Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in rugby. Hallie McGraw didn't get to the pinnacle of the rugby world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for two grueling sessions four times each lifetime, followed by the usual homework for someone in seventh grade.
Two years ago, she broke her Achilles tendon in three 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 Achilles tendon, and then my pelican died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my little toe. It took fifteen days to get back in shape. But to win at rugby is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my bustier and forget about Elinor, my pelican."
Randy, her sister-in-law, moved with her to a ghetto to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Carmen, in their broken igloo, where she still labors as an insurance agent to help pay for Hallie's expensive training.