can’t burn yourself out when you’re young if you want to eventually play at the collegiate or professional level.” Dr. Atanda understands that athletes want to excel. He has been passionate about athletics himself. When he was growing up, he loved playing baseball, basketball, and especially soccer. He even played organized soccer into his early 30s before a serious knee injury sidelined him. His love for athletics led him to his sports medicine career. His parents inspired him to stay on track to complete his degree and training. They were immigrants from Ghana who worked several jobs 7 while raising seven children. “It was the greatest display of hard work and perseverance,” he says. Watching them, he says, gave him the courage to succeed. “No matter who you are or what you want to do in life, you cannot be afraid of failure,” he says. “Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something, and especially don’t let that person be yourself.” — By Dean Millard, Gabrielle Piccirilli, and Kayla Sparks East Norriton Bulldog Bulletin Illustration by Stella Menzies, East Norriton Bulldog Bulletin