"I learned to trust my abilities and use the experience that I have in my heats", these are the words of Kauai's own Rochelle Ballard as she explains how she reached the semis at the recent Roxy Pro in Australia. Rochelle continues, "My plan was to stay calm and keep it light, just paddle out and have fun." The fact that Rochelle made it to the semis is significant when you consider that since September of last year she suffered serious injuries to both her right ankle and left foot. In fact, keeping it "light" required that she trust her ability, even through she was on crutches for six weeks prior to this first event of the 2006 season.

To fully understand what makes this story so remarkable you must examine the choices that Rochelle made in handling these two injuries. First, she refused to be the victim of her own reality. Instead, she made what psychologists refer to as the Growth Choice. She chose to embrace her rehab. She decided to use her time to accept the discomfort but to stay present and learn from her injuries. In her words, "The injuries gave me the awareness and the opportunity I needed to change my fundamental values." Rochelle continues, "I have a better understanding of what the unconditional love that God gave us means. It's without judgment, accepting people, situations, and my self for what it is, not what you expect or wish it was. I feel more balanced, easy going, grounded, and aware. For the first time in years I am living with integrity."

Secondly, Rochelle decided to surf in contests even through injured, not because she felt pressured, but because she wanted to learn from the challenge. She says, "I wanted to have the freedom to show up, put on my jersey, paddle out and surf without caring about what anyone else thought about my decision or my condition." Rochelle took this focus to Australia and says, "I definitely had pain. I just didn't focus on it. In the last day from the quarters up I finally didn't feel pain and was able to surf without it taped up. Plus, they were two different learning lessons and experiences, even though similar. My first was awareness and acceptance, and the second was applying and understanding it, and then integrating it into my life with patience and trust within myself. The adrenaline and drive is what helped me to deal with the pain and restriction. It's just not trying to hard and pushing through it, but using my chi and inner strength, which is softer and with less force."

Rochelle is the true professional. She is able to show up and surf well even when she is not at her best: A beautiful example of the ability to call on a reserve of energy and strength that might not normally be there. This level of spirit along with hours of serious rehab gave Rochelle back what she wanted most, to continue to surf with passion and live with integrity. Under these conditions, she moves forward with her incredible career, to travel to great places, to share experiences with great friends, to surf great waves. Rochelle is poised and ready to achieve more of the success that will define her for sports history.