One year ago our season was already over.  The best we could produce was 11-11.  Eleven and 11, are you serious?  That’s terrible.  We had won the OCC three years in a row and we couldn’t even get above .500. Our future looked bleak.  Our upcoming season was in question.  We hadn’t proven ourselves.  How would we do?  It didn’t just end there. It was worse for me.   I had just received news from doctors that I might never play again.  How is a 17-year-old supposed to react to that?  You can’t play sports again.  Are you kidding me? My first reaction was, like, screw you.  You don’t know what you’re talking about.  Then came the facts that seemed they like would never stop coming out of this doctor’s mouth.  Silence.  And then it hit.  I couldn’t think.  I couldn’t move.  My mental state took a major turn.  The only comfort I had was my family.  My parents were looking out for me, though.  Spring break of last year was a trip to Florida but also a search for a new solution.  My mom never left her i-pad on that trip and sure enough she found a doctor.  There was hope.  A long journey was ahead of me–and look where we are today.  Almost exactly a year anniversary from when my life seemed over in my mind.  Last year I was watching Watterson live my dream.  This year my dream is becoming a reality.  We are in the final four. We have arrived.   I knew from the get-go that our team always had the potential.  To me it doesn’t really seem like a shock.  If you asked anyone on our team I think they’d all say that they knew we were good and that we just had to prove it.  Our season started  all the way back in September with morning workouts. But for me it seemed like last season never ended.  We had something to prove and I was in a constant grind to get myself healthy and ready for the season.  I’ve been working myself to get where I am today. And for the last third of the season I’ve kinda felt like how I used to feel.  Everything I went through was worth it. All the pain and suffering and doubts were worth it.  I’ve made it and now all I have to do is finish.  The hard part is over.   Now, I rarely pat myself on the back.  And if you don’t believe  that ask my teammates.  But I believe I can be proud of how far I’ve come.  I went through three major surgeries in the past calendar year and have made it to the Division I state final four.  I have survived over 100 of Coach Casey’s practices–that’s no small feat–and I’ve conquered unimaginable goals.  I realize that when you need to overcome things your mind is your greatest weapon, no matter how difficult or easy the task at hand is. If your mind isn’t right then everything becomes harder.  We believe we can win.  I believe we can win. And that’s all that matters!

District Champs

Cutting down the net after winning the district

Regional Finals against Northland