Every time Emily Robinson goes shoe shopping, she buys two pairs. Born with her left foot partially formed, the foot only has three toes. Her left leg is also an inch and a half shorter than the right.
“On my left foot I have three toes. I still have all the muscle and bones connected but with that, having the loss of two toes I don’t have as good balance. With that I am tilted, so there is pressure on the left knee, hip, everything,” said the high school senior.
But on the tennis court, all you see is a player. An athlete. Emily playing #2 singles at Hagerty High School, and on the #1 doubles team. Her foot is a non-factor, wearing an insert in her tennis shoe and an ankle brace for support.
“I didn’t let it stop me. I could have been like this is such a big deal. But it is really not compared to, -- I could have a bigger discrepancy, I could have had one toe or something. There is always worse stuff.”
It’s this attitude of so-what that is most special about the senior. Her tennis coach the last two years, Josh Kohn, not even aware of her situation at first.
“I really just never noticed. Never noticed the difference either way. I knew she had the ankle brace, but whether it’s a PE class, or a basketball player or tennis players -- ankle braces and knee braces are kind of the norm. You don’t think about it. You don’t scream and yell like I cant believe this. You are exactly right, its just like wow. No wonder you are ultra competitive, you know what I mean? It’s not an excuse; it is not a detriment to her game. She goes out and beats people, you know what I mean. Love it,” said Kohn.
For more on Robinson’s story, click on the video link.