Eyes on the Prize

When Michelle Akers was a little girl, she had a dream. It was no ordinary dream, it was a big dream. She wanted to be a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Akers practiced making catches in the backyard every day with her father and brother. But then a well-meaning teacher took little Michelle aside and told her the cold, hard truth: "Girls don't play football!"Michelle was crushed. She loved sports and wanted to be an athlete no matter what. Her parents encouraged and supported her. In time, she found other ways to use her athletic gifts. Akers discovered she had a tremendous talent for soccer. She won trophies and broke records left and right. In 1985, she was invited to become a member of the inaugural U.S. Women's National Soccer Team. She helped the team capture the Women's World Championships in 1991.As a professional, Akers competed internationally and continued to accumulate an impressive array of records, awards, and accomplishments. She became the all-time leading goal scorer for the U.S. Men's and Women's National Team Programs and was widely recognized as the best female soccer player in the world.Dreams of glory on the soccer field had replaced her childhood hopes. But these dreams didn't last either. Right in the middle of her outstanding professional career, Akers found herself constantly battling unexplained fatigue and illness. After struggling along for several years, she was finally diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS). On a good day, Michelle could get through a practice with the team. But her performance level was not what it had been, and the effort completely wiped her out. On a bad day, she didn't have thestrength to get out of bed or shower or fix her own meals. The strain of coping with the diseGood News Publishing Company Staff is the author of 'Eyes on the Prize', published 1999 under ISBN 9785550095324 and ISBN 5550095327.