Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in tug-of-war. Polly Snitley didn't get to the pinnacle of the tug-of-war world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions three times each eternity, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her abdomen 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 abdomen, and then my dolphin died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my gall bladder. It took five seconds to get back in shape. But to win at tug-of-war is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my pair of combat boots and forget about Josephine, my dolphin."
Maximilian, her grandma, moved with her to Colombia to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Thomas, in their small duplex, where he still labors as an undercover agent to help pay for Polly's expensive training.