They were always the strongest of the team. Always falling but always getting up. No tears were heard from them. No requests for band-aids or ice packs. There would be blood. And there would dirt. But still. When they fell, they got up.

The teachers were amazed. Not to mention their friends. But whenever they would ask why they're so strong, they would always respond:
"If every time you fall you cry and refuse to continue, then you'll never be ready to face real problems."

They were called the Beaters by other people, but they themselves were called the Phoenixes. They didn't boast about being tougher and didn't pick on little kids. They didn't have muscles and leather jackets. They were just simple eight year old boys and girls in a soccer team. Four boys. Four girls. Two dark-skinned girls. Two dark-skinned boys. Two light-skinned girls. Two light-skinned boys.

They were humble. They didn't go around boasting they were stronger.

They were unique. There are different types of strength. Emotional strength. Physical strength. Mind strength. The strength to do the right thing. Strength in wisdom. The strength of bringing people together, or in other words, strength in words. The strength of facing your fears. The strength of knowledge.

Each of them had one of these.

Ava, a dark skinned, brown-haired, eight-year-old girl, had strength in mind.

Frank, a blond, light-skinned ten-year-old, had strength in words.

Milly, a red-headed, five-year-old light-skinned girl, had strength in facing her fears.

A dark-skinned, black-haired ten- year-old boy named Paul had physical strength.

A light-skinned, blond eleven year old girl named Ashley had the strength to do the right thing. No matter what.

Wisdom strength was the possession of a seven-year-old dark-skinned, dark haired boy named Caleb.

Knowledge strength was the possession of Mari, a dark-skinned curly haired nine-year-old girl.

Samuel, a light skinned, brown-haired boy had emotional strength.

Some of them had disabilities. And some of them had a permanent illness.

Ava, Paul, Milly, and Frank had these.

Ava had Asperger's syndrome and
Milly had autism. Frank had Prader-Willi syndrome and Paul was blind.

But even though these left boulders in their roads they overcame them. Ashley, Caleb, Mari, and Samuel helped along the way.
There was one time, though, when they bled and did cry. A time your just about to hear.