"God answers my prayers everywhere except on the golf-course."
Against the odds
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Stef Reid and Philip Bannister, London Collins Big Cat, 2014. ISBN 978-0-00-753015-1
Stef Reid is one of the most thoughtful and articulate athletes that I know so it is not surprising that this book – although aimed at primary school children – givies really interesting insights into the life of the elite athlete.
The book tells the story of Stef’s accident where she lost her foot and the subsequent struggle and triumph to win medals in two Paralympic Games. As she came to terms with the accident she found that sport became very important because “it became about me getting my life back”. There are some very profound statements about that journey: “I realised that I could still do it and the only thing stopping me was thinking that I couldn’t.”
Stef describes the experience of joining an “able-bodied” athletics training group, being used to being the best in any sports group she was now the worst; but then gradually realizing: “I was the only person in the team with a disability. The others were fine with it – it was me more than anyone who had the problem”. Looking back she suggests that she wasted two years feeling uncomfortable with herself, when there was absolutely no need to.
She defines excellence as “doing the best that I can on the day”, a definition which freed her from anxiously comparing herself with other people.
Two of the strongest sections are her analysis of getting medals in the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics but not getting gold – finding pride and satisfaction where she could at first only see failure (to get the gold).
The final words of the book sum up the story well: “If someone asked me whether I’d rather have my old foot back, yes, of course I would – nothing beats the real thing. But I’ve learnt so much and while they’ve not been fun at the time, the best parts in life are the struggles. You’ve got to experience hardship and pain for something to really have meaning and I wouldn’t trade my struggle, my dream, for anything”.
The book gives an honest insight into elite sport, coping with disability and understanding yourself. Well worth reading by adults as much as children.
My one disappointment is that Stef’s faith in Jesus Christ which plays such a big part in her life is not mentioned in the book.