Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in volleyball. Brooke Shakewell didn't get to the pinnacle of the volleyball world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for six grueling sessions two times each hour, followed by the usual homework for someone in third grade.
Two years ago, she broke her heart 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 heart, and then my teddy bear died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my abdomen. It took thirteen blinks of an eye to get back in shape. But to win at volleyball is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my jacket and forget about Millicent, my teddy bear."
Midge, her cousin, moved with her to Libya to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Vinny, in their rough teepee, where he still labors as a gambler to help pay for Brooke's expensive training.