When Bek Gallagher was born, doctors told her parents that she would never be able to walk.
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Whether it was pure determination, her stubborn attitude, or a combination of both, Bek was able to play her 200th game of soccer at the weekend - and she is still counting.
Diagnosed at birth with a genetic condition that attacks her joints and tendons, Bek was told she would never walk, let alone play soccer.
“I have played soccer since I was nine,” she said.
“I started playing for the Yass Lady Redbacks when I was in the Under 16s team. So my whole weekend was taken over by soccer. I played on Saturday for the Under 16s and on Sunday for the Ladies.”
When she talks about her condition, she describes it as affecting her flexibility and when asked how she defied the doctor's orders, she laughs, “Everything they told me I couldn’t do, I just had to do.”
Today, she is the coach for both the Under 10s and Under 14s Redbacks teams and is a regular referee at the junior games.
“Soccer is my life and I will keep on playing until I can’t anymore, so hopefully that is not for many years to come,” she said.
“Maybe next year I will head to America to play, it was something I was planning on doing this year but I decided to hold off on the trip.”
Despite having just completed her 200th game, with a win, Bek is already looking to the next milestone, when she will reach 250 games.
