To analyze the relationship between character development and theme within the text, we should look for an option that illustrates how the character's experiences contribute to a broader idea or message (theme) in the narrative.
Among the options provided, the one that best describes this relationship is:
Our narrator explains how playing sports helped her to overcome her obstacles.
This statement reflects both character development (the narrator's growth and overcoming challenges) and theme (the idea of resilience, personal growth, or empowerment through sports). The other options touch on aspects of bravery, pushing limits, or fear, but they don't thoroughly connect the character's journey to a universal theme as effectively as the selected one does.