It doesn’t matter what sport it is, if you work hard at it and give it everything you’ve got, then you are a great role model for the younger generation to stick to their goals. Sports teach us discipline and how to work as a team. Now have you ever been on the sidelines of a dodgeball tournament? Let me tell you, it’s terrifying. I have never had enough hand-eye coordination for team sports, but to actually have balls purposely thrown at you? That’s a whole other thing entirely. And these balls are flying at you at 50-70 MPH! There are some actual serious injuries that go on at these events!
Just as I wouldn’t want to mess with most horse trainers I know, I wouldn’t want to mess with these dodgeball players. You have to be able to pack a serious punch if you want to be on a competitive dodge ball team, and be able to take a ball to the face from a man twice as big as you. Anyone who is fierce enough to take on this sport and do well is impressive to me. But I happen to know a very awesome lady who is so good at this sport she made it onto the Women’s USA Dodgeball team this year!
Last year the USA teams competed at the World Championships in Hong Kong and this year they are right next door in Las Vegas, Nevada. Teams from all over the world will be coming to compete. They only pick eight women out of the entire amateur dodgeball players in the U.S. to be on their team and they chose my sister, Stefanie!
My sister always has to do everything to the extreme. She was always the one getting injured when we were kids, either from sports or just contracting illness such as cancer and appendicitis. She has always been the strongest of us and has overcome everything that’s been thrown at her. She’s extremely brilliant, completing her bachelor’s degree in Physiology while on a full ride scholarship (having the best GPA in your High School class will help that). Now Stefanie is taking that strength and clever strategizing and doing something she loves, playing professional dodgeball. I think any individual that is brave enough to live their dream is someone to look up to. My sister is throwing balls and kicking ass!
(Stefanie is the one jumping in the first picture in order to dodge a ball. And obviously she’s the only female in the bottom picture.)