What was Michelle Akers famous for?

Answer 1

Michelle Anne Akers

Michelle Akers was born on February 1, 1966 in Santa Clara, California. She is famous for being a great soccer player on the United States National team. She moved to Seattle, Washington when she was little. She lived there with her mother and older brother Mike because her mother and father got divorced when she was only in sixth grade. Even though her parents were divorced her father, Bob, never missed any of Michelle's soccer games.

Michelle started playing soccer when she was eight, the same year her mom became the first woman firefighter in Seattle. When she first started playing she was a goalie. Michelle hated to lose and always thought it was her fault when the team lost. She worked very hard to learn to dribble the ball and became the center midfielder at Shorecrest High School in Seattle, Washington. The boy's soccer coach let her train with the boys team. She graduated in 1984 and was so good she got a scholarship to the University of Central Florida. Michelle joined the US National Team in 1985. She was a four time All American at Central Florida. In 1988, Michelle was named College Player of the Year.

She graduated in 1989 and in April 1990 Michelle married Roby Stahl. They were divorced in 1994. In 1990, 1992 & 1994 she played professional soccer in Sweden. In 1991 Michelle was on the US team that won first FIFA World Cup. 1996 she won Olympic Gold Medal, in 1999 won FIFA World Cup, and in 2000 Michelle won another Olympic Gold Medal. She was 2000 FIFA Player of the Century and won too many other awards to mention.

In late 1993, she collapsed during a match at the Olympic Sports Festival in San Antonio, Texas. She was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr Virus (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). It makes her very tired most the time. In the last World Cup she had to get fluids by IV after every game. She almost missed getting her Gold Medal because she was getting an IV. Retired from the US National team on August 24, 2000 and in 2001 Michelle was a founding player of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA).

In 1998 Michelle founded Soccer Outreach International. SOI's goal is "To seek out and inspire kids of all nations to become leaders of quality character, faith, and clear purpose through the game of soccer."

She wrote three books The Game and the Glory, Standing Fast, and Face to Face with Michelle Akers.