Life According to A.J.: Champion

A.J. started downhill skiing this winter. It's been frustrating for him, but he's stuck with it. He started the season unable to make all the way down the hill without falling...even when he had two coaches propping him up on either side. By the end of the season, he was able to make it all the way down without any assistance at all.

The course at the State Winter Games was much more difficult than he had seen at the Area Games. He practiced and practiced, but making those gates was a real challenge. During his competition run, he fell about halfway down losing his poles and a ski. He was determined to finish. He struggled and struggled, but finally retrieved his poles and got his ski back on. He started down the hill again. A few yards from the finish line he had another wipe out, this time losing both skis. He wasn't going to give up. It took him several minutes, but he finally got those skis back on and crossed the line. I met him at the bottom. He was clearly frustrated and had tears in his eyes (he never cries). But he wasn't giving up. He headed straight back up the hill, telling me, "I not cheat! I try again!"

I don't think I've ever been as proud of him as I was at that moment.