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Breck Hockey Player Uses Blog To Chronicle Life With Dwarfism

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (WCCO) -- High school is that awkward time in everyone's life when you just want to fit in. But given her size, Svea McNally doesn't really have much of a choice.

"I'm 4-foot-5 and three quarters, so I'm really good at hide and seek. That's a plus," McNally said.

McNally has dwarfism.

"Being overlooked, I would say, is one of the biggest challenges for me, because I just see stares and whispers and that kind of stuff," she said. "Being a dwarf is a really hard thing because you're living in an average-height world built for average-height people."

But that doesn't stop the 17-year-old junior at Breck from playing on the junior varsity hockey team.

"One of my favorite things to do actually is when there's a scrum on the boards, I like to just go under them and kind of see if I can get the puck out, which is really fun," she said. "Proving wrong is something that I really like to do. And I think that makes living with dwarfism a lot easier."

But hockey hasn't always been a source of inspiration. In a game last season, McNally was chasing after a loose puck that was headed toward the other team's goalie. The goalie got to it first, but apparently that little victory wasn't enough.

Svea McNally
Svea McNally (credit: CBS)

"Then she just said, like, 'You never had a chance at getting that puck, you weak midget.' And it was just really hurtful," McNally said. "Midget's a very offensive word to little people. It's basically kind of the equivalent to the R-word for those with disabilities or the N-word for African Americans. Once she said that, I realized that it wouldn't do very much just to give a little cuss word or hit back to her. And instead that I kind of needed to just educate people."

It took her nearly a year to be able to write about it, but McNally started a blog in October. She shares her personal perspective about what it's like to live with dwarfism, and relates experiences she has had -- including while playing hockey. Unfortunately the incident with the goalie wasn't the first nor the last.

"I just talk about my experiences and how I kind of deal with them," McNally said, "So that other little people and other people who are going through the same things of being doubted and overlooked can just understand that they can get through it."

Her coach, Madison Styrbicki, has been impressed.

"I was just blown away by some of the posts and things that she's writing," Styrbicki said. "She's just so eloquent and speaks her mind. She's very strong-willed and outspoken in such a cool way."

McNally says she is still "a little angry inside."

"But I kind of now have learned to channel my anger into ... because I don't really like being angry," McNally said. "I think getting my voice out there, and standing out, is something that will help others."

And it has, evidenced by a message she received from a reader.

"It was from a person who lives in Canada and their daughter, who's kind of 5 or 6 I would say, plays hockey, too," McNally said, "And they were just asking me kind of advice and stuff. And that was really ... I almost cried happy tears because it just made me really happy that people are reading it."

Which just goes to show, whether she's on the ice or online, never underestimate her -- or anyone -- because of the way they look.

"I hope that they see a small, weak girl in warm-ups," McNally said. "But during the game, see a person who is defying the standards of what it is to be a little person."

Who would want to fit in, when you can stand out?

Click here to read Svea McNally's Blog.

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