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First came the “pop,” which sounded like somebody breaking a twig in half.
Then came the pain — the immediate, excruciating pain of the injury, and months of physical and emotional pain during the long recovery.
The pain is gone now, and April Rohman, a senior on the Metamora High School girls basketball team, can focus on playing basketball, of which she now has an even greater appreciation.
“It feels really good to be back,” said Rohman, who missed all of last season after she tore her Achilles tendon in the first week of practice. “I love all these girls. We all care a lot about each other. There was no way I was going to miss my senior year with them.”
Rohman was running sprints on that day in October (of 2010), just like she had done hundreds of times during countless other practices.
She went to make the turn at the baseline when she heard a “pop,” fell to the floor, and cried out in pain.
“Everyone thought I tripped at first,” she said. “But, I heard it, and then I felt a lot of pain ... I went to the emergency room that night, and that’s when they told me how serious it was,” she said.
Rohman had surgery on the tendon. She spent three months in a cast, followed by another three months on crutches.
When the crutches came off, the really hard part began.
“The physical therapy was hard,” she said. “It felt stiff, like a rod was in my leg, and it was like I had to learn to walk all over again.”
She worked her way back and doctors gave her the OK to start practice this fall.
She eventually earned a spot in the starting lineup and had a breakout game Dec. 7 at Peoria Notre Dame (a game-high 14 points).
“That felt awesome. I haven’t had a game like that in a long time,” she said.
Metamora coach Steve Gorrell said he was “cautious, but hopeful” that Rohman could come back strong from such a serious injury.
“The thing about April is that she is such a hard worker, and she gives so much effort,” he said. “So, knowing that about her, I knew that she would do everything she needed to do to come back strong. We’re going to need her this year. She’s one of our leaders, and she helps us in a lot of ways.”
Gorrell said he has more reasons to be glad Rohman is back, though.
“She is such a great kid. You just have to root for somebody like her,” he said. “She’s a good student, and everybody on this team loves her. I’m thrilled to see her back on the court, but mostly I’m just happy to see her healthy and having fun playing again. She deserves that in her senior year.”
First came the “pop,” which sounded like somebody breaking a twig in half.
Then came the pain — the immediate, excruciating pain of the injury, and months of physical and emotional pain during the long recovery.
The pain is gone now, and April Rohman, a senior on the Metamora High School girls basketball team, can focus on playing basketball, of which she now has an even greater appreciation.
“It feels really good to be back,” said Rohman, who missed all of last season after she tore her Achilles tendon in the first week of practice. “I love all these girls. We all care a lot about each other. There was no way I was going to miss my senior year with them.”
Rohman was running sprints on that day in October (of 2010), just like she had done hundreds of times during countless other practices.
She went to make the turn at the baseline when she heard a “pop,” fell to the floor, and cried out in pain.
“Everyone thought I tripped at first,” she said. “But, I heard it, and then I felt a lot of pain ... I went to the emergency room that night, and that’s when they told me how serious it was,” she said.
Rohman had surgery on the tendon. She spent three months in a cast, followed by another three months on crutches.
When the crutches came off, the really hard part began.
“The physical therapy was hard,” she said. “It felt stiff, like a rod was in my leg, and it was like I had to learn to walk all over again.”
She worked her way back and doctors gave her the OK to start practice this fall.
She eventually earned a spot in the starting lineup and had a breakout game Dec. 7 at Peoria Notre Dame (a game-high 14 points).
“That felt awesome. I haven’t had a game like that in a long time,” she said.
Metamora coach Steve Gorrell said he was “cautious, but hopeful” that Rohman could come back strong from such a serious injury.
“The thing about April is that she is such a hard worker, and she gives so much effort,” he said. “So, knowing that about her, I knew that she would do everything she needed to do to come back strong. We’re going to need her this year. She’s one of our leaders, and she helps us in a lot of ways.”
Gorrell said he has more reasons to be glad Rohman is back, though.
“She is such a great kid. You just have to root for somebody like her,” he said. “She’s a good student, and everybody on this team loves her. I’m thrilled to see her back on the court, but mostly I’m just happy to see her healthy and having fun playing again. She deserves that in her senior year.”
