Become What You Want to Be
Let me tell you about a little girl who was
born into a very poor family in a shack in the
Backwoods of Tennessee. She was the 20th
of 22 children, prematurely born and frail.
Her survival was doubtful. When she was
four years old she had double pneumonia
and scarlet fever - a deadly combination that
left her with a paralyzed and useless left leg.
She had to wear an iron leg brace. Yet she
was fortunate in having a mother who
encouraged her.
Well, this mother told her little girl, who
was very bright, that despite the brace and
leg, she could do whatever she wanted to do
with her life. She told her that all she need-
ed to do was to have faith, persistence,
courage and indomitable spirit.
So at nine years of age, the little girl
removed the leg brace, and she took the step
the doctors told her she would
never take normally. In four
years, she developed a rhythmic stride,
which was a medical wonder. Then this girl
got the notion, the incredible notion that she
would like to be the world's greatest woman
runner. Now, what could she mean - be a
runner with a leg like that?
At age 13, she entered a race. She came
in last - way, way last. She entered every
race in high school, and in every race she
came in last. Everyone begged her quit!
However, one day, she came in next to last.
And then there came a day when she won a
race. From then on, Wilma Rudolph won
every race that she entered.
Wilma went to Tennessee State University,
where she met a coach named Ed Temple.
Coach Temple saw the indomitable spirit of
the girl, that she was a believer and that she
had great natural talent. He trained her so
well that she went to the Olympic Games.
There she was pitted against the greatest
woman runner of the day, a German girl
named Jutta Heine. Nobody had ever beaten
Jutta. But in the 100-meter dash, Wilma
Rudolph won. She beat Jutta again in the
200-meters. Now Wilma had two Olympic
gold medals.
Finally came the 400-meter relay. It would
be Wilma against Jutta once again. The first
two runners on Wilma's team made perfect
handoffs with the baton. But when the third
runner handed the baton to Wilma, she was
so excited she dropped it, and Wilma saw
Jutta taking off down the track. It was impos-
sible that anybody could catch this fleet and
nimble girl. But Wilma did just that! Wilma
Rudolph had earned three Olympic gold
medals.
Let me tell you about a little girl who was
born into a very poor family in a shack in the
Backwoods of Tennessee. She was the 20th
of 22 children, prematurely born and frail.
Her survival was doubtful. When she was
four years old she had double pneumonia
and scarlet fever - a deadly combination that
left her with a paralyzed and useless left leg.
She had to wear an iron leg brace. Yet she
was fortunate in having a mother who
encouraged her.
Well, this mother told her little girl, who
was very bright, that despite the brace and
leg, she could do whatever she wanted to do
with her life. She told her that all she need-
ed to do was to have faith, persistence,
courage and indomitable spirit.
So at nine years of age, the little girl
removed the leg brace, and she took the step
the doctors told her she would
never take normally. In four
years, she developed a rhythmic stride,
which was a medical wonder. Then this girl
got the notion, the incredible notion that she
would like to be the world's greatest woman
runner. Now, what could she mean - be a
runner with a leg like that?
At age 13, she entered a race. She came
in last - way, way last. She entered every
race in high school, and in every race she
came in last. Everyone begged her quit!
However, one day, she came in next to last.
And then there came a day when she won a
race. From then on, Wilma Rudolph won
every race that she entered.
Wilma went to Tennessee State University,
where she met a coach named Ed Temple.
Coach Temple saw the indomitable spirit of
the girl, that she was a believer and that she
had great natural talent. He trained her so
well that she went to the Olympic Games.
There she was pitted against the greatest
woman runner of the day, a German girl
named Jutta Heine. Nobody had ever beaten
Jutta. But in the 100-meter dash, Wilma
Rudolph won. She beat Jutta again in the
200-meters. Now Wilma had two Olympic
gold medals.
Finally came the 400-meter relay. It would
be Wilma against Jutta once again. The first
two runners on Wilma's team made perfect
handoffs with the baton. But when the third
runner handed the baton to Wilma, she was
so excited she dropped it, and Wilma saw
Jutta taking off down the track. It was impos-
sible that anybody could catch this fleet and
nimble girl. But Wilma did just that! Wilma
Rudolph had earned three Olympic gold
medals.
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