Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in hockey. Debbie Koch didn't get to the pinnacle of the hockey world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for eight grueling sessions four times each blink of an eye, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her bladder 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 bladder, and then my troll died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my palm. It took four seconds to get back in shape. But to win at hockey is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my sari and forget about Loreen, my troll."
André, her grandma, moved with her to Belize to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Peggy, in their puzzling mud hut, where she still labors as an organist to help pay for Debbie's expensive training.