Eden

What do they love most about playing their sport(s)?

Eden loves that every sport challenges a different part of her. Wrestling teaches her courage & how to stand back up after a loss. Softball teaches her patience, teamwork & that one swing can change a game. Cheerleading gives her the chance to lead, encourage others & bring energy to her team. But what she loves most is belonging to something bigger than herself the teammates who become friends, the coaches who believe in her and the chance to keep proving to herself that she can do hard things.

Who inspires them—on or off the field—and why?

Eden’s greatest inspiration is her cousin Chloe, who was born at just 22 weeks. Eden is old enough to remember watching someone so tiny show an unbelievable amount of strength and fight. Although Chloe’s life was far too short, Eden carries her with her. When a match, game or practice gets hard, Chloe reminds her that strength isn’t about being the biggest, strongest or always winning. It’s having the courage to keep fighting when things are hard, and using your strength to lift others up.

What’s one moment in their athletic journey that makes you proudest?

Watching Eden during her team’s postseason run made me incredibly proud. I watched her hit her first double & saw something bigger than a great play. I watched her confidence grow. She began believing in herself, encouraging her teammates and building friendships that went beyond the field. Somewhere in that postseason run, softball stopped being just a sport Eden played. She fell in love with the game, and I got to watch my daughter discover a part of herself she didn’t know was there.