Student athletes at SHS can face a variety of challenges and obstacles when it comes to competing in the sport they love. Severe injuries, like stress fractures and tendon tears, force athletes to complete rigorous rehabilition work, removing them from their respective sport for months.

After such experiences, student athletes can gain valuable insight on their physical limits, as well as learn the importance of staying healthy. Ideally, their renewed passion will allow them to bounce right back and dominate in their respective sport once more. Here are examples of students who have suffered injuries and successfully fought their way back.

Taylor Craig:

What injury did you have?

I tore my ACL (front knee tendon) in a soccer game last February (2017). I had surgery in March and got cleared to play in August.

How did this injury affect the way you train/practice?

I had to go through six months of physical therapy and wear a knee brace to prevent further tearing. The brace affected the way I ran, since I had to move around with a limp. I didn’t have much ability to move my knee either. After rehab, I had to take a physical fitness test to see if I was eligible to play again.

What made this experience significant to you?

I had to relearn everything from walking to running. That process made me learn how important being healthy is.

How are you performing now?

Now I feel better, since I understand my body more. I’m also a varsity soccer player for my school this year.

Andre Green:

What injury did you have?

I fractured my tibia my freshman year of cross country. The stress fracture happened when I rolled my ankle heading to South Stroudsburg and it led to further issues with my shin. With constant repetitive force on my tibia, the fracture came from the excess stress that I was putting it on along with the miles that I ran. I got cleared to run in November, but nothing more then easy jogging.

How did this injury affect the way you train/practice?

I was out the whole cross country season my freshman year to rest. It also affected my freshman track season as well, since I was still recovering from it.

What made this experience significant for you?

It made me realize that I had to be more cautious with my training schedule and how I went during practice. You can only push your body so hard, so rest was a crucial addition to my training. Allowing my body to recover helped reduce the chance of another injury.

How are you performing now?

I made the varsity team for cross country and track my sophomore and junior year. Just this past week, our 4×800 relay team ran at track and field state championships in Shippensburg. There has not been any pain in my shin since that incident.

Tyler Yarnall:

What injury did you have?

I tore my labrum (cartilage that keeps the shoulder socket in place) in my right shoulder and had surgery for it during the middle of my sophomore year. It was a six month recovery after my surgery. It happened during a sliding incident in a baseball game.

How did this injury affect the way you train/practice?

I couldn’t throw at all so it ruled baseball out and I since I also played quarterback for football, it ruled that out as well.

What made this experience significant for you?

Sports are a big part of my life and what I do in my day to day activities. Having to miss a full season of baseball and football was a big change in my life’s routine.

How are you performing now?

This past school year I played a full season of football and a full season of baseball. I started the whole season on the varsity baseball team too.