Picture an athlete in the middle of a game, tournament or competition, doing well against a competitor and still going strong. Their victory is imminent and they have worked hard for this moment and nothing can stop them now, except for this: asthma.
For many, asthma has become an obstacle on their way to success. Many people see asthma and the difficulty it causes as a reason or excuse to quit athletics, but some choose to stick it out and work to overcome it.
Freshman Zoe House is one of the few who chooses to overcome the obstacle. For five years, House has participated in various sports, including running, swimming, biking and fencing. But for most of her life she has struggled with asthma.
“I’ve had asthma ever since I was a little kid,” House said. “I always tried my hardest in P.E. and athletics, but asthma would overwhelm me. Sometimes, I pushed myself too hard and started to cry because I couldn’t breathe.”
Despite her asthmatic condition, House has always enjoyed physical activity. When she was younger, she and her little sister Macy, now in seventh grade at FC, joined a fencing class at Carden Elementary.
“At my old school Fresno Fencing Academy (FFA) offered an after-school fencing program,” House said. “My sister Macy wanted to try, so I decided to give it a shot. I ended up really liking fencing and I have stuck with it since.”
House fences with a club at the FFA. Coming from Ukraine where he was in the top ten fencing coaches for many years, House’s coach, Vladimir Ostatnigrosh, has taught fencing at FFA since he opened it in 2005.
Ostatnigrosh appreciates House as a student for her work ethic and effort. He has especially enjoyed coaching her because of her ability to comprehend and apply new techniques of the sport.
“She is a good girl,” Ostatnigrosh said. “One of the best things about her is that she’s working very hard and she is not lazy. She is also quick at understanding things if you explain something to her.”
Although she is not currently competing in her fencing due to other extracurricular activities, House has experienced success in past tournaments. In March of 2011, House won the