By Katherine Clatterbuck
With big names like Russell Wilson, a quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, Christian McCaffery, a running back for the Carolina Panthers, and Rob Gronkowski, a tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, sports fans around the country fear the effect these injuries will have on this athletic year. For Roanoke fans, these fears are familiar as many Roanoke athletes sit on the sidelines suffering from season-ending injuries. After last year’s strange athletic experience, athletes were anxiously awaiting performing in front of fans without the abundant precautions against COVID-19. Potentially cancelled seasons loomed over the heads of athletes last year, leaving the fear of injury as a side note to the things that could go wrong. With full seasons this year, injuries are the new topic of discussion.
On the women’s soccer team, multiple senior athletes are struggling with season-ending injuries. Defensive player Erin Flamm is out for the season after suffering a meniscus tear that required surgery midseason. A second defensive player, Izzy Ubaydi can be seen scooting around after a foot fracture put a halt to her season. Other injuries for women’s soccer includes Makayla Metzler with an ACL tear, Julia Johnson rehabbing from an ACL tear, and KP Yeager with a concussion. Shifting to women’s basketball, senior Renee Alquiza suffers a potential stress fracture in her left foot keeping her on the sidelines as the team begins scrimmages. With hopes to return later this semester, Alquiza says “being injured your senior year is a scary situation. With injuries, you never know how long it will really take to heal or how it will affect your abilities once you are back. I am just happy that I will hopefully be able to take care of my foot before the season officially starts”. Even freshmen new to Roanoke athletics are starting their time at Roanoke on the bench.
Roanoke men’s sports are not above the grasp of injuries as the soccer, swim, and wrestling teams are seeing sidelined players. Josh Rauch recently injured his leg, while out on a team-bonding skating trip with the swim team. Rauch sliced open his leg with an ice skate and tore his calf when he fell. In good news, Rauch has potentially one more week of recovery before he is cleared to swim again.
While not all injuries end in quick recoveries, we hope the best for Rauch and the rest of our injured athletes, hoping to see their talents again as Roanoke fans await some winning seasons
