Athlete Success Stories

Re “Ryan Shannon Joins Duke Football Team” and “Kim Mortensen Overcomes Bout With Anorexia,” Aug. 8.

Seldom have we seen two articles in the Sports section that pleased us more than the two cited above. And they appeared on the same page in the same edition of the paper.

How inspiring to see the stories of two gifted people from supportive families. Mortensen has overcome a psychological problem in order to pursue a championship physical performance; Shannon is a gifted young man who wants to compete in Division I football because, “I like the adrenaline of competing.”

A hope-to-be surgeon who scored a near-perfect score on his SAT entrance test to Duke University, Ryan Shannon shows the courage to walk onto the Duke University varsity football squad because the challenge inspires him and because his pride encourages him to make the effort. We salute him.

How different these two stories are from the run-of-the-mill stories of the prepsters who switch schools in search of more personal glory, or who see in varsity competition a desperate opportunity for material gain. How thoroughly pleasing to see the bright faces of these two youngsters working hard to succeed in their want for healthy camaraderie and distinction, and the mutual respect of their peers.

Thank you, Kim Mortensen and Ryan Shannon. You remind us that at least some of the youth of today respond to the same factors of personal pride and gratification as did the classmates of your parents. We salute too, your parents who have fostered in you the admirable qualities you both display.

T. BRUCE GRAHAM

Port Hueneme