Chapter 1:

My Pan Global Experience


I don't know where to begin. It wasn't that long ago when I first moved into Angel Grove. I spent most of my childhood growing up in the southern continent of Australia. Until recently, I followed my father here to the United States. It's crazy to think so much has happened to me the past half year. Not only did my father and I immigrate overseas, but I've encountered plenty of superstition you may think I'm delusional. I would have to come up with a laundry list of crimes I've committed and I don't mean crimes involving theft or driving under the influence. When it comes to murder, well to put it simple, I'm glad I had folks around me to prevent that from happening.

My birthday is just around the corner. I could feel my heart racing with anticipation. Ever since I became a Power Ranger, it was the first time in awhile I felt like I belonged. Not only did I became their teammates, but I also gained some friends that cared for me – friends that I could trust and reach out to in case of an emergency. Rocky and Adam introduce me to the fundamentals behind Martial Arts, even to lend out their expertise regarding self defense as well as the spirituality that it encompasses. Billy, with his appreciation of all things technology, took part in constructing a building for our architecture class. Tommy had a chance to provide the grand tour around Angel Grove. When I first came to town, I didn't have a physical copy of the town map; I wasn't sure of my way around here. It wasn't before long when my car kept breaking down that he lent me a car of his own for me to use. I feel ecstatic and whole. Aisha and I worked together to record a jingle for our high school radio. She composed the lyrics while I came up with the signature notes to make our song effective. It was an amazing experience that everyone in the audience was amused by our performance. The instant we hugged, I felt this special chill down my spine that I accomplished something I hadn't achieved in ages. I came to the conclusion I've finally adapted to my new surroundings here in America.

I'm not sure what my friends are planning for. Perhaps that is the beauty. Surprises can be filled with suspense with the desire to wonder what may be in store for. But I'm sure whatever it is, it's something I'll remember for a lifetime.

It's hard to believe it wasn't that long ago I became a Power Ranger, yet it hasn't been a year since Zordon recruited me as one. Being a Power Ranger has its fair share of responsibilities. I have to admit despite my wrongdoings, I hope to correct the problems I've caused since Rita's brainwashing.

One afternoon, I spent some time digging up some memorabilia I've brought over from my old home. There were some still frames that I haven't touched for so long; some of them have been collecting dust. As I continuously flipped through each page, I stumbled into some photos my parents took at a spelling bee event I attended. Although I managed to get pretty far in the competition, I was the first of the final four to be disqualified. I didn't cry let alone the feeling to blame myself for my mistake. It just went to show how much I spent practicing my spelling – whether it'd be by sounding the words out or glossing over at a dictionary. Despite coming up short, I quickly got over my mistake.

While continuing to skim over, I came across a photo of my father and I during the Pan Global Games. It was one of the biggest moments in my life, but also a workload that took a toll on my body. About a year and half ago, the Committee were impressed with my background in gymnastics they offered me an opportunity I couldn't refuse. At first, I was hesitant. Considering the fact the Games were to be contested internationally, I couldn't be far from home. Unfortunately, what supposed to be my crowning moment became a fear that has haunted me since.

Coach Schmidt brought every of his participants outside for a morning jog. This was no competition or race, just a practice exercise from a local school's track and field. While everyone continued their training, the coach signaled his hand as I heard him call out my name. I thought for sure going into it I was in trouble. Fortunately, that wasn't the case.

"Coach, you wanted to see me?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I admire your effort, you could definitely use a little work on your speed. It's going to be tough when you're out there once the actual competition starts," he said.

"I really appreciate your encouragement, Coach. It's just that I feel there is all of this weight put on me," I confessed. "I guess what I'm trying to say is for every performance I make, I fear I'm going to choke."

The instant those words came out from my mouth, I could feel my face turn into blue. In retrospect it wasn't the best idea. Given how I agreed to go to Florida, there's no need for regret. I put myself in this position, and another part of me insists I should press on and keep doing what I poured my body into.

"You're not going to choke. You have the athleticism, the heart and devotion to achieve what you put your mind to," Coach Schmidt placed his hands over my shoulders, giving me his undivided attention. "Don't let your negativity cloud your judgment. Put aside your personal emotions, and concentrate on one goal."

"Going into practice, I knew how much of a workload it must be to be in tip top shape," I replied.

"I believe in you, Catherine. It isn't the Pan Global Games without the emphasis of passion and iron will to succeed," he said.

I placed my hands around my hips upon reflecting his comment. "You don't have to worry. The more I think about it, I'm definitely going to need all the advice I can get," I told him.

"Don't think just do." Coach Schmidt continued to expand on his motivation speech. "When you get home, and before you're ready to get some rest, look yourself in the mirror. Tell yourself, 'Kat I can do this. I will perform to the best of my ability, and give it my all.' With that in mind, you'll be fine. Now it's time for you to believe."

Those were the words that got to me in an instant. I took a moment to ponder over his words of wisdom not trying to overthink the situation like solving a complicated math equation. Fearing the worst thing to happen shouldn't be the first sentence to spring to mind. I took his words kindly to heart.

With the blowing of a whistle, Schmidt signaled everyone back to the starting line. He addressed one more thing before closing out the conversation.

"Just remember the advice we discussed. The more you practice, the better chance you'll have of improving with your cardio," he concluded. "Alright let's gather everyone around."

Later that evening, I did precisely what the Coach encouraged me to do. I took a glimpse of my reflection in a bathroom mirror. I cleansed my face from the sink water clearing out the dry pale face of mine. As I glanced at the mirror once more, I closed my eyes repelling the negativity that had been chilling down my spine.

As I went to bed, I remember dreaming that night impressing the many judges after my performance on the balance beam. The crowd of people in attendance applauded. Despite the pressure going into the event, I felt relieved. Even my parents came in to tell me how amazed they were. This overwhelming reception alleviated much of the doubt that plagued my mind. Perhaps there is a shine and shimmering hope after all...or so I liked to believe.

The instant I heard the alarm of my clock go off, all of that turned out to be a delusion. It was too good to be true. I woke up with drip amounts of sweat all over my body. I couldn't believe a feel good moment I witnessed had been all but a fantasy. So much for getting my hopes up, I thought.

As soon as I finished showering, I quickly got myself dressed up for the starting ceremony. The Pan Global Games was not about a competition of superiority or who happens to be the best one around. This was an event in which selected participants from around the world gather to spotlight each of their unique talents, including the sheer amount of dedication it took for all of us to get to where we are as of this moment. Travelers from all over the globe congregated inside a stadium jam packed, a stark contrast to a local sporting event. Along the bleachers, a plethora of people in attendance stood up to honor the national anthems for each country participating in the competition.

Following the ceremony, all of the participants including myself headed to our lockers to change. I felt the goose bumps flowing through my veins. This aura of anticipation felt so surreal not a single adjective could describe it. From a capacity crowd of people in attendance to our relatives watching on to witness our talents being showcased to the public, every four years the Pan Global Games served as that foyer. Overhearing the echoing sound of the intercom, Coach Schmidt alerted us to meet him outside of the dressing room.

First of all, I want to congratulate you all for stopping by. Your combination of hard work and practice has brought you all here for a reason. This event traces back long before you were born, unquestionably showcasing the best young athletes from around the world. Let me say I couldn't be any more content than to have all of you here this morning.

With the Games getting underway, I would like to share some brief words of wisdom. As a former track runner, and experience competing in the Pan Global Games, there will be obstacles along the way just like in any sporting events or life in general. Your worst enemy is not the competitors you're facing. Your will to succeed is a matter of trusting your instincts, believing you as an individual standing here have what it takes to grab the brass ring. My advice to those is to keep doing what you do in life every day and learn from any mistakes you've made the first time. As long as you maintain that optimism, and make reasonable choices in life, I have faith in each of your abilities to succeed. This isn't about winning or losing; this is about doing what we love to do and to showcase our best talents for the world to see. I am honored to have you as your coach, and I hope this advice will guide you to making a positive impact in your lives. After all the dedication it took to get here, you should be thankful to see how far you've progressed. Good luck.

This is it. Every ounce of sweat and tears that took to get me in tip top shape has all culminated to today's opening day. I couldn't help be anxious on what obstacle course that will bestow on me.

As the event kicked in, I stood by the sidelines rooting on my teammates ensuring somehow someway they would succeed. It was only moments before I step foot in the center of the mat. I felt my hands trembling with frigidness even rubbing them with so much hype bestowed upon me. When the announcer called my name, I knew then it was time. The electricity behind the atmosphere was breathtaking no words could describe. When I stepped onto the balance beam, I took a moment to wither away the underlying emotions – the doubts that previously clouded my judgment. After a brief pause, I brought my A-Game enough to perform my routine off the beam from beginning to end. The instant I landed on the mat, the crowd including my teammates applauded on behalf of my performance.

"Way to go Catherine, you were terrific out there," Impressed from what he just seen, Coach Schmidt congratulated by sharing it with a hug. The games were just beginning, sure. But I have no doubt in my mind I can succeed.

Over the course of my time, I continued to compete in numerous physical activities celebrated from around the world – activities such as the Running Marathon, Hurdling, the Shot Put, and Pole Vaulting to name a few of them. The Pan Global Games brought forth the strength in me that I didn't know I had. I couldn't be more content than to showcase what I loved doing.

As the Games approached towards the end of the competition, only one activity remained – one that I thought I would eventually overcome. Unfortunately, as the cliche saying goes, "expect the expected." I never told anyone not including my parents or even my coach regarding my fear of heights. Despite my experience when it came to swimming, the elevation from the ground to where I am standing on overwhelms me. Nine times out of ten I either drown to my death or I trip on my feet as soon as I dive off. Part of me wishes I had confessed much sooner. But this was the big time. I couldn't opt out of the competition after all of the training I had endured. I hid away my facial expressions indicating any suspicion of my doubts. I said a little prayer just moments before I made that step up the ladder.

"…As we come down to our last participant, Katherine Hillard prepares to make her way up on the diving board. How much elevation can she take to surpass our highest scoring record so far? We're about to determine that momentarily."

As I returned to reality, I knew going into it there would be no turning back. When I arrived on top of the platform, all I could see is clear fresh water with my reflection on it. I closed my eyes as I took a moment to brace myself. There was no rush. The crowd cheered on as did Coach Schmidt and the rest of the participants standing by the sidelines. It was only a matter of time as I prepared to pull off the biggest dive I made.

Unfortunately, my worst fear became a tragic reality. I tripped my feet as I leaped off the diving board. The impact that I received from falling off resulted of me twisting my ankle in the process. As I drowned beneath the water, part of me wanted to scream or wince in pain. I remember holding onto my leg to lessen the agony I had to endure. The longer I remained underwater, the less oxygen there was for me to breathe. Gradually I began blacking out as I witnessed a lifeguard swimming by to rescue me.

"Hang in there Kat. We need paramedics, stat!" Those were the last words I could remember drowning out from my ears. By the time I regained consciousness, I wound up inside of a medical unit at a hospital. Every single detail I could remember remained fuzzy. My head felt fatigued as a result of the drowning incident. I couldn't move a single muscle. The only exception that remained as I blankly stared at the tiled ceiling above me. I overheard some chatter echoing outside. Coach Schmidt entered the room as he soon approached me.

"Hey, doctor said it would be okay for me to come in. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"...A little dizzy. Not as bad as I thought I would be," I told him. I was still worn out from before I couldn't remember what happened that led me here.

"All that matters is that you're okay. It's a good thing we had paramedics on the scene." From the expression upon his face, Coach Schmidt seemed relieved from his comment.

"What happened? Last I remembered I was climbing up on the diving board. Next thing I know I'm here."

I waited for Coach Schmidt to address his narrative of the story. I needed to figure out what caused me to black out in the first place.

"Just when you were ready to leap off, you managed to drown underneath the swimming pool. After a lifeguard got you out of there, we had paramedics reviving you with CPR before you passed out again," the coach explained to me.

"I should have taken my time out there. Something happened that caused me to mess up." From the extensive training to succeeding in each sporting activity held, what I feared the most would end up biting me by the rear. I closed my eyes unable to accept reality. Tears began flowing all across my cheeks. I felt like a wounded gazelle with the inability to get back on my feet.

"It's not your fault Kat. Accidents happen, and we wouldn't have expected to see it coming from a mile," he said.

"I tr-" I stammered as I struggled to come up with words. "I tried so hard to avoid thinking of what may happen. Each night before bed I kept saying a prayer to myself that I would do fine and that I would perform as best as I can." I placed my hands over my face as I continued to cope with my emotions.

"Kat," Coach Schmidt grabbed a reclining chair by the doctor's desk. As he positioned the chair towards me, once again he gave me his undivided attention.

"Remember our conversation we had awhile back? The important thing is that you shouldn't keep putting the weight of the world around your shoulders. There is no reason why a unique person I'm standing in front of should be pressured to be an athlete with superhuman strength." I turned my head away, unsure whether to take his speech word for word. I regained focus as I stared across the coach's eyes.

"All I wanted to do is go out there and put everything I've learn during practice onto the playing field. I don't understand how something like this could happen," I further addressed my grievance with a rhetorical question even I'd like to comprehend.

"You don't have to be superhuman. That doesn't mean we should throw in the towel and call it a day. The best thing we can do is to bounce back, and keep our car engines running." He wrapped his hand around mine before continuing his speech. "This doesn't apply only for sports but life in general. Think about a list of goals that perhaps you may have written down. Use that to motivate yourself into taking the steps to get to where you want to be."

As I took a moment to reflect on his motivation speech, a doctor entered the room to provide a check up on my condition.

"Hello Catherine, how are you feeling?"

"I'm a bit tired but I am doing well," I tried to straighten out my legs but it was then I realized my ankle remained swollen. Talk about making a bad move.

"Doctor, have they gotten around to do any X-Rays by any chance?" I asked them. When asked if I felt any severe pain, I nodded my head as a yes.

"We're going to need to conduct some scans to determine the severity of your condition. It should take a couple of minutes to get you set up," they said. "We'll help you up on out of here as soon as we unhook you of these wires."

"Thanks doctor," I nodded my head upon obeying their direct orders.

"I'll be outside by the waiting room, and let your parents know that you're okay," Coach Schmidt assured. I laid back on the softness of my pillow reflecting on how influential and supportive he had been of me. Upon approaching the door, he turned around and smiled indicating a sign of hope. Whatever seed of doubt is implanted in the back of my mind, I had to face it like a beast. I smiled back at him as I watched him exit the room.