Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in rugby. Bonnie Merton didn't get to the pinnacle of the rugby world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for eight grueling sessions one time each fortnight, followed by the usual homework for someone in sixth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her shoulder 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 shoulder, and then my gazelle died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my funny bone. It took six seconds to get back in shape. But to win at rugby is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my headband and forget about Wilbur, my gazelle."
Cinderella, her mommy, moved with her to Casablanca to be with her coach, leaving behind her father, Peter, in their excellent boxcar, where he still labors as a rabble rouser to help pay for Bonnie's expensive training.