Credits: Autumn Wind by CanDesigns
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Text Reads: Photo was taken Feb 2008 at Red Robin.
Louann is my niece and a very determined young lady. When she was born
the family was told not to expect her to even sit up by herself. Well she did, she
crawled on her belly pulling herself with her arms She tried to walk and she did with
my fathers help (her grandfather). He built a small ramp that he helped her walk on every day. She learned to ride a bike and do whatever the other kids were doing. She gives everything she does110%. Her goal is to go onto college and become a
lawyer. With her I can do it attitude-She will Succeed. She depends on my mother, her grandmother, for transportation and support of which my mother who is now 82 is still giving Louann 110%. Louanns name comes from my sister and my middle
names.

Its a long write up but here it is if youre interested:
HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
Rancourt tops obstacles
Waterville student with Spina Bifida finds a way to thrive on the tennis court
By Matt Difilippo, Staff Writer
Louann Rancourt plays tennis because she cant play basketball anymore. She broke her leg playing basketball, and she never felt a thing. She hasnt felt anything in her left leg since birth.
Rancourt is a 16-year old freshman at Waterville Senior High School. She plays tennis on the junior varsity team, even though she was born with Spina Bifida.
Im not sure what it is, Rancourt said. All I know is that I have it. But the doctor never really told me what it was.
According to the Spina Bifida Association Web site (http://www.sbaa.org) Spina Bifida occurs when the spine of the baby fails to close during the first month of pregnancy. The effects of Spina Bifida re different for each person and there is no known cause/
Spina bifida can have many side effects-it often affects nearly every aspect of the persons life-but for Rancourt, it means her left leg is weaker and her spine is not developed like most peoples. While her team mates casually job a lap around a couple tennis courts, Rancourt, who is around 4 feet tall, chugs dragging the rod in her left leg.
Rancourt had played basketball and gave baseball a try in second grade. But tennis was something new to her, so new that she originally served underhand just to make sure she got the ball over the net.
She covers the court so much better now, Waterville JV coach Jill Cristan said. She knows her position is really the net. Shes placing it, and thats part of the game.
Originally, Cristan wasnt sure how much Rancourt could handle. She talked to opposing coaches, and a rule was set where Rancourt would never the player returning the serve. That rule didnt last long.
I didnt know what to expect, Cristan recalled. I thought This poor girl. It was a pity party, Then I said, You know what? Next game, Im going to have them serve to her. And shes holding her own. Shes not doing anything different than anyone else.
Rancourt has had several doubles partners. Cristan no pairs her with Rachel Leak, another freshman who is playing tennis for the first time.
Her stroke is fine. Her serve is fine, Cristan said. But she has a hard time getting to the ball. At the beginning, we matched her up with the strongest player. But she didnt need to play with the strongest player. She just needed someone to cover and run around,
Cristan describes Rancourt as definitely an inspiration. Rancourt doesnt have to run quite as far in practice when the players do laps or suicides-sprints back and forth over a short distance-but she does as much as she can.
Shes doing all of that, and shes loving it, Cristan said. She doesnt want to be different.
Rancourt also has a quiet sense of humor. Shes a 16-year old freshman because she spent a year in the hospital when she was about 12 because of a bone infection, and her biggest memory of that year is that she had nothing to do.
It was horrible. Boring. Thank goodness they have TV, Rancourt said. Without the TV, I would have been like, Oh my gosh, this is so boring.
On the court, Rancourt cant move quickly, but shes always focused. If practice was at 4:30 p.m.. She showed up at 4:30 on the nose, and she didnt miss a practice all season. Watervilles final match of the season was Friday at Brunswick, and Rancourt wants play three more years.
At first I was really horrible, but now Im getting better, Rancourt said. As I play, I get better. Like everyone else.