Commercial, but encouraging

Lolita Harper

There is no shame in kicking like a girl.

That is the lesson young Marissa Leone learned Saturday afternoon

while listening to an inspirational speech from World Cup Soccer

superstar Mia Hamm.

Hamm was joined by triathlete Lokelani McMichael and professional

wake boarder Emily Copeland for a special appearance at Sport Chalet

in South Coast Plaza, where they told their attentive audience that

girls should not be counted out when it comes to sports.

Before and after the presentation by Hamm, McMichael and Copeland,

audience members were invited to try on the latest thing in women’s

training footwear: the Nike Shox Turbo. The organization NikeGo

pledged to donate a pair of Shox to the Boys and Girls Clubs of

Orange County for each pair tried on at the event.

Little girls and grown women laced up and jumped around in the

silver and pink shoes, vowing to buy them and “get back in shape.”

Professional trainers of lesser-known fame, also demonstrated the

use of various fitness equipment, such as the large exercise balls

and hand weights, providing expertise in toning and trimming inches.

Although the afternoon was an obvious promotional gig, the content

of the women’s speeches struck a chord with those who attended --

young and old.

“I think it is really cool of these three women to come out here

and share their training techniques,” said Jeff Hedgecock, who

brought two young girls to see the superstars. “It is such an

inspiration for these young girls to see healthy women training for

competition and know they can be just as successful as guys.”

Alyssa Bailey, a 10-year-old from Huntington Beach, said she liked

soccer OK but was really there to get Hamm’s autograph for her

friend, who is a true soccer fan. Alyssa’s game is softball, she

said.

Marissa, on the other hand, knows what sport calls to her: soccer.

And the 12-year-old Long Beach girl said she wants to be just like

Hamm, who is a leading scorer on the U.S. Women’s national soccer

team. Marissa was a tad bummed that she could not get close enough in

the store to get an actual autograph but seeing and listening to her

was still good enough, she said.

“She is just so awesome,” Marissa said as she was walking in the

parking lot. “Her number is 9, and my number is 9. She is a forward,

and I play forward. Well, I play goalie too but ... .”

And there she was. There was no time to talk, Marissa needed to

get an autograph from Hamm. Her limo was pulling away, but Marissa

used her athleticism to sprint to the window and get a last-minute

autograph.

Now, her day was complete.

“Thank you Mia, thank you,” she shouted as the limo pulled away.