Athletes fill bags of ice, wrap up swollen ankles and roll out before sports practices. Almost every day, the trainer’s room is crowded with injured athletes seeking to be evaluated or prepared for team practices.
Boys’ Varsity Cross Country and Girls’ Varsity Cross Country (GVXC) Head Coach Charlie O’Rourke instructs injured runners to cross train on the bike or elliptical.
“You’ve got to be prepared,” he said. “You just can’t come out the first day and start running. It’s like trying to dive into the ocean if you can’t swim. You’ve got to be fit.”
Head Athletic Trainer Kathy Gruning, Assistant Athletic Trainer Eric Crest and Athletic Trainer Alessia Pesaturo work with injured athletes during their recoveries. Close coordination between trainers, families and coaches can help athletes effectively heal from injuries.
GVXC runner Zaria Wellesley ’28 raced once this season before she developed a shin stress reaction.
“She’s our number two runner,” Coach Charlie said. “It makes a difference without a kid like that. She’s been doing whatever she can do. If they love the sport, they come back hungrier, and it increases their incentive to do better.”
Zaria’s injury stemmed from overuse.
“I still go to practice, but instead of going on a run, I cross train in the strength room,” she said. “It’s definitely harder to work out alone rather than with other people, but I still go to games and team dinners.”
The injury served as a reminder to take care of herself, Zaria said.
“Be smart about your training, and don’t overwork yourself.”
Varsity Field Hockey, Hockey and Lacrosse player Kate Tregay ’28 fractured her shins last September and tore her meniscus this September.
“When you play sports, you put so much work into it that when you get injured, suddenly, you can’t do it, and all that work you put in feels like it went down the drain.”
Returning to competition can bring a fear of reinjury.
“Playing with the same mindset as before is hard because, in the back of your mind, you’re always thinking about, ‘What if I get injured again?’” Kate said. “But it forces you to step back and realize what the sport means to you. I came back with a stronger passion and clearer goals.”
Varsity Basketball player Noah Corso ’28 tore his meniscus in January. three-to-four-month recovery became six after surgeons saw the full damage.
“It felt like a really big disappointment to myself but also to the team, too,” he said.
Noah worked with a physical therapist during his recovery.
“When I returned, I ended up being stronger in my lower body than when I first got injured,” he said. “I was jumping way higher and dunking more, and I felt like a better overall player.”
Getting injured has made Noah appreciate playing basketball more, he said.
“Now, I always try to make the most of it. You can always get injured, so you have to be willing to get better whenever you play. It could be the last time you play for a while.”
