Created: 11/17/2008 5:23:42 PM 
DENVER, CO -- It's never easy for a freshmen student entering high school. They always seem to the struggle to fit in. There is a freshman girl in a rural Colorado town who has done more than just fit in she's showing others how to take on challenges.
When you're 14, and a freshman, you just want to fit in.
"I hope every high school kid wants to be a part of something," said cross country coach Tammy White.
Every freshman comes in here with differences.
"Ha ha ha. People stare at me. It's so annoying," said freshman Tiffany Confer.
Some are harder to miss than others.
"Um, 7, 8 years ago I was in a car wreck," said Confer.
Whatever the visible differences, Tiffany Confer is just like every other freshman.
"I'm kind of hard headed and I'm really determined," Confer said.
Determined to be a part of something.
All around you, you see it. Signs on lockers that say, team.
"I really try to do what I want to do," Confer said.
So why not her?
"Well at the end of every school year they have a meeting for middle schoolers who are going into high school for cross country," Confer said.
"About 30 people come to our little talk and one of them was Tiffany in her wheelchair," said Coach White.
"My wife and I who coach together approached her. We thought she wanted to be the manager or something and she looked us right in the eye and said, 'no coach, I want to be on the team" said coach Tom White.
No one had ever competed in Cross Country in Colorado in a wheelchair Tiffany would be the first.
But then again her coach, Tom White could understand why this meant so much to her.
Tom, you see, was an elite runner in college nearly 30 years ago, before an auto accident changed his life.
"I grew up a runner. I missed that very, very much. I think running is part of my soul," said Tom White.
So wouldn't you know it, about the same time Tiffany decided she needed to be a part of something so did Tom.
"And then here came along Tiffany and they kind of have, I think they have this nice little bond about being different, but still being on the team," said Tammy White.
Tiffany and a running prosthesis,
"I've been able to get back to a sport that I love," said Confer.
"She helps me realize and believe that you can do what you thought you couldn't do. I felt like a part of me returned. For me it's a miracle," said Tom White.
"I think they inspire each other," said Tom's wife Tammy.
Life, it seems, has a way of somehow putting us on a course to find the things and people we need.
And showing all of us how to 'fit in.'
"She's absolutely as normal and fits in as much as you could possibly imagine," Tom White said.
Tiffany says she plans to compete for the Cross Country team again next year.
Tom is planning to compete in distance races himself in the coming year.
©2010 KUSA. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.
