morgan n' 7
02-13-2008, 03:51 AM
Senior relishes comeback
Vocal USC infielder returns to field after serious neck injury
By JOSEPH PERSON
jperson@thestate.com (jperson@thestate.com)
Chrissy Schoonmaker put on her uniform, pulled her hair back into a ponytail and smeared on the eye black.
Then a South Carolina teammate told her the team bus would not be leaving the hotel for another two hours.
But after a 21-month layoff following a car accident that left Schoonmaker with a broken neck, her teammates could forgive the fifth-year senior’s eagerness before USC’s season-opening tournament this past weekend in Boca Raton, Fla.
“I was like, I’m ready to go,” Schoonmaker said Tuesday. “Just taking it back to being a little kid, I was excited to play.”
And who could blame her?
After sustaining three fractures in her second cervical vertebra in a one-vehicle wreck while returning from Florida on Thanksgiving weekend 2006, Schoonmaker spent 12 weeks in a metal halo and was sidelined for the Gamecocks’ run to the NCAA Super Regionals last May.
But after being cleared by doctors in the fall, Schoonmaker returned to the diamond in Boca Raton, starting all five of the Gamecocks’ games at first or second base. That Schoonmaker went 1-for-10 in the tournament and was hit by a pitch in her first at-bat did little to dampen her enthusiasm.
“I was pretty stoked to play,” she said.
The hit-by-pitch was harmless — an inside fastball that nicked her jersey, prompting a USC assistant to call it the most “painless” hit-by-pitch in history.
Players and coaches were more nervous during a fall practice when Schoonmaker dove headlong for a ball in the outfield — her first aggressive play since the injury.
“I dove for it and everyone was looking at me, waiting for a reaction,” she said.
Schoonmaker waved her hand to let the team know she was OK. The play represented a turning point for Schoonmaker and her teammates, signaling that they could take off the kid gloves around their vocal leader.
“We’re not going to baby her,” outfielder Ashton Payne said. “We’re going to make sure she’s OK. But we knew she was good to go as soon as she got up. And she’s going to keep on diving.”
Schoonmaker realizes she was lucky to survive the wreck on I-95 near Daytona Beach. The SUV driven by Schoonmaker was totaled after veering off the highway and rolling over four times. Emergency personnel told Schoonmaker’s family that seatbelts saved the lives of Schoonmaker and her passenger, Elly Gosby.
Despite sustaining a “Hangman’s fracture,” a neck injury similar to that caused by the noose in a hanging death, Schoonmaker never lost feeling or movement in her arms or legs.
“My doctor calls me his miracle patient,” she said.
USC coach Joyce Compton hopes Schoonmaker’s return will provide a lift to the Gamecocks (1-4), who play host to Western Carolina today after a poor showing in Florida.
“We’re excited about getting her back,” Compton said. “Hopefully, a lot of inspiration will come from her being able to get back on the field.”
Other than waking up with a stiff neck occasionally, Schoonmaker said she has no physical limitations. She handled 41 plays on the infield last weekend without an error.
But Schoonmaker, who has 154 career starts, is eager to knock the rust off her swing after going a season without facing live pitching.
Schoonmaker said she never considered putting away her cleats and getting on with her life. In fact, the 22-year-old, who is pursuing a graduate degree in mass communications, said she feels a responsibility to let other accident victims know that head and neck injuries do not necessarily mean an end to competitive sports.
“I think that this story is part of it,” Schoonmaker said. “Coming back is the first step. I think there is something else I was meant to do.”
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.
http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/315454.html
Vocal USC infielder returns to field after serious neck injury
By JOSEPH PERSON
jperson@thestate.com (jperson@thestate.com)
Chrissy Schoonmaker put on her uniform, pulled her hair back into a ponytail and smeared on the eye black.
Then a South Carolina teammate told her the team bus would not be leaving the hotel for another two hours.
But after a 21-month layoff following a car accident that left Schoonmaker with a broken neck, her teammates could forgive the fifth-year senior’s eagerness before USC’s season-opening tournament this past weekend in Boca Raton, Fla.
“I was like, I’m ready to go,” Schoonmaker said Tuesday. “Just taking it back to being a little kid, I was excited to play.”
And who could blame her?
After sustaining three fractures in her second cervical vertebra in a one-vehicle wreck while returning from Florida on Thanksgiving weekend 2006, Schoonmaker spent 12 weeks in a metal halo and was sidelined for the Gamecocks’ run to the NCAA Super Regionals last May.
But after being cleared by doctors in the fall, Schoonmaker returned to the diamond in Boca Raton, starting all five of the Gamecocks’ games at first or second base. That Schoonmaker went 1-for-10 in the tournament and was hit by a pitch in her first at-bat did little to dampen her enthusiasm.
“I was pretty stoked to play,” she said.
The hit-by-pitch was harmless — an inside fastball that nicked her jersey, prompting a USC assistant to call it the most “painless” hit-by-pitch in history.
Players and coaches were more nervous during a fall practice when Schoonmaker dove headlong for a ball in the outfield — her first aggressive play since the injury.
“I dove for it and everyone was looking at me, waiting for a reaction,” she said.
Schoonmaker waved her hand to let the team know she was OK. The play represented a turning point for Schoonmaker and her teammates, signaling that they could take off the kid gloves around their vocal leader.
“We’re not going to baby her,” outfielder Ashton Payne said. “We’re going to make sure she’s OK. But we knew she was good to go as soon as she got up. And she’s going to keep on diving.”
Schoonmaker realizes she was lucky to survive the wreck on I-95 near Daytona Beach. The SUV driven by Schoonmaker was totaled after veering off the highway and rolling over four times. Emergency personnel told Schoonmaker’s family that seatbelts saved the lives of Schoonmaker and her passenger, Elly Gosby.
Despite sustaining a “Hangman’s fracture,” a neck injury similar to that caused by the noose in a hanging death, Schoonmaker never lost feeling or movement in her arms or legs.
“My doctor calls me his miracle patient,” she said.
USC coach Joyce Compton hopes Schoonmaker’s return will provide a lift to the Gamecocks (1-4), who play host to Western Carolina today after a poor showing in Florida.
“We’re excited about getting her back,” Compton said. “Hopefully, a lot of inspiration will come from her being able to get back on the field.”
Other than waking up with a stiff neck occasionally, Schoonmaker said she has no physical limitations. She handled 41 plays on the infield last weekend without an error.
But Schoonmaker, who has 154 career starts, is eager to knock the rust off her swing after going a season without facing live pitching.
Schoonmaker said she never considered putting away her cleats and getting on with her life. In fact, the 22-year-old, who is pursuing a graduate degree in mass communications, said she feels a responsibility to let other accident victims know that head and neck injuries do not necessarily mean an end to competitive sports.
“I think that this story is part of it,” Schoonmaker said. “Coming back is the first step. I think there is something else I was meant to do.”
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.
http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/315454.html