I Faced Stolen Glasses, Gum In My Hair, And Name-Calling at Pleasant Creek School But My Dad and PE Coach Helped Me Gain Confidence With Varsity Softball

Susan’s dad is a powerful example of how great a father can be.

November 8, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on November 5, 2026

Susan Valikonis Webber, a former softball player from Pleasant Creek School, recently shared a post on Facebook reflecting on how bullying shaped her life.

A few days ago, Daily Mail shared a video on its Instagram page showing how a dad motivated his daughter to fight back against bullies and love herself.

Susan, who was featured in the video with her dad, shared the story in her Facebook post, clarifying how she faced bullying and overcame it with her dad’s help.

Daily Mail even captioned the video, “A reminder of what an incredible dad looks like ,” praising Susan’s dad for his parenting.

Former Pleasant Creek School Softball Player Remembers How Her Dad and Coach Helped Her Overcome Bullying and Build Confidence

As of now, Susan appears to be the mother of two children, raising them with the strength she lacked in her past.

Following the post from Daily Mail, Susan now remembers and reflects on how she was bullied in middle school back in her days.

Pleasant Creek School bullying deeply affected Susan during her middle school years, as she faced stolen glasses, gum in her hair, and constant name-calling.

Transitioning from a Catholic elementary school to a small public school, Susan was unprepared for how cruel some classmates could be.

When bullying nearly took all her confidence, her dad, her friend LM, and her PE teacher/coach at Pleasant Creek School helped her regain her strength.

In , she credited her dad and the coach, saying;

My dad, my friend LM and my PE teacher/ coach at PCS helped me realize that I had more strength (mentally and physically) and more value to those around me than I ever thought possible. The bullying stopped, I grew into my body and became less unsure of myself. I graduated from HS as 3 sport varsity athlete with a ton of confidence and knowing that no matter what others thought or said about me – I knew my worth and would walk through life with my head held high because my dad always reminded me that a head held high ensures the crown will always stay on top where it belongs.

Furthermore, her dad was the one who helped build her confidence by not allowing her to hide her body by wearing a jacket daily, which is revealed in the video as well.

Now that she is in a good place in her life, Susan remembers her dad and his parenting, which shaped her confidence.

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Nishan Dahal writes sports with a human touch, covering breaking news, athlete lives, and the stories that stats can't tell. Nishan believes every athlete has a story worth telling. With the goal of bringing those stories to life with honesty, heart, and a touch of curiosity, he shares his insights through PlayerBio.

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