Perhaps I am partial to photos of right year old girls in Mia Hamm jerseys–having once had a couple of them around the house myself–but I was uplifted by the photo below. Taken in 2002, it shows yooung Rose Lavelle–not merely a member of world champion USWNT, but winner of the Bronze Boot for being the third best player in the World Cup tournament–dressed as Hamm for a grade school book report. Having seen Hamm at an event shortly after the thrilling ’99 World Cup, determinedly signing autographs for every pne of the dozens of idolizing girls in the crowd, I applaud what she and her teammates did to build not only a sport, but a culture of equality and opportunity.
