transplant patients and their families, as well as to help provide more opportunities for young girls in sports. Her website is at www.miafoundation.org
She is the first women’s soccer player with her own signature shoe and, also, She is author of the best-selling inspiration/instructional book “Go for the Goal: A Champions Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life”
MIA IN THE USA NATIONAL TEAM: Was named the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year for 2001 and 2002, the first two years in which the world’s governing body bestowed the award on a woman , and finished second in FIFA Women’s Player of the Year voting in 2003 .
She broke the all-time international scoring record, for men and women, on May 16, 1999, against Brazil in Orlando, Fla., with her 108th career goal
Is the world’s all-time leading scorer with 144 goals and 123 assists for 411 points through the end of 2003
The second most capped player in the world behind teammate Kristine Lilly, she should pass 250 games in 2004
From 1997 to 1999, she scored 51 goals in her 63 matches.
Named U.S. Soccer's Chevrolet Female Athlete of the Year an unprecedented five years in a row from 1994-1998.
At age of 15 she became the youngest woman to ever play with the USA .
MIA HAMM AT HER CLUB: Was one of the WUSA’s founding players for the Washington Freedom
2003: Had her best WUSA season, continuing her amazing goal to assist ratio with 11 goals and 11 assist for 33 points, tied for tops in the league
Led the WUSA in assists with 11 and tied for the league-lead in game-winning goals with four
A finalist for WUSA MVP and a First-Team All-WUSA selection out of the midfield .
Helped lead the Freedom to the Founders Cup championship game for the second consecutive year .
Voted as a starter to the WUSA All-Star Team
College / High School: Named to Soccer America’s College Team of the Decade for the 1990's .
Was a two-time Missouri Athletic Club and Hermann Award winner (1992, 1993)
Won four NCAA championships with the University of North Carolina (1989, ’90, ’92 and ’93)
A three-time NSCAA All-American, she completed her collegiate career as the ACC's all-time leading scorer in goals (103), assists (72) and points (278) .
Had her UNC jersey number 19 retired in 1994.
Red-shirted the 1991 college season to prepare for the 1991 Women's World Cup.
Was the NCAA's 1993-94 Broderick Award winner for all female college sports.
An NSCAA All-American from Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Va., she also played at Notre Dame High School in Wichita Falls, Texas
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