A nine-year-old girl who was born without most of her right arm has begun to imagine a future she once thought out of reach after meeting a professional soccer player in Denver. Reporter Steve Hartman met Hayden Stine on the road in Denver to tell the story.
At the Denver Summit women’s soccer team’s home opener at Mile High Stadium, the team failed to score. But for Hayden, the game was a victory: she spotted number 16, Carson Pickett, a pro player who also has a limb difference. Watching Carson play gave Hayden something she had not allowed herself before — the belief that she could pursue soccer at the highest level.
Hayden told Hartman she wants to be a professional soccer player when she grows up, and seeing Carson play filled her with hope that she can reach that goal. Her parents, Jonathan and Christina Stine, say Hayden’s confidence has soared since the meeting. At school and on the field she has been more outgoing, and at a recent practice she even scored three times.
Carson Pickett says she used to hide her arm in photos and avoided talking about her difference because she wanted to be known simply as a soccer player. Her perspective changed after her mother pointed out that she was missing an opportunity to help others. Carson later wrote that her journey became less about herself and more about the hearts she could touch.
Now Carson has embraced being a role model. She surprised Hayden at practice this week, spent time with her, and plans to keep in touch. Hayden, who already understands how powerful role models can be, says she wants someday to be a role model for someone else.
Steve Hartman on the road in Denver.