'Teamwork always comes first,' Mia Hamm tells UD audience

Two-time Olympic gold-medalist and World Cup champion Mia Hamm spoke to a crowd of more than 2,000 on March 23 at the Bob Carpenter Center. Hamm's talk, part of the UD Speaks series, focused on her competitive nature and her journey of self-discovery.

Hamm, who admitted she had never given a speech at a university before coming to Delaware, said her main goal of the night was to show how her experiences -- moving around as a child between different Air Force bases, going 94-1 at University of North Carolina, becoming the youngest woman to play for the national team, and wining two World Cups -- have changed her life.

She urged audience members to help expand their competitive spirit in the community.   

"I keep competing to spread the message that I was taught," Hamm said. "But I can't do it alone. I need you, but I don't need your time or your money. I need you to challenge yourself to be the best you can be. For yourself, your family, your friends, your company, you have to ask yourself how good you want to be."

Hamm challenged the audience members to figure out what they stand for and believe in, a revelation she said she experienced after her freshman season at UNC.

She described a meeting with her college coach in which he asked her what she wanted to be and she said simply, "I want to be the best."

"He responded, ‘Mia, it's a decision. It's easy to say it, but to get there you have to make that choice every day,'" Hamm said.

This goal to be the best, she said, has become the central theme for her entire life. Even after retiring from soccer, Hamm said still tries to be the best wife, mother and friend.

In an interview before she went on stage, Hamm mentioned how important raising her twin girls is to her.

"It's the best thing I've ever done," she said. "It's my proudest moment for sure."

Besides her competitive drive, Hamm also emphasized the importance of being a team player.  Citing examples of how her and her teammates at UNC would push each other harder and harder at practices, Hamm said she learned not to underestimate the importance of group dynamics.

"Two things stood out for me," she said. "It was okay to compete, and teamwork always came first."

Hamm said her parents also played a large role in her development and credits them for teaching her the values of responsibility and accountability.

While she said it was difficult having to transfer from base to base in different cities and countries during her childhood, Hamm said her family taught her that no matter how bleak things may look, there are always people in worse situations.

The speech was followed by a question and answer session with the audience made up of high school and college students, parents, coaches and youth soccer teams, many of whom were there to see the hero they grew up watching on the soccer field.

 "I liked her speech a lot," sophomore Emma MacLean said.  "She didn't try to be perfect, and it showed her personality. I played soccer for years, so Mia was always someone I looked up to. I'm really glad I got to hear her message."