Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in racquetball. Sylvia Mackintosh didn't get to the pinnacle of the racquetball world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for five grueling sessions three times each blink of an eye, followed by the usual homework for someone in eleventh grade.
Two years ago, she broke her ear in three 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 ear, and then my newt died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my finger. It took two hours to get back in shape. But to win at racquetball is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my nose ring and forget about Michaela, my newt."
Oliver, her grandmother, moved with her to Mali to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Darlene, in their art deco houseboat, where she still labors as an orchestra conductor to help pay for Sylvia's expensive training.