Some South Students took the school by surprise when they showed up in their eye-grabbing splints, braces, and casts. 

Rumors spread through the people at south as everyone tried to figure out what each person did to injure themselves. 

Junior Tucker Swinton came into the first day of school, surprising both students and teachers when he showed up with his leg in a brace. 

“People ask me what happened to my leg at least three times a day, it gets annoying after a while,” says Swinton. 

While some students’ injuries are visible, others remain unknown. 

Senior Max Bollinger injured both his knees while trying out for the Parkway South Patriots Soccer Team. 

“It was during tryout week, I wanted to impress my coaches and pushed myself too far,” Bollinger said. 

Many students aren’t aware of Bollinger’s injuries since they aren’t visible. Even though his injury is preventing him from playing soccer, his doctors claim his issue doesn’t require any brace.

Similar to Bollinger, senior Taylor Smith also doesn’t need a brace anymore. Her injury took 4 ½ years to fully recover, a main reason being that no doctors would approve her surgery.  Almost all of Smith’s doctors believe that her pain wasn’t caused by her wrist, instead they thought it was just growing pains. 

“It took me 4 ½ years to fully recover, my doctors didn’t think surgery was needed until I found one doctor that saw I needed help,” Said Smith.

Smith broke her wrist in two places during her 7th grade year.

“I got shoved in a soccer game, I stopped a girl from scoring a goal in my 7th grade soccer game and after the play, the girl shoved me. I fell on my wrist and it snapped in two places,” Smith said. 

Being hurt for as long as Smith had taken a big hit on her emotional health. Her injury limited what activities she could participate in. 

“It made me hate soccer for a while, my injury prevented me from playing to my full potential, and it caused me to fail orchestra which was my passion,” said Smith.

But extracurricular activities weren’t the only thing that were limited, so was Smith’s ability to participate in school.

“Also, the surgery I got last year caused me to fail English because of how much time I was in the hospital. When I came back to school I had all F’s.”

Another student at South who also is limited to what activities they can do.

Junior Charlie Shaffer broke both of his arms at the same time.

“I was playing basketball when I went up for a bunk and fell back on my hands,” Said Shaffer.

Having both your arms in a cast definitely makes everyday life a little more challenging.

“Something I took for granted was being able to write and take notes,” Shaffer said.

It’s no doubt that all students miss something that their injuries put to a halt. 

“When I’m fully recovered, I’m excited to get back to playing soccer games and scoring goals for the team,” Bollinger said.

Even though these four students were injured, each still loves the activity that led them to become hurt.

“Yes, I would play it again,” said Shaffer.