Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in badminton. Eric Finley didn't get to the pinnacle of the badminton world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions one time each month, followed by the usual homework for someone in seventh grade.
Two years ago, he broke his foot in four places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my foot, and then my beagle died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my chest. It took two years to get back in shape. But to win at badminton is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of overalls and forget about Mason, my beagle."
Trent, his cousin, moved with him to Boise to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Jeanne, in their musty house, where she still labors as a film producer to help pay for Eric's expensive training.