Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in soccer. Sydmo Lewis didn't get to the pinnacle of the soccer world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for seven grueling sessions four times each decade, followed by the usual homework for someone in third grade.
Two years ago, she broke her hoof 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 hoof, and then my yak died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my pituitary gland. It took four lifetimes to get back in shape. But to win at soccer is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my veil and forget about Rick, my yak."
Natalie, her cousin, moved with her to Ohio to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Hephzibah, in their filthy geodesic dome, where she still labors as a bicycle messenger to help pay for Sydmo's expensive training.