Carson Pickett becomes the FIRST soccer player with a limb difference to play for the US in win over Colombia: 28-year-old born without a left arm calls experience a ‘dream come true’
- Carson Pickett became the first soccer player with a limb difference to play for the US on Tuesday in Utah as the women’s national team beat Colombia, 2-0
- The 28-year-old Pickett was born without a left hand and forearm
- Pickett, a left back, has already made 100 appearances in the NWSL
- She became a viral sensation in 2019 as a member of the Orlando Pride when she was pictured greeting a young fan who was similarly born without a left forearm
- Other one-handed US sports stars include retired California Angels pitcher Jim Abbott and Hansel Enmanuel, an 18-year-old basketball sensation from Florida
Carson Pickett’s trail-blazing soccer career reached another milestone on Tuesday night in Utah, where she became the first player with a limb difference to play for the US National Team.
Pickett, who also plays for the NWSL’s North Carolina Courage, was born without a left hand and forearm, but that did not stop her from stepping up in Tuesday’s 2-0 exhibition victory over Colombia when US coach Vlatko Andonovski wanted to give starter Emily Fox a night off.
‘Carson did very well in training for us in last week and with the management of minutes for Emily Fox that we had, we felt like Carson would be a good replacement, and I’m happy that she was able to perform well for 90 minutes,’ Andonovski told reporters after the win.
Carson Pickett’s trail-blazing soccer career reached another milestone on Tuesday night in Utah , where she became the first player with a limb difference to play for the National Team
arson Pickett #26 of the United States celebrates during a game between Colombia and the United States at Rio Tinto Stadium on Tuesday night in Utah
Carson Pickett #26 of the United States takes a selfie with fans after a game against Colombia
Pickett celebrated her performance by signing autographs for some young fans in the crowd on Tuesday, and later went on Twitter to thank supporters
Pickett, a 28-year-old left back, has already made 100 appearances in the NWSL and she received Best XI honors for the month of June.
She celebrated her performance by signing autographs for some young fans in the crowd on Tuesday, and later went on Twitter to thank supporters.
Pickett also called the experience a ‘dream come true’ in one post.
Pickett became a viral sensation in 2019 as a member of the NWSL’s Orlando Pride when she was pictured greeting a young fan who was similarly born without a left forearm or hand
She became a viral sensation in 2019 as a member of the NWSL’s Orlando Pride when she was pictured greeting a young fan who was similarly born without a left forearm or hand.
Joseph Tidd, an 18-month old Florida boy, was seen grinning from ear to ear when he was approached by Pickett on the field. The two bumped arms and shared a quick laugh, as seen in a heart-warming series of photos that quickly circulated around social media.
‘We need more of this in our world. RT to spread joy,’ Pickett’s mentor Becky Burleigh tweeted.
Miles Tidd, the boy’s father, told Fox News about his son’s experience forming a bond with Pickett.
‘It was this instant bond we can’t begin to understand,’ said Tidd. ‘Carson believes she can do anything, and that is the mindset we want Joseph to have as well.’
(Left) Jim Abbott was a dominant starting pitcher for the California Angels from 1989 until 1992, and later pitched a no-hitter with the New York Yankees in 1993 despite being born without a right hand. (Right) Recently an 18-year-old old native Dominican named Hansel Enmanuel has become a high school basketball sensation in Kissimmee, Florida despite missing most of his left arm
Pickett is certainly not the only well-known athlete to enjoy success despite missing a limb.
Jim Abbott was a dominant starting pitcher for the California Angels from 1989 until 1992, and later pitched a no-hitter with the New York Yankees in 1993 despite being born without a right hand. The Michigan native and member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame taught himself to both throw and catch with his left hand while intermittently resting his glove on his right arm.
More recently an 18-year-old old native Dominican named Hansel Enmanuel has become a high school basketball sensation in Kissimmee, Florida despite missing most of his left arm.
Remarkably, Enmanuel received a scholarship offer from Memphis coach and former NBA star Anfernee Hardaway to play for the Tigers next season.
Jim Abbott of the California Angels signs autographs before a game in the 1989 season