I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down.
Mia HammRead
I'm a part of a team, and I'm no better or any worse than any single player on this team. That's the approach I've always had and will continue to have. It's not about me. It has never been all about me. If it had, this would have been a really lonely journey.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of teamwork over individual accomplishments.
Mia Hamm's quote highlights the significance of collaboration and unity within a team. She stresses that her success and experiences are intertwined with those of her teammates, proposing that a collective approach fosters mutual support and companionship, contrasting the solitude that would arise if one prioritized individual glory.
In practice
During a team meeting, to emphasize the importance of collaboration.
I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down.
Focus on what you know you can do. Know what you're capable of on any given day, and what you can count on. Do the simple things well, and then use the confidence to build up the rest of your game. Learn to differentiate between what is truly important and what can be dealt with at another time.
Sports can do so much. It's given me confidence, self-esteem, discipline, and motivation.
Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back... play for her.
It is more difficult to stay on top than to get there.
I am building a fire, and everyday I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match.
People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.
The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime.
To me, teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one. You become selfless.
Once you look up, and it's Week 14 or 15, and it's crunch time, you can't all of a sudden turn on a switch and say, 'Hey guys, we have to step up and be brothers, be family.' That's stuff that is developed in the offseason, training camp, or throughout the season.
I knew at a young age, whether I was playing baseball or hockey or lacrosse, that my teammates were counting on me, whether it be to strike the last batter out in a baseball game or score a big goal in a hockey game.
I started as a fourth-line fighter, went to being a third-line centre, then a second-line winger and a first-line centre. I've played every role there is, and the only thing that matters is helping the team win.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.