Massachusetts basketball player overcomes multiple injuries to become one of the best in the country
A senior basketball player at Tabor Academy in Massachusetts has overcome numerous injuries throughout her high school career to end up becoming one of the best players in the country.
"My first one was a torn meniscus, I think, my sophomore year, which I had to get surgery on that one," said Kaelyn Carroll. "And I was out right before the season but not for the whole season. After that was, I think, my ankle, sprained my ankle pretty bad. It was my foot, high and low sprain. And that took me out for a good two to three weeks. But once again, I came back from it. Then I went into my junior summer with a torn quad. And that one took a little bit longer, probably like a month."
Knocked out during game
Carroll also suffered a frightful head injury during a game.
"I got a concussion, I actually passed out for a few seconds, it was crazy," said Carroll.
"She went down but at first, you know, she thought she just kind of fell and she's going to get right back up," said Carroll's mother, Sue Carroll. "But one of the parents yelled to me, 'She's out, she's out!'"
"Any time your child gets hurt, your heart sinks," said Carroll's dad, Ed Carroll. "You know, the sprained ankles is stuff you get used to but the torn quad, the surgery on the meniscus and then to be knocked out during a game was heartbreaking."
When asked where she gets her fierceness from, Carroll said, "I think I get it from myself. I think I just developed it, I just got angry I kept getting hurt and I was doing so well I just get hurt again. So I think I started to just get mad and developed a mindset of I can't be stopped."
Despite missing so many games, Caroll reached another milestone by scoring her 1,000th point.
"She's a 6'3" player who can score at all three levels, she's really developed a complete game," said Tabor Academy coach Will Becker. "Her versatility is incredible."
"She's one of the best in every way as a player, as a person, she stands amongst a very few," said Bay State Jaguars coach Laurie Bollin. "I've coached a lot of amazing ones and she's just exceptional in every way."
Heading to Kentucky in the fall
Hey physical and mental grit on and off the court has earned her offers from some of the best programs in college basketball, including North Carolina, Ohio State and Tennessee. She even got an offer and a visit from reigning NCAA champions South Carolina's head coach, Dawn Staley.
"She's like the pied piper, people follow her," said Kentucky head coach Kenny Brooks, who's in his debut season with the Wildcats. Carroll will join them in the fall.
"I'm so excited, I always watched and imagined me playing in the SEC, so I think that is a huge accomplishment and I'm so excited for that," said Carroll. "I definitely have to work for all my time playing and stuff like that but I think he has a really good plan for me."
"She just has that persona that I'm going to be able to get through anything," said Brooks. "And you need that because kids face adversity all throughout their college careers. And life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you handle it. And she handles it very well."
Carroll's hard work continues to reap benefits as she was recently selected as a McDonald's All-American, a honor which features the top 24 high school players in the country.
"It's so exciting, we knew as her parents how good she is and how good she can be," said Sue Carroll.
"My hard work is finally being recognized at such a high level too," said Carroll. "And it's just a huge opportunity."
