Athlete Spotlight: 7 year old lioness, Malia

I've been excited to share today's spotlight about little Malia and her soccer studliness! When her mom, Mandy, posted on the blog contest about one of her Sport Princess's achievements, I asked her to send me more information so I could learn more. I'm so happy she did!

"Her name is Malia, she is 7 yrs old and in the 2nd grade. She started playing recreational soccer when she was 4 yrs old and knew right away she wanted to be a goalkeeper.  She joined a select team, "traveling team", when she was 6 yrs old. Her team won numerous tourrnaments and there was an entire season where they were undefeated.  

She plays year round, and even played in a "soccer in the sand" tournament at Lake Michigan's Grand Haven beach.  One of her most memorable tournaments was on the campus of University of Michigan. Her team took 1st place and posed for pictures with the head coach of U of M's men's soccer team. We have also traveled with Malia's team to the campus of Michigan State University. She escorted the female college team onto the field at the start of the big Michigan vs Michigan State soccer game. At half time, her team got to play an exhibition game for the crowd! 

Malia has been compared to a caged lioness when she is in goalkeeper mode. She never takes her eye off the ball, paces back and forth like she could attack at any moment! :)

She has been kicked in the stomach many times and gets right back up. Except that one time when she carried off the field! She has also been kicked in the mouth while diving on a ball. She took a minute to compose herself, got up and shook herself off and when the referee asked if she was ok she replied, "I'm ok, let's play".  Afterwards she told me in disgust, "His foot was in my mouth!".

 

Malia is highly competitive, and puts her all into everything that she does. She is a straight A student and has tested above her grade level in reading and math. She is a very compassionate girl, and a great friend. She has a love of animals and decided on her own that she does not want to eat any meat. I'm sure this is challenging for her living with a family of meat eaters! One day in the grocery store she was horrified to read the word "lamb" on a package of meat. She picked it up and hugged it and said "I'm sorry someone had to kill you". This morning, on the way to school, she saw a dead skunk on the side of the road and said "that skunk had hopes and dreams!"

Little Sport Princess, Malia

I think what makes Malia's accomplishments so amazing to me is the fact that she was born tongue tied, pigeon toed and with poor vision in one eye. She spoke very little at the age of 3, and underwent surgery to clip the skin holding her tongue down. She got her first pair of glasses this school year and looks adorable in them! She is still very much pigeon toed and it is amazing how quick her footwork is when she is dribbling the ball around other players on her way to score a goal. She has over come these obstacles and is excelling in spite of them!"

And here is Malia's contribution: "Malia would also like you to know her favorite soccer player is Lionel Messi. She HAD to have his replica Barcelona jersey last weekend as soon as she saw it! She will also be attending 3 Lions Soccer Academy Summer Camp this coming July." :)

WOW. What a darling, motivated, inspirational Sport Princess. MANDY - you write well - I love how you worded all of this, and being able to picture the pacing caged lioness. Also, that's an appropriate nickname since she loves Lionel Messi and is attending the 3 Lions Academy Summer Camp. I love this girl already, thank you for sharing her information!

*For any other submissions for the weekly spotlight, please email to sportprincesses@gmail.com.

UK Athlete Spotlight: Rachel Yankey

This week I'm taking you to the UK to highlight one of England's finest players, a midfielder with Arsenal Ladies,

Rachel Yankey!



Rachel Yankey, #11, Arsenal

Not only is this all star playing for the Women's FIFA World Cup on England's National Team this year (nicknamed the "Three Lionesses")...

...but off the field, Rachel often works with children and youth, coaching football skills. She even created her own Rachel Yankey Football Academy in London a couple years ago, where she receives grants and teaches young primary girls and young ethnic minority groups how to play football for free! WOW. She is all heart for the game, and working with children. Here's a video where Rachel plugs youngins getting involved in the London Youth Games, over 30 sports:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCN6XcroYPw

She started playing on boy's teams when she was younger. Now, with 105 caps (football appearances) under her belt, she's got the most experience then all the other ladies on the Englad squad. I admire her humility, for how good she really is, and how she is giving back to the kids in the communities around her!

(I know where I'm going first when looking for coaches for the Sport Princess camp down the road!!)

Athlete Spotlight: Abby Wambach

As we are in the midst of March Soccer month, I have to tell you about an active soccer gal on the US Team, and currently playing for Washington Freedom... miss Abby Wambach.

As far as I've read, this is one hardcore chick, ever since she was hatched. Abby is the youngest of seven children, and learned defense quickly. Her brothers put hockey pads on her so they could practice shooting their hockey pucks at her. Her siblings would raid her food, until she learned to quickly bite each French fry in half on her plate before they had the chance. Abby shares her secret advice: "Always cut your underwear a little so that when your brothers hang you on the doorknob, it will tear away easier."

So it comes as no surprise that she shreds it up on the soccer field.  In Abby's first youth league, she was transferred from the girls team to the boys team after scoring 27 goals in just 3 games. TODAY, She has quickly become "one of the most dangerous strikers in the world" ... with the best goals-per-game-ratio in US history ... 101 goals in 131 games at the end of 2009. And here's my favorite part of that: 41 of those goals were made with her head. 

PLUS she likes to surf. 

And play video games with the other US Soccer mom's kids. 

............ And she has an English Bulldog named Kingston. WHO can ride a skateboard. 

I can't even ride a skateboard. Not to say I haven't tried ... but I've had kaboodles more success and fun sliding down the skateboard ramps and pipes on my butt than standing up on a skateboard. And yes, that was on purpose, during early mornings before the skaters were at the park to watch. (And I didn't even take a skateboard with me) Different story.

Here's a quick vid on Abby Wambach, followed by a much longer vid of a skateboardin' English Bulldog. Enjoy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No1moklsowQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQzUsTFqtW0

Athlete Spotlight: Milene Domingues

Something about this athlete intrigues me! Today I want to spotlight Milene Domingues, a Brazilian midfielder who retired after 2009 at just age 30. Can you imagine?

Beforehand, Milene was a Brazilian MODEL that decided to play soccer (football, in Brazil) and became the highest paid player in Spain. She was first famous for being married to Ronaldo, a very well known soccer player in Brazil. She later married Spanish soccer player David Aganzo, who is still playing today.

The ex-model also holds the record for ball juggling - keeping a soccer ball off the ground for 9 hours, with 55,198 touches!

I think what impresses me most is that someone who is beautiful - and the camera loves - turned away from that to play an active, fast paced sport instead! She even played on the National Team.

Anything is possible! Without knowing her, I am proud of Milene!

Athlete Spotlight: Mia Hamm

For my first *Monday Athlete Spotlight*… how can I NOT start with a spotlight on arguably one of the most important sportswomen of our time, Mia Hamm!

Ohhh where do I start! This sportswoman was… IS… incredible. Do I begin with how she was actually born with a club foot and had to wear corrective braces as a toddler?

Or how she is the youngest player EVER to play for the U.S. National soccer team at just a young 15 years old?

Becoming the youngest American women to win a World Cup championship at the still young age of 19?

Or how about the fact that Mia has scored more international goals in her career than any other player, male or female, in the history of soccer?

Yes, she has done it all. Named the FIFA World Player … TWO times … inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame when receiving 137 votes out of the possible 141 … has the largest NIKE building on corporate campus named after her … and was named the 1997 Sportswoman of the Year!

Hamm retired in 2004 at the age of 32 to start a family with her then-Red Sox shortstop husband (later Dodgers), Nomar Garciaparra. (Does it get any better than that??) In 2007 she gave birth to twin girls! With soccer star momma, and baseball daddy, you better believe those little girls are Sport Princesses!

You gotta watch this awing tribute I found to Mia Hamm! Super cool youtube Mia Hamm Tribute