DURHAM, N.C.-- If you ask anyone in the collegiate sports world, they would tell you that the student-athletes—before anything else—are the role models and inspiration for the youth. But for Duke women’s soccer, that just isn’t the case. In fact, it is an eight-year-old named Emily Ayers that has captured the hearts and minds of girls more than twice her age.
Ayers was born with a rare blood disorder that prevented her body from fighting bacterial infections. Her love for soccer triumphed over initial setbacks, as doctors managed to protect her immune system through medical treatments thus allowing her to play.