Synopses & Reviews
Winning It All
The World Cup had been our focus, our mission, ever since we walked off the field nearly three years ago with our Olympic Gold Medals, and now as it drew near, the pressure to succeed was intense. The media had decided that anything less than victory on our home turf would be considered a failure. And even though this team thrives under pressure, we're still human and cherished the few opportunities to take our minds off of the upcoming tournament.
In early June, Nike honored me at its world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. I was thrilled to have my teammates as well as my family along at the ceremony where Nike dedicated a building to me. And not just a little shack either. This building is huge! They say if you stood the building on its side, it would measure 63 stories. Christiaan was there, too, but he had to leave for his assignment in Japan right after the ceremony and would miss seeing the World Cup in person. The Marines wait for no one!
To lighten the mood, my teammates, led by our equipment manager Dainis (ever the jokester), poked fun at the Mia Hamm Building. They plastered the equipment room at the hotel with strips of athletic tape, labeling everything from a lamp to an ice container the "Mia Hamm Something." There was the "Mia Hamm Lamp," the "Mia Hamm Air Conditioner," the "Mia Hamm Remote Control" and I believe there was a "Mia Hamm Toilet Seat" as well. Dainis even put a piece of tape on my jersey and called it the "Mia Hamm Mia Hamm Jersey."
Two days later we beat Canada, 4-2, on ABC in the first women's soccer game ever broadcast on network television. it was our last game before the World Cup opener at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. We took aweek off and then regrouped for our final week of training before the biggest event of our lives. We were ready.
That week we held our pre-World Cup training camp at the Pingry School, a small private school in suburban New jersey that had a big hill next to the practice field. The hill was covered with fans every training session. Everyone was focused, feeling fit and strong, and the competitive juices were flowing.
We also had a blast off the field. We had a whole floor to ourselves at our hotel, complete with a "player lounge," where we hung out talking, playing games, snacking, and watching TV and movies. Our sports psychologist Colleen Hacker and our assistant coach Lauren Gregg had made motivational videotapes for each of us, splicing together highlights of each player. We watched a few each night leading up to the first game. Julie and Tisha made one of the most hilarious home movies I've ever seen, spoofing Brandi's risqué photo shoot that she did for a magazine using the theme for Austin Powers, which was no doubt our "team movie" during the tournament. "Yeah, baby."
It was also that week that Brandi went on the "David Letterman Show "and Dave became smitten with the team. Dave decreed himself our official owner and said that if we needed anything, we should call him. We were officially dubbed "Babe City" by Dave and he just couldn't stop talking about us. In truth, throughout the tournament, it was a welcome distraction for us. It was better to answer questions from the media about Dave than to critique yourself and your team's performance every day.
We opened the Women's World Cup against Denmark on June 19, 1999. People forgot that while we were defendingOlympic champions, we were not defending World Cup champions. That distinction belonged to Norway -- they had taken it from us four years earlier in Sweden -- and we wanted it back.
At the hotel before the game, we had an impromptu dance party in the hall of our floor. We were just a bunch of girls acting wacky, singing and trying to work off some of that nervous energy. Most of us painted our nails in some red, white, and blue design. Painting our nails seems to be a tradition for us during big tournaments. We couldn't wait to kick off this thing.
The first game was magical. We drove to Giants Stadium with a police escort because the traffic was clogged for miles. We had heard several days before that the game would probably be a sell-out; it still didn't prepare us for the wild scene that greeted us in the stadium parking lot.
There were thousands of people with their faces painted, waving flags, holding balloons, wearing our jerseys and carrying signs. When they saw the bus, they went crazy. I'll never forget the expressions on their faces when they glanced up and saw us looking back. For the first time, we felt as if the whole nation was behind us.
Synopsis
For the more than seven million girls—from knobby-kneed tykes to high school and college stars—who are tearing across the country chasing a soccer ball and dreams of glory, there is one name that eclipses all others, male or female: Mia Hamm. With her cheetahlike acceleration and lightning-bolt shot, Hamm broke nearly every record in her sport, while galvanizing a whole generation of fans and players.
Go for the Goal is not only the inspiring story of how a tiny suburban sprite became a global terror with a ball (and the world) at her feet—it's also a step-by-step or dribble-by-dribble guide for any kid with the all-American dream of making the team and becoming a champion.
Filled with personal anecdotes and fully illustrated with both action and instructional photographs, Go for the Goal shows readers exactly how to master the silky skills and techniques that made Hamm and her teammates the finest women's soccer team in the world.
About the Author
Mia Hamm, star of the U.S. National Soccer Team, Olympic Gold Medalist, World Cup champion, and five-time U.S. Soccer Player of the Year, is the world's greatest female soccer player. She serves as an important role model for children, inspiring them to strive for their dreams. In 1999 she formed the Mia Hamm Foundation benefiting bone marrow disease patients and their families, as well as providing athletic opportunities for young women. Mia is the author of the national bestseller
Go For the Goal: A Champion's Guide to Winning in Soccer and Life. When she is not traveling the world playing soccer, she resides in Austin, Texas.