Life-changing injury does not stop player

May 22, 2009 • written by Emily Holland, 09-10 Co-Editor-in-Chief  
Filed under Sports

            Throughout high school the average student deals with problems on a day-to-day basis. Whether it would be fighting with parents about a later curfew or even crying about being dumped by their girlfriend or boyfriend. But with junior Beth Anderson, the problem she dealt with changed her life.

            “I had to re-teach myself how to do everything,” Anderson said. “I had to learn how to walk and regain my confidence to play sports again.”

            In the summer of 2007, Anderson was playing in a basketball league at Courts Plus and faced a painful injury in her leg.

            “I felt like my leg was paralyzed when it happened,” Anderson said. “Afterward, it felt like it kept slipping out of place.”

            Without hesitation, Anderson’s first reaction was to get back up and play.

            “I wanted to get back into the game and play some more,” Anderson said.

             After attending the emergency room twice, Anderson was told the wound was only a sprain. Three weeks later, she participated in a basketball camp at Minnesota State University-Moorhead (MSUM) and this time came out with an unlucky outcome.

            The pain was far worse than what she experienced a few weeks before.

            “I cried for about three hours straight and it took a long time to get over it,” Anderson said.

            Instead of the injury being a ‘minor sprain’, she ended up tearing through her (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) ACL. The doctors informed her she was unable to participate in sports for a year. The sound of this crushed her. Basketball, tennis, soccer and volleyball were a big part of her life.

            “I felt like the world was coming to an end,” Anderson said. “All I had ever done was constant sports, so I felt lost.”

            The idea of not being able to play in sports challenged her to push herself for a speedy recovery. It took her a  year and a half to get back to par. Not only would she teach herself to walk again, she was required to wear a knee brace for the first year after her surgery.

            With the motivation to keep playing tennis instilled within her heart, she knew she would play no matter what it took.

            “It’s a sport that always makes me happy to play,” Anderson said. “I knew I had a promising future if I continue.”

            Many people watch Anderson play today and would never guess she suffered a torn ACL.

            “She always gives 100 percent and never gives up,” varsity girls tennis coach Chad Anderson said. “She gets to the balls that most girls don’t because she always fights for the next shot.”

            Not only does the coach recognize her hard work, but teammate senior Ann Dai speaks highly of Anderson’s performance.

            “She is one of the hardest workers I know,” Dai said. “She’s our number one, so she is obviously vital as far as winning matches is concerned.”

            Anderson’s progress dramatically took a turn for the best this year. The amount of time she put in each day to get back in shape paid off. This year Anderson finished third in the Eastern Dakota Conference (EDC).

            “You should always keep trying, no matter what your circumstances are because with modern medicine anything is possible,” Anderson said. “There are always people willing to help you fight if you are willing to take the first leap.”