Smith surprises with speedy recovery

Following her surgery on July 2 for a torn ACL and MCL in her right knee, no one expected Jessie Smith to be playing in Wheeling's first girls basketball game less than four months later.

No one, that is, except for Smith.

"Right from the start, I told my dad I was playing in our first game," Smith recalled.

"And everyone laughed, saying it would be more like six months before I could play. Even some teammates came and visited me that night, and I told them and they were kind of laughing. When I played in our first game, I was like, 'See, you guys, I told you it would work out.' "

It worked out because Smith made it work. She was determined.

With a relentless attitude in her rehab in which she religiously visited school trainer Rocco Tieri each day, Smith was able to strengthen her knee with lifting and rehab exercises.

"Originally, when I went to the trainer at school on crutches, they told me I wouldn't even be able to play softball," Smith said.

"But he took it back. He has done so much to help me get back by our first game this season (Nov. 18)."

Smith started every game as a junior for the Wildcats and has been a team leader since moving back into the starting rotation for the state- ranked Wildcats.

"Honestly, this has been the best season of my four years here," said Smith, also a three-year varsity softball player (outfield and first base) for coach Beth Anderson.

"I knew the entire time I was going to be back in time to play the first game. At first, my doctor (Thomas Tingle) said I wouldn't make it back for the start of the season. He didn't want me doing contact drills (in late October) and told me to come back in a month, which meant I wouldn't have time to make the start of the season. But I kind of hassled him and I said I would be back in two weeks. When I was, he said, 'You're good to go.' "

Smith was good enough to start contributing like she has for the past three years on the varsity.

"Jessie wasn't just a starter going on injured reserve, she was one of our key leaders of the team possibly facing a career-ending injury," said Wheeling coach Shelly Wiegel. "She and her parents stayed on top of things from the beginning and were aggressive in getting an MRI and scheduling surgery."

Smith's parents knew if there was any chance Jessie could get back for the season they had to take action because at first they thought it was just a nagging injury. But it was finally diagnosed as a torn ACL and MCL and surgery was scheduled.

Smith spent the summer rehabbing at Athletico, spending two or more hours working out and following the rehab plans.

Even with her determination and incredible work ethic, Wiegel was still skeptical that Smith would be ready for the season opener.

"I tore my ACL and had reconstructive surgery in 1998, so I know the rehab is long and unpredictable," said Wiegel, a standout track and field high school performer in Wisconsin.

"I communicated with Jessie throughout the summer and had always planned on easing Jessie into the starting lineup and games, but with Ashley Wilson out (stress fracture in leg) for the first game and our team coming together the way it was, Jessie started the first game and has been contributing better than ever this season."

Smith and Wilson were both injured at the same time this summer.

"I remember when Ashley would be in her cast and I was sitting there with my crutches," Smith said. "We'd both sit there all crippled up."

Now they're leading Wheeling to one of its finest seasons in the school's girls basketball history.

"If anyone would have told me at Maine West that night when she got hurt (June 26) that she would be back and starting by the beginning of the season, I would have told them they were crazy," Wiegel said.

"With her work ethic, supportive parents (Gary and Jodi), and the training staff at school, that is exactly what she has done. She is a big part of us being 23-3 and putting together another solid year.

"It shows you how far the ACL surgery has come in 10 years, and it also speaks volumes to Jessie's determination and dedication.

"I am proud of how she handled herself and the situation, and it is gratifying to see her hard work pay off. Her ability to handle adversity and attack the problem with a plan and a vision is inspiring. She never had any doubt about her return, and she made it happen."

Smith credits her father, a former three-sport athlete at Thornton Fractional North High School, as her biggest inspiration.

"'The second he found out about it, he said he'd do anything he could to help," Jessie said. "He took me to all my physical therapy (Athletico in Wheeling) and all my doctors' appointments.

"When I couldn't sleep at night after the surgery because of the medicine I was taking, he'd sit there with me and play catch with a basketball that glows in the dark.

"I hated going to the swimming pool (Wheeling's Aquatics Center) for rehab, but he would come with me and he'd make me do all my walking and running laps."

Smith, an A honor roll student with 4.6 GPA on a 5.O scale, writes sports for the student newspaper. She covers the boys basketball team and plans to study journalism at the University of Iowa.

It's too bad she doesn't cover the girls basketball team.

She would have a very inspiring first-person story to write.