Mia Hamm and family visit Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC
USA Today – Beau Dure
October 10, 2008 – Washington, DC

If you think you saw Mia Hamm in Washington last week, you might have been right. And if you saw her talking on the phone, she might have been saying a couple of things you'll see in Wednesday's paper, plus all this ...

On visiting Children's National Medical Center in Washington with her nephews, part of her effort to get kids involved with charity work at younger age:

My nephews are 7 and 9, and it was a great way for us as a family to take that next step. They got some stuff together from their favorite movies. I took pictures and signed autographs. The boys sat down and colored with the kids. It meant a lot to me that children would allow me to bring my family in, my nephews, to help spread the message of philanthropy and giving back. It was a great experience for all of us. I can't speak for the kids at the hospital, but hopefully, it gave them some good feelings leaving that day. For the boys, it's a start of what they can do in the future.

On finding her charitable path:

With Athletes for Hope, you have to find your own niche. You have to find whatever you're passionate about. My cause and my fight might be different. It's usually based on personal experience.

When I was brought on for Athletes for Hope, here I am with Andre Agassi and Lance Armstrong, people who have raised millions of dollars for their causes. I felt JV sitting in that room. Lance was like, "Listen, I'm sure you want to do more, and that's what's so great. But don't look at yourself with regard to your success by the dollar sign. You're impacting people and you're passionate about it. That's the main focus." So I left there more empowered and with a greater sense of responsibility.

On the 2008 Olympics

In tournaments like that, everyone has an opportunity, but at the same time, as young as that team was, there were core parts that were very strong.

Through the tournament, you had players that had to step up once Abby went down. And you had two other injuries -- Cat Whitehill and Leslie Osborne. That's three people through the middle of your team. That's tough. But players stepped up, played outside their comfort zone, really embraced those opportunities and made the most of it. That's what was so amazing about that run. You have an Angela Hucles, who for most of her national team career was a role player, and here she was, the leading scorer on that team. She embraced that role and made the most of it.

The thing about Brazil -- they're too talented to not to get their opportunities. You just have to limit the damage. Hope (Solo) came up with some very huge saves.

We were cheering our heads off. I think my (18-month-old) girls were looking at me like, "What's going on?”


See more photos in the AFH photo album!