Mia Hamm
“What Billie Jean did in fighting for Title IX, they were thinking about people like me. Today, I feel a personal responsibility to build on her important work to create future opportunities for young girls.”
Biography
Mia Hamm-Garciaparra was born on March 17, 1972, and is a former striker for the US women’s national soccer team. During her career, she scored more international goals than any other player, male or female. One of the most famous female athletes in the world, she became an inspiration and role model to a generation of sports-minded girls. She is the author of Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life (Harper Collins, 1999).
Career Highlights
| 1991 | Member of the US women’s team that won the World Cup |
| 1993 | Member of the U.S. women's national college team that won silver in the Summer Universidade. Hamm was top goal scorer with six goals and graduated with the all- time record (103) conference goals. |
| 1999 | Hamm broke the all-time international goal record with her 108th goal. She was member of the US team that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Established the Mia Foundation, dedicated to bone marrow research and progress in women's sports. |
| 2001 | FIFA women’s World Player of the Year |
| 2002 | FIFA women’s World Player of the Year |
| 2004 | Along with former US teammate Michelle Akers, Hamm was one of only two Americans named in the FIFA 100, a list of the greatest living soccer players selected by Pelé |
| Hamm scored her 150th international goal in her 259th international appearance. Member of Team USA which won gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Retired with 158 international goals | |
| 2007 | Inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame |
Links
Mia Hamm set up the Mia Foundation to help match bone marrow donors and recipients and to encourage women in sport.
