Growing up, Paige was reminded of all the ways her family was extraordinary. And like most little girls, she looked up to her parents and big sister as role models. If they could do it, so could she. Nothing could stand in her way of becoming a professional athlete as well.

So that little girl growing up in Monument, Colorado, decided one day that she would compete as a gymnast at the Olympics. Her parents were excited and only happy to support her in any way they could. Paige began practicing gymnastics. Everything was working out just as she had planned.

Change of Plans
Sadly, a disaster awaited Paige ahead of the road. She was only 12 years of age when she suffered a twice-broken kneecap. Gymnastics, like most sports, holds a risk of injury, and she had known this before starting.

But still, Paige had never imagined that she would ever suffer an injury that would derail her dreams. It was a terrible time for her. And even now that she’s achieved success in her professional career, she must look back on those days with some level of regret and sadness. After all, it’s perfectly normal for her to wonder what could have been.

There’s Still Hope
Luckily for Paige, she found her light at the end of the tunnel. Though her dreams of performing at the Olympics could no longer be achieved and her broken knee hurt, it would still heal. She would get the chance to explore some other career paths.

Paige was lucky to be surrounded by family and friends showering her with their love and attention. And as time pᴀssed, she overcame her initial feelings of grief and depression. Time, they say, heals all wounds. And for Paige, that was true both for her physical injury and the mental scar left by her shattered dreams.

Dealing With Haters
No one gets to achieve anything in life without a crowd of naysayers hurling stones at them. Because when a person tries to climb up a ladder, there will always be someone else trying to drag them back down.

Paige has dealt with her fair share of hateful remarks, criticisms, and nasty comments. And many have accused her of giving women’s golf a bad name. All because her sense of style doesn’t reflect their outdated ideals. But every criticism is an opportunity to send a message. And she’s always used her platform to emphasize women’s rights to feel comfortable in their skin.

LPGA Gets Some Backlash
Just as Paige was getting heat for refusing to cower to the demands of her haters, the LPGA Tour decided to introduce a stricter dress code for women golfers in July of 2017. They restricted women golfers from wearing short skirts, leggings, or clothes with plunging necklines.

Yet they weren’t prepared for the amount of backlash they would get. In a piece published by “Fortune” magazine, Paige spoke against the Sєxist restrictions. Even “Fox Sports” released a news article with more objections to the LPGA’s faulty position. It was clear to most that there would be no progress in golf if women players were shamed for their appearance.