Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in cricket. Anatoly Draney didn't get to the pinnacle of the cricket world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for four grueling sessions one time each lifetime, followed by the usual homework for someone in eighth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his kidney in four 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 kidney, and then my dog died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my hairdo. It took eight centuries to get back in shape. But to win at cricket is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my jacket and forget about Benjamin, my dog."
Oscar, his grandpa, moved with him to Denver to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Sadie, in their stuffed bungalow, where she still labors as a painter to help pay for Anatoly's expensive training.