Not succumbing is overcoming

By Laken Wilson --

Heidi Hutchinson wasn't too upset by Lighthouse's loss Wednesday.

That's because she's winning, though losing.

Heidi comes from a rough background. So now, not only does she attend a school she says loves her, she's part of a team actually playing league sport.

"I'm learning about being on a team instead of just working by myself," says Heidi. "They never gave up on me when I couldn’t hit the ball straight. When I first started, I didn’t know how to do anything, but now we’re playing actual games. I have some real friends."

Lighthouse Christian Academy lost in three sets to Delphi Academy of Santa Monica 21-25, 14-25 and 17-25. LCA's record is 3-4.

But Heidi knows that winning has many measures. If you're a school that regularly churns out batches of Ivy League-bound college kids and draws from club team sports, then congratulations, you're a winner.

But for others in life who don't get the supportive, nurturing start of a dual parent home with no financial lack, just making the decision to not succumb is to overcome.

Eventually, Child Protective Services intervened for Heidi and her twin brother David. After years of neglect and abuse, they are now adopted by their grandparents, who enrolled them at LCA.

The last time Heidi saw her mom was 2017. And her dad? When she was 4.

This is not a sob story. This is a story of how people can be winners. All of society is a winner for every kid who chooses to rise above hardship, process and hopefully heal from the trauma and not spiral out of control with some pernicious coping mechanism.

“It wasn't until the middle of 9th grade when I came to the Lighthouse, and me and my brother finally felt cared about by teachers and friends,” Heidi says.

Good things happened because Sarah Montez and I wanted to play volleyball badly.

With perennial low enrollments, Lighthouse teeters on the brink of sports extinction due to inadequate team participation. Its football squad is not more than a dozen guys playing 8-man football. Its volleyball team has seven players -- just barely enough to qualify to be in the league.

We were already being friendly with Heidi, but when we needed her for the team, our friendship kicked up a gear. Heidi was inexperienced in the sport. We had to have patience with her.

“Once I got the hang of it, I slowly began to enjoy it” she said. “In the end, I'm glad I joined the team because I enjoy it and I'm able to spend more time with my friends.”

The Saints set out to win Wednesday's game with a lot of good serves and hits that the other team could not make back over.

Lighthouse led 6-12. Everyone's communication was great. But then Delphi started making more points, and the Saints, allowing discouragement to set in, ultimately lost. It was a close first set, 21-25.

The team stayed positive and encouraged one another, hyping each other up to win the second set. It wasn't out of reach.

Lighthouse started off serving well and getting points. But then an opponent started to tip the ball over in strategic spots where the Saints couldn't easily get. That caused Delphi to gain a lot of points.

Heidi was up at the net for most of the time the other side would tip the ball over. Heidi tried her best to try to touch the ball to make them over. Discouragement again dogged the Saints, who lost the second set, 14-25.

For the third set, the team huddled together. Coach Xiovana Moraida reminded the players how they have to be ready for the ball at all times.

We started the third set off, winning by 5 points. Again, Delphi showed resilience and overtook LCA in points. They exploited the gaps in Saints defense, and we lost 17-25.

The team was discouraged. It was Heidi who lifted spirits: “It's OK guys. We did good and that's all that matters. Next game, we got this.”

She has learned to win and is determined to not be kept down by losses.

Laken Wilson is a sophomore at LCA.

Read aboutLCA's growth of confidence against Hillcrest.
Or LCA's coach in game against San Fernando Valley Academy.
Or LCA's victory against Hillcrest Christian.
Or LCA's loss against Westmark School.