时间：2022-10-09 05:31:42
To say I am a walking train wreck is an understatement. You name it, I’ve hurt it: I’ve broken my right wrist; had a break that spiraled down through my right ankle; broken both big toes; jammed almost every finger; partially torn a 1)tendon in my right ankle; fractured my collarbone and broken my right 2)pinky twice. For all my injuries, I have one thing to blame: sports. I’ve played soccer, softball, basketball and baseball, 3)lacrosse and tennis, done cheerleading, and gymnastics, and been on swim, dive and football teams.
My decision to play football came as a result of four little words: You can’t do it. Determined to prove my friends and family wrong, I sought the approval of my father. I failed. According to him, a girl’s job is to cheer from the 4)sidelines as the boys do the hard stuff. But that did not stop me. I knew how to get what I wanted and asked my mother. She agreed. She was the only person who believed in me.
I put on my rib protector, shoulder pads, and helmet feeling nervous about my first practice. After stretching and 5)conditioning, it was time for the special drill, which consists of running at another player and trying not to get 6)annihilated.
“McCarthy and Alexander 7)on the line.” It was my turn. Coach blew the whistle, I held the ball tightly and ran at the best player on the team with all my might. I got destroyed. Practically in tears, I stood up; it was my turn to defend. Coach blew the whistle and the player ran at me. I
lowered myself and tried to tackle him.
“8)Fumble!”
The players yelled as I threw myself on the ball. The players clapped and cheered for me as I came up with the football. My teammates and coaches knew I meant business.
“Nice 9)recovery, McCarthy, except pink socks aren’t allowed on the football field.” I laughed as I handed Coach the ball, ready to try again.
Pre-season flew by and before I knew it, it was the night of our first game. I wore my jersey with pride. Three plays into the game, Coach gave me the call.
“McCarthy, 10)D-end for Donnellan. Calm down and get in there.” I ran out to the defensive 11)huddle.
“Coach wants us in a 12)beagle formation,” I exclaimed.
My teammates laughed, “It’s eagle, Shannon. Ready, break.” Embarrassed, I went to the line and got into my defensive stance. I was going to do this for everyone who said I couldn’t, for the one person who said I could, and for me. The offense hiked the ball and handed it off to the 13)fullback, who came running at me! I hit him as hard as I could and threw myself on the ball.
“Hull’s ball; recovery on the play by 14)rookie Shannon McCarthy.” I had done it.
My team finished the season with only one loss, but more importantly, I finished the season a better person. I had proved to everyone that football is not just for the guys, that girls can hold their own in the sport. I was the only girl on the team, but that did not stop me from seeking excellence. Unfortunately, that was my only season of football because a softball incident that spring caused the spiraling break down through my ankle.
本文为全文原貌 未安装PDF浏览器用户请先下载安装 原版全文
I still love football and watch the 15)Patriots every Sunday. I’ve inspired a whole group of young girls in my town to play football and there has been at least one on the team every year since I played. Football gave me the opportunity to grow stronger and taught me to get up and keep going regardless of pain. I learned teamwork, respect, and never to give up even when people say, “You can’t do it.”
若说我是一个遍体鳞伤的大伤兵，这还不够贴切。你说得出的伤患，我都得过：我的右手腕断过，右脚踝曾螺旋形骨折，两个大脚趾也断过，几乎每根手指都被轧伤过，右脚踝的一块肌腱曾部分撕裂，锁骨断裂过，还有右手小拇指曾两次骨折。我受的这么多伤，全拜体育“所赐”。我踢过足球，还打过垒球、篮球、棒球、长柄曲棍球和网球，也做过拉拉队员，练过体操，还参加过游泳队、跳水队和橄榄球队。
我之所以决定打橄榄球，完全是出于这四个字：你做不到。为了向朋友和家人证明他们是错的，我寻求父亲的支持，但是没有成功。在他看来，女孩子要做的，就是在场外为在场上冲锋陷阵的男孩子呐喊助威。但是我没有被他的说法所左右。我知道怎样得到自己想要的，所以转而询问母亲。她支持我的决定。她是唯一相信我的人。
我穿上护甲、护肩，戴上头盔，为第一次练习而紧张不安。做完伸展运动和适应性训练后，我们开始进行一种特殊训练，包括向前冲去撞倒另一名队员并且尽量不要反被对方撞倒。
“麦卡锡和亚历山大准备。”轮到我了。教练吹响哨子后，我握紧球，使尽全身力气向队里最优秀的球员冲过去。我被对方撞倒在地。我站起来，快要哭了，接着轮到我防守了。教练的哨子响起后，球员向我直冲过来。我俯下身，试着把他绊倒。
“掉球！”
我立即向球扑去，这时大伙儿都呐喊起来。我拿着球跑回来的时候，他们又鼓掌又喝彩。我的队友和教练明白了，我是在认真地练习橄榄球，不是来玩玩的。
“球抢得好，麦卡锡，但是球场上不允许穿粉红袜子。”我边哈哈大笑，边把球递给教练，准备再试一次。
不知不觉中，赛前的练习时光飞逝，今晚是我们的第一场球赛。我满心骄傲地穿上运动球衣。比赛暂停了三次之后，教练对我下令：
“麦卡锡，你到唐尼兰那边做防守边锋。冷静下来，到那里去。”我跑向防守队员们。
“教练要我们摆犬形阵型，”我高喊。
我的队友笑了，说：“是鹰形，香农。准备，散开。”我羞愧地跑到队伍里，在防守位置站好。为了所有说我不行的人，为了那个唯一觉得我能行的人，为了我自己，我将奋战到底。进攻球员猛地举起球，把球传给后卫，而这个后卫正向我冲来！我竭力冲撞阻挡他，然后扑向球。
“赫尔失球，新手香农・麦卡锡抢到球。”我成功了！
在这个赛季中，我的球队只输了一场，然而更重要的是，赛季结束后我俨然已脱胎换骨。我已经向所有人证明，橄榄球不是男孩子的专利，女孩子也可以打得很棒。我是队里唯一的女孩，但是这没有妨碍我追求出色的表现。不幸的是，那年春季一次突发的垒球意外使我的脚踝螺旋形骨折，所以那个赛季便成为了我唯一参加过的橄榄球赛季。
然而，我仍然喜欢橄榄球，每个星期天我都会观看新英格兰爱国者的比赛。我还激励了镇里的一帮年轻女孩打橄榄球，自从我打橄榄球以后，球队里每年都至少有一名女性球员。橄榄球使我更坚强，教我摔倒后重新站起来，无论多痛都继续前进。我懂得了团队合作、互相尊重，以及即使所有人都说“你做不到”的时候，仍然坚持下去，从不放弃。
本文为全文原貌 未安装PDF浏览器用户请先下载安装 原版全文