Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in football. Walter Benson didn't get to the pinnacle of the football 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 third grade.
Two years ago, he broke his little finger in three 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 little finger, and then my prairie dog died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my earlobe. It took eight weeks to get back in shape. But to win at football is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my suit and forget about Dani, my prairie dog."
Harley, his girlfriend, moved with him to Kalamazoo to be with his coach, leaving behind his father, David, in their new chalet, where he still labors as an ecologist to help pay for Walter's expensive training.