There is a saying that goes, “behind every successful man, there stands a woman”, and this is often the case when it comes to elite-level sportspeople and athletes. It isn’t easy to achieve greatness in any walk of life if you do not have the love and support of those around you, especially in sports, where becoming a superstar requires tremendous dedication.
Most professional athletes competing around the world in competitions such as the NBA, NFL, Premier League, and Australia’s National Rugby League come from two-parent families. However, some legitimate megastars did not have that privilege and were raised by single mothers. Those mums did an incredible job and helped nurture their children into world-famous sports stars.
Lebron James and His Mum, Gloria James
LeBron James is so famous that even non-basketball fans know about him. James has enjoyed a glistening career that started in 2003 and has seen him build an incredible US$1 billion net worth! Experts consider James one of the greatest basketball players of all time. James currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that draws the attention of punters, including those who know everything about Oklahoma sports betting laws.
Gloria Marie James was only 16 years old when she gave birth to Lebron James on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio, United States. James’ father, Anthony McClelland, was a career criminal who played no part in James’ upbringing. Gloria James initially had the support of her mother, Freda, but Freda passed away with Lebron James was the tender age of three, leaving Gloria to fend for herself and her infant son. Having not graduated from high school, Gloria found it increasingly difficult to find steady employment and frequently moved from apartment to apartment.
However, despite a lack of money, Gloria brought up Lebron in the right way, teaching him the difference between right and wrong, to always have good manners, and be respectful of other people and the value of money. When LeBron James signed his first professional contract, one worth $18.8 million, what do you think his first splurge was? A fancy sports car? A mansion? No, he treated himself and a friend to amusement park tickets. That is the sign of someone who was brought up to respect the value of money, friends, and family. Well done, Gloria James.
Hope Solo and Her Mum, Judy Solo
Hope Solo is one of the most famous female football players, having represented the United States Women’s football team a record 202 times during her impressive career. Solo puts much of his success down to the love and dedication of her mother, Judy.
Solo’s father, Jeffrey, was in and out of her life during her early years, although he did find time to teach his daughter the nuances of football, or soccer as they call it in the United States. Solo’s parents divorced when she was only six years old, and matters turned sinister a year later; things could have ended so differently. Jeffrey picked up his daughter and son, assuming he was taking them to a nearby baseball game. However, he drove more than three hours to Seattle, where they remained for several days. Police found Jeffrey Solo and his unharmed children and charged him with kidnapping.
Under her mother’s now-sole guidance, Solo began developing a love for football and soon discovered she was a talented goalkeeper. She played in goal for the University of Washington, and although he club career was not the greatest, Solo made a global name for herself on the international stage. To this day, she holds the USA record for most appearances, most wins, most clean sheets, most wins in a single season, longest undefeated streak, and most consecutive minutes played. Oh, and she is an Olympic gold medalist to boot.
Listen to: How to raise happy, confident, resilient children.
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