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Updated:
Monday August 04, 2008
Excerpts from:
Mia Hamm
Go For The Goal
 "Growing
up, mostly I played with the boys. I enjoyed it and didn't think anything of
being the only girl. It was either play with the boys or not play at all. Most
important, playing with boys really helped me become competitive and develop
that combative spirit I have today. I think (it) instilled a kind of
fearlessness at an early age . . . I truly believe that guys (much more so than
girls) are taught to compete against one another and go after one another hard
in practice and not apologize for success."
"The ability to make your skills come through under pressure
in a game situation, to be able to control the ball with your feet as if they
were your hands, is the essence of soccer. You must love the feel of the ball as
you touch it with every surface of your cleats, your legs, your chest and head.
Strive to make your skills so sharp and clean that they will not break down in
the high-pressure atmosphere of the game."
"I'd go out to the park by myself every day and practice my
skills for hours . . . You are accountable for yourself. No one will roll you
out of bed at 5 a.m. to run. You alone have to make that decision. It's a
challenge to get out there on the field, run the sprints and train with the ball
when there is no one else around. While everyone goes to practice, not everyone
is putting in the extra hours. This is what sets champions apart."
"I would hope that young girls now know that it is OK to be
tough, to be competitive, and to defeat an opponent . . . We are constantly
showing that women can be hyper-competitive and super-tough while still being
positive role models."
"If you have difficulty trapping (capturing, receiving, etc.)
a ball, you will always have trouble executing the other skills you need to
excel in soccer. Make a less-than-perfect trap, and you will spend time and
energy trying to get that bouncing ball down to the grass . . . while defenders
are running at you full tilt ... What hurts more, though, is that without the
ball (under control), you cannot pass or dribble."
"If you are a stationary player and are not making runs for
your teammates, they will be unable to pass effectively . . . You always must be
moving to support the player with the ball, to get in position to receive a pass
down the field . . . Don't run just for the sake of running, or you won't be
able to last the whole game. Make your runs valuable to your team by putting
yourself in position to receive the ball or opening space for your teammates."
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