Just before last week’s Class 4A Area 5 championship against Holtville, Elmore County’s Brianna Baker was getting in some last-minute stretches. There was a little bit of anguish in her face as she stretched her back but nothing was stopping her from getting on the court as the Panthers searched for their 10th consecutive area title.

Baker is no stranger to overcoming some pain throughout her volleyball career as she has dealt with major back problems her whole life. She was born with a condition called kyphosis, also called hunchback, and had a double-spinal fusion surgery at the age of 10.

Caleb Turrentine is a sports writer for Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.