Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in badminton. Debbie Klinger didn't get to the pinnacle of the badminton 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 adrenal gland 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 adrenal gland, and then my iguana died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my throat. It took fourteen blinks of an eye to get back in shape. But to win at badminton is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my flak jacket and forget about Alissa, my iguana."
Krista, her grandma, moved with her to Chattanooga to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Eleanor, in their colossal spa, where she still labors as a clockmaker to help pay for Debbie's expensive training.