A scoreless home opener still turned into a big moment for one young Denver soccer fan.

At Denver Summit FC’s first home game last month at Mile High Stadium, 9-year-old Hayden Stine met Summit star Carson Pickett. Hayden, who was born without most of her right arm, told CBS News the meeting gave her hope.

“I want to be a professional soccer player when I grow up,” Hayden Stine, 9, told CBS News of meeting Summit star Carson Pickett. “And she was able to do that. And it really fills me with hope that I’m able to as well.”

Seeing Pickett, a player like her, changed how Hayden saw herself.

“Role models make you feel like you can do anything, just like them,” Hayden said.

Since that meeting, Hayden’s mother, Christina Hayden, said her daughter’s “confidence has skyrocketed.”

“At school, on the soccer field, it’s through the roof,” Christina said.

The family said meeting Pickett was life-altering. Pickett told CBS News the moment almost did not happen, because for years she did not want attention on her limb difference.

“I didn’t want to be known as the girl with one arm that plays soccer,” Pickett told CBS News. “I just wanted to be known for the girl that plays soccer.”

Pickett said she used to hide her arm in pictures and avoided talking about it. She said that changed after her mother told her she was missing an opportunity and a purpose.

Pickett later wrote on social media, “Finding out that the journey is a lot less about myself and a lot more about the hearts I can touch along the way.”

Now, Pickett said she has taken the “complete opposite” approach.

“I want to meet all the kids, all the families, all the adults,” Pickett said. “I want to meet everyone that I can.”

This week, Pickett surprised Hayden at her team’s soccer practice. Pickett plans to stay in touch and help Hayden as she grows into a role model herself.

“Yes, I am up for it,” Hayden said.

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