FEATURED ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Mia Stevens Greencastle
Mia Stevens is a senior at Greencastle High School. Basketball has been a big part of her life, but injury ended her final high school season before she ever got to play a game.
Banner Graphic: What kinds of knee injuries have you had?
MS: “I tore my left ACL in April, and recovered from that. I was cleared to practice for two weeks. I then tore my right ACL at practice on the day before our first game this year.”
BG: Is there anything good you can take from this injury?
MS: “Battling back from it the first time, when I finally got to play again, made me realize why I love playing basketball. When you’re out for six months and you have to watch everyone else do the stuff you love, it’s really tough. It’s going to be even tougher the second time.”
BG: You have had playing college basketball as a goal. Is that still in your plans?
MS: “I haven’t decided yet. I have some options to play if I want to keep playing. I just have to figure out what I want to do.”
BG: What is the medical outlook for recovery?
MS: “After the six months, it gets stronger. It’s harder to tear the same knee the second time after a year.”
BG: What do you like to do besides school or basketball?
MS: “I read a lot, all kinds of books. I don’t really have favorite. I read the ‘Shatter Me’ series, and a lot of different things. I like to watch Netflix; I have seen every murder and cop show. I really like ‘One Tree Hill’. I have a cat named Mazey and a dog named Bodie. He loves tennis balls.”
BG: What is your favorite subject in school?
MS: “History. It just comes easy to me, because it’s one giant story.”
BG: Are you any kind of a ‘student coach’ or mentor to the players on the team?
MS: “I try to be almost more of a teammate; we have enough coaches on the sidelines.”
BG: Have you had a good high school experience at Greencastle?
MS: “Yes. It flew by. People told me it would, and I didn’t believe them. My junior year was great in basketball. I guess it was a good season to end on if it had to happen that way.”
BG: What are your plans for after high school, besides deciding on basketball?
MS: “I am going to college to study athletic training or physical therapy. I want to get my massage therapy license also.”
BG: You should have some inside information there.
MS: “Yeah, I can rehab a knee.”
BG: Is there anything you know you want to do when you’re older?
MS: “I want to move to an island in the Caribbean. I want to live on a beach and kayak and paddleboard.”