People Project: Abi and Vanessa Madrigal

Abi and Vanessa,

You both are amazing, beautiful, intelligent, inspiring women. We never got to know each other much outside of hello's at Cesar's family get-togethers or around high school, but you both have earned my respect and admiration. During the summers hottest days, I would see you two training day in and day out. When winter came, you would be perfecting your craft. Passing you both on those hot summer days was a blessing to me because I got to see first-hand glimpses of what makes a champion.

It's not ironic that those courts on which you gave so much of yourselves now have your names memorialized in them. Whenever I pass those courts now, I don't just see your names, rather I see the story behind it. Your names represent the thousands of uncomfortable hours. I see how you didn't just show up in uncomfortable circumstances, but chose to stretch and grind. I see the countless failures and frustrations you both worked through. You two have earned every inch of ground you have taken, and whenever I see your names, it inspires me. Who you are as people and what you've done blessed my life. I truly believe you both will be able to make an impact more than most people because you both have the heart of a champion.