Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in table tennis. Marjorie West didn't get to the pinnacle of the table tennis world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for one grueling session one time each century, followed by the usual homework for someone in sixth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her femur 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 femur, and then my finch died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my collarbone. It took eleven hours to get back in shape. But to win at table tennis is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my ponytail and forget about Melissa, my finch."
Mark, her mommy, moved with her to Corpus Christi to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Alex, in their bizarre retreat, where he still labors as an aeronautical engineer to help pay for Marjorie's expensive training.