by Caleb Peter
It was hard for spectators to believe that two reserves for the girls’ basketball team could go down with a knee injury within about a minute of each other during the Pella Christian game at Pella on December 5, but it happened. Unfortunately, both injuries required surgery and a long recovery period. The injured girls were reserve sophomores Camryn Wignall, who went down first, and Avery Stock.
“I went to go up for a layup, and when I planted my right leg, it buckled and gave out, causing me to fall to the ground immediately,” said Wignall, who tore her ACL and MCL. “Your ACL is one of the four major ligaments in your knees. The ACL prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur, and it also provides stability for the knee. So when you tear your ACL it causes your leg to give out a lot, and it is very painful. I also had a slight tear in my MCL which controls the sideways motion of the knee. The MCL does not require surgery, because it will heal on its own.”
Wignall’s surgery was December 23. Although an injury can make an athlete isolated, Wignall was not alone.
“At first I was very emotional about the subject. People were telling me they felt bad for me, and it sucks. All I could do was smile,” said Stock.
Stock, too, tore her ACL and her meniscus, an injury in which twisting causes tissue in the knee to tear. Stock was able – with help – to walk off the floor, and for a while her injury wasn’t believed to be as bad as Wignall’s.
The girls are both active varsity athletes in softball. “I am supposed to be out for six to nine months, but I am going to try and be back by softball season,” said Stock, whose surgery was January 3. Stock also runs track.
Wignall is also supposed to be out six to nine months. “I probably won’t be able to play softball, which I was looking forward to,” said Wignall.
Stock looks toward the future. “I’m hoping to come back stronger than I was before and be a better teammate. I’ve been very thankful for all those that have supported Cam and me,” said Stock.
