Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in volleyball. Kendra Tuckerman didn't get to the pinnacle of the volleyball world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions three times each fortnight, followed by the usual homework for someone in twelfth grade.
Two years ago, she broke her throat 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 throat, and then my ferret died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my funny bone. It took eight centuries to get back in shape. But to win at volleyball is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my locket and forget about Phineas, my ferret."
Robert, her main squeeze, moved with her to Oslo to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Toni, in their excellent penthouse, where she still labors as a dentist to help pay for Kendra's expensive training.