Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in soccer. Anita Papadopoulos didn't get to the pinnacle of the soccer world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions one time each second, followed by the usual homework for someone in ninth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her pride 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 pride, and then my Guinea pig died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my kidney. It took two hours to get back in shape. But to win at soccer is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my tutu and forget about Billy, my Guinea pig."
Adam, her mother, moved with her to Mexico to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Darcy, in their rusty resort, where she still labors as a cobbler to help pay for Anita's expensive training.