Gage Miskimen @GageMisky [Co Executive Editor]

The biggest fear high school athletes can have is getting injured. All it takes is one play or one second, and an athlete’s career can be changed forever.

Preston Murphy, senior, was injured in the peak of the wrestling season. During a match Murphy tore his ACL and meniscus, and also sprained his MCL. “My opponent blocked my leg and returned me to the mat. Since he blocked it, my body went to the ground but my leg sort of just stayed there,” Murphy said, trying to give some insight of the event as it happened.

The process to recovery has been a long and difficult journey. “I had to get an MRI to diagnose the injury. I went to physical therapy twice a week, I was in the training room with Cody everyday, and I ended up getting surgery. I had to stay at home for a week, and I couldn’t do much. After that, I had physical therapy three times a week, and I did a bunch of exercises. That’s where I’m at right now,” Murphy explained.

The injury ended Murphy’s high school career in sports,  something that can be very hard for athletes to cope with. Especially for someone like Murphy who has been involved in multiple sports every year since he was a little kid. “For the rest of high school, I can’t participate in sports, but there are opportunities in college for recreation. By then, I should be fully healed.” Murphy said. He has goals to come back and be athletic and active again, because it’s been a huge part of his life for so long and it was his first year being active in wrestling. “It was my first year in wrestling, and I was really enjoying it, so not being able to wrestle hurts,” Murphy stated.

But Murphy also seems to focus on the positives and feels lucky that the injury didn’t happen earlier. “Since it didn’t happen during football, I consider myself lucky because I’ve been raised around football and looked forward to it every year,” Murphy said.

Murphy has hope for the future though, and looks forward to becoming active again and working out. He hopes to get involved with CrossFIt after he has fully recovered.