Everyone knows about Mia Hamm and her accomplishments, but who is Mia Hamm really?.

             Her fan site on the Web calls her "Poised, articulate and honest, [.] a pioneer in her sport and a role model for athletes and fans alike who believe in equal opportunity, Title IX legislation, and the love of the game" ("Mia Hamm"). She is a 1994 graduate of University of North Carolina with a degree in political science. Her hobbies are golf, basketball, reading, and cooking and you might add baseball, since her 2003 marriage to Chicago Cubs shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. She also wants to have children and raise a family. Right before her retirement in December, 2004, she told a reporter, "'I get pangs in my heart when I call my sister and talk to my nephews,' Hamm says. 'Or when I see them, and they've grown another six inches. I want to be a part of their lives. For so long, they've followed me around and supported me. It's time to give back'" (Hruby C01). So, Mia Hamm is more than just a celebrity soccer player and sports icon, she's a woman who wants to finally settle down, raise a family, and live a normal, uncomplicated life. Can she do that?.

             She retired at the age of 31 from her soccer career; content that she had played as well as she could for as long as she could. She noted before her own retirement, "'I watched Pete Sampras' retirement speech,' Hamm recalls. 'He talked about how you just know when it's the right time. That's the way I feel'" (Hruby C01). She continued, "'Am I going to miss it? Absolutely. It's been a part of my life. These players have been a part of my life for the last 18 years and will continue to be'" (Hruby (C01). It seems the fans will miss her too. While women's professional soccer succumbed to poor crowds and eventually shut down, the organization is attempting a comeback, and many people credit Mia Hamm for soccer's popularity in the first place. She brought the world's eye onto the game because of her abilities and her longevity.