Gray tears her ACL, has surgery
“It was a very routine play that seems to happen in practice,” he said. “Two or three girls went up, and she came down and screamed.”
He and boys basketball coach Larry Berkman rushed to her, English said.
At the time, neither thought it was a torn ACL, he said. But when her parents took her to a doctor Oct. 17 to have it checked, they were given the bad news.
“It was a real shock,” English said. “If I was a betting man, I wouldn’t have thought ACL. Our team was devastated.”
Gray underwent surgery to repair the injury Thursday and was expected to be on crutches the same day.
To help strengthen muscles and joints, English has incorporated a weight-training program the last two years and the players lift twice a week during the season.
“I’m probably slowing practice a little bit,” he said.
The coach said the players believe they lost a sister. He met with them Oct. 22 to tell them of Gray’s status.
“Our No. 1 priority is to keep her included and positive and going in a direction of ‘it’s not over for your athletic career,’” he said. “This is an opportunity for some of the girls to develop into people they may not have had the chance to do this year.”
While an injury is never easy and the timing is never good, English said it does allow other players to step up and contribute to help the coaches develop a rotation for the season.
“(The Oct. 21) practice was not high quality,” he said. “I had to keep going back to my workout. I couldn’t concentrate. On Thursday I expect us to go back to work and move forward. That’s what Jordan would want.”
Gray was considered the heir apparent to Ashley Field, considered the greatest female athlete in Faith history. Field, who led the Lady Flames to two state tournaments and two state titles in track and field, is now playing for Baylor University.
“(Gray) is a young lady who has truly unlimited potential,” English said. “She needs time to grow emotionally and physically into carrying a team.”
And he’s not ready to say Gray will not return at all this season.
“I’m still optimistic it may not be quite as bad,” he said. “She has a tremendous future in basketball and in track. To miss the whole sports year is almost numbing.”