THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 28, 1996 TAG: 9604250212
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: CAMDEN LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
IT WAS A basketball game this past winter that a lot of people, especially Mindy Meiggs, won't soon forget.
Camden was playing Currituck, in a rivalry older than the Yankees and Red Sox. Meiggs, the center for the Lady Bruins, went up for a rebound in the dilapidated gym.
When she came down, her foot went one way and her knee went the other. A loud pop followed.
Most people who witnessed the fall thought she had popped her knee joint. But the next day, doctors told her it was a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a dreaded injury from which many athletes never recover.
``I wasn't surprised when she left the court that it was a major knee injury, because she would have said `No, I want to play,' '' Camden basketball coach Dianne Overton said.
The season was over for Meiggs. She was also told that, with surgery, she would have to miss softball season, too. Missing two sports seasons in a row is like Chinese water torture to a competitor like Meiggs.
``It was so frustrating,'' she said. ``This is my and Holly's (Meads) last year together. We've been friends forever. We were hoping to win a state title somewhere.''
Meiggs stayed dedicated to the team, attending all the practices and games. But Camden's chances for a 1A state basketball title went out the window at the hands of Gates County, and Meiggs could only watch.
She turned her frustration into energy and began rehabilitation the day after her surgery.
``The doctors showed me some things that I could do at home,'' she said. ``I also did rehab at Coastal Rehab in Elizabeth City. I rode the bike, did triple leg lifts, hamstring curls with light weights. After I could walk on it, I did the stairmaster.''
Meiggs started preparing for softball season. After about a month and a half, she took batting practice.
``I worked on correcting stuff that I was doing wrong last year,'' she said. ``One of the problems I had was I was dropping my shoulder. At first, I couldn't take big strides when I swung, so I had to take a smaller step and shorten my swing. I figured now was a good time to work on it.''
While working out in the batting cage with a gimpy knee, Meiggs actually improved her batting technique.
The doctors gave her a partial release at the beginning of the softball season to start hitting and throwing. Six games into the season, Meiggs made her debut in a doubleheader against Weldon. She went 9-for-9 with 11 RBI in Camden's 36-0 and 20-0 sweep of the Lady Chargers.
Overton, also the softball coach, was impressed with Meiggs' plate appearances.
``She's actually hitting better than last year. We were really pleased with her hitting. She struggled last year with the bat,'' Overton said. ``Her whole style of hitting seems changed. Whether it's because of the knee injury or what, I don't know. She has more power and is able to drop the ball over the infield.''
Meiggs had been playing as the ``extra batter,'' an 11th player allowed to bat in girls softball games. This week, however, she has been cleared to play anywhere on the field.
``She's far from having the speed she had before the injury,'' Overton said. ``We may put her in the outfield, probably in right. We want to be careful and not take a chance on re-injuring that knee. We also told her no sliding.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by DREW C. WILSON
Mindy Meiggs, who almost missed softball season because of a bad
knee, is instead having a banner year at bat.
by CNB