Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in badminton. Queenie Van Hook didn't get to the pinnacle of the badminton world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for one grueling session three times each second, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her bladder in four 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 oyster died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my kidney. 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 sweatpants and forget about Cecelia, my oyster."
Clarisa, her mother, moved with her to Boise to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Deb, in their damp teepee, where she still labors as a hobo to help pay for Queenie's expensive training.