ZANESVILLE, Ohio – A little girl from Zanesville who was born without legs is proving that an able mind can do anything.
10-year-old Paige Calendine is a swimmer and a gymnast, but now, it’s her aptitude for archery that has everyone amazed.
Paige’s parents say that it was her idea to try archery, and once the time was right, they supported their daughter in her newest venture.
“She actually come up to me like last year and talked about archery, and I was like, ‘Paige, with everything we got going on, let’s just see.’ I was afraid she wasn’t going to be able to pull the bow back far enough, because seeing that she is kind of small, she don’t have a big chest or anything to get full drawback, so I was like, ‘Let’s just hold off,’ and then she brought it up again this year and I was like, ‘You know what, let’s try it. You want to do it, we’ll try archery,’ and it was great. I’m glad we did it, because she does awesome,” said her father, Sean Calendine.
Just like anyone trying something new for the first time, it takes time and practice, but for Paige, being differently-abled created more obstacles and challenges for her in the beginning.
However, with the help of her support system, Paige has been able to adjust and excel at the sport.
“Starting off it was challenging, struggle, just trying to figure out how she could do it,” said her mentor, Nate Harper. “I mean, you would think it would be easy, just pulling it back, letting it go, but we found obstacles like her wheelchair, the string, and stuff lining up and everything, just so that the bow could actually fire and everything and go inline smooth.”
Just like the other sports she’s taken part in and the challenges that she has faced throughout her life, Paige has not only overcome adversity, but has strived.
Not only is she an athlete and a kid doing what she loves, but she serves as an inspiration, and hopes her story motivates those in similar situations to believe in themselves and try.
“That’s what we tell her. We tell her all the time, ‘Girl, you are built different, and if anybody says they can’t do something, they need to watch you and see,'” said Sean. “I mean, she’s an inspiration to do it, and she does whatever she wants, pretty much”
For Paige, she says she has a message to share for others who are facing similar challenges:
“Never give up with what you’re doing, and follow your dreams.”
Article Credits: Fox29