"Men are what their mothers made them."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
When professional athletes reach the top of their field, they are often asked who inspired them to reach such heights. The depth chart often goes: 1) God or faith, 2) Mom.
A mother can offer advice, support, and a concrete example of hard work becoming success or joy. Philadelphia Union midfielder Jamiro Monteiro knows this well. His mother introduced him to the game he now plays and loves.
“She was a soccer player when I was little,” Monteiro smiles, and reveals that many of the women in his family planted seeds from which his love of soccer grew.