Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in pole vault. Leila Orwell didn't get to the pinnacle of the pole vault world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for two grueling sessions four times each week, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her thigh in two places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my thigh, and then my poodle died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my tongue. It took eight months to get back in shape. But to win at pole vault is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my cheerleader's uniform and forget about Jimmie Lee, my poodle."
Mama, her mentor, moved with her to Rome to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Lorna, in their primitive motel, where she still labors as a scout to help pay for Leila's expensive training.