As the school year goes on, it’s common to see casts popping up in the hallways. Still it seems the school has had a few more than usual this year.

“I injured my hand this year in the football game against Liberal,” freshman Hunter Brown said. “It got smashed between two helmets. It ended up chipping off part of the knuckle on my left hand’s index finger and also fractured my finger.”

Football may be the first activity someone thinks of when they think of contact sports but, many players have been hurt this year in soccer, as well.

“I got my injury by leveling a guy and fracturing my collarbone,” senior soccer player Logan Renz said. “Turns out to be technically called a left clavicle fracture.”

Renz is not the only one hurt in soccer this year.

“I was playing soccer and landed wrong,” senior Graydon Olson said. “I tore a tendon and some ligaments.”

Some students here are still dealing with their injuries from past seasons or even from harmless pick-up games.

“I was playing basketball and after I dunked the ball I landed on my ankle and fractured it,” said junior Drew Young. “I had surgery the next week after I broke it and then they put me in a splint for 3 weeks and then a cast for another 3 weeks. I’m currently in a walking boot for 3 weeks until I can start physical therapy.”

While getting an injury may be scary, the long-term effects are the real problem.

“It’ll take about 5-6 weeks to be somewhat healthy again,” Renz said. “It was a big blow to our team to lose a senior to an injury that could put me out for the rest of the season.”

Olson may also be out for the rest of the soccer season.

“I’ll be in a cast for four weeks,” Brown said. “I think being out of practice this and last week has made me take a step back, but hopefully I’ll bounce back quickly.”

A speedy recovery is all that these players hope for.

“I don’t know how it will affect me. I’m hoping by the time basketball season starts up I will have my bone completely healed and most of my leg muscle back,” Young said. “It will take a lot of patience and work to get back to being healthy but I think I will be able to recover fine and be back to my normal self in no time.”

17mcrees@usd489.com