Every single high school graduate has a goal for their future. Some are short-lived and some are inspiring. One girl had the dream of playing college softball for a popular college. Tessa Franklin. Ever since she was a little girl, this has been her dream. She is very self-determined and plays with her heart. There is only one thing that is getting in her way. Her doubters.

Last October, the unimaginable happened to Tessa. Right before recruiting season, a nightmare happened. It was the bottom of the seventh inning in the state championship of Tessa’s high school season. She knew that this was her moment to shine, and make a difference for her team. She had been struggling lately and wanted to show her teammates that she was going to help them in any way she could. She was up to bat against one of the toughest pitchers in the nation. Her hands started to sweat and shake as the nerves started to get to her. Emotions swirled through her head, while she was hoping that her thoughts would not get to her. The pitcher started her wind up and released the ball. She brought her hands to the ball, keeping her eyes to the moving sphere as it approached. SMACK. Far and far it went, over the right fielders head, causing the audience to roar. Everyone popped out of their seats, cheering on Tessa as she ran. First, second, then rounding third she went, causing tons of commotion. Tessa decided to round third as the ball was quickly fielded and brought up to shoot. Tessa sprinted down the line to score the tying run. This is when her left ankle took a wrong, sharp stab at the dirt. Down she fell right before the plate making the third out of the last inning, ending the game. Tessa left the field in tears, wondering why this had to happen to her. “Why me?” she said, over and over in her head. She was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken left ankle. To her, it felt like it was over. All over. She could not believe it.

Everyone thought it too. No one believed that she could make a comeback so quickly and achieve her dreams. “Not possible”, they would say. Everyone doubted her. Tessa did not her from a single person that genuinely thought that she could make a quick recovery, play outstandingly, and go on the college ball.

This doubt that people withheld drove Tessa to reach success even more. The anger that had built inside of her made her push even harder to show everyone one wrong. She believed that showing people wrong was the whole reason why she had gotten hurt. This was her duty, her chance. And that is exactly what Tessa Franklin did. That summer Tessa worked the hardest she had ever done before. No one could believe it. She had been picked up by the best college softball team in the nation. Tessa Franklin is now an Oklahoma Sooner going on to do great things. In fact, she went on to be the most memorable player in college softball.