Junior Orryn Wright’s high school track career hit a big obstacle during her freshman year when she broke her foot sidelining her, forcing her to undergo surgery and miss half of her freshman season.
“I was sad. I was just crying because I thought my freshman year was over,” Wright said. “Well, it was, but I really didn’t want to be hurt. I just wanted to keep running. That was the first thought. To just keep running and ignore it.”
Despite the pain, Wright decided to keep running, driven by a sense of responsibility to her relay team and their hopes of making it to the state championship.
“I really had the most pressure from my teammates because I didn’t want to let them down because we was really good, and they needed me,” Wright said.
Eventually the injury got worse, and Wright underwent surgery. Wright said the mental challenge of recovery was just as difficult as the physical pain, particularly when watching her team compete without her.
“Just seeing everybody else practicing and running and going to state and that I couldn’t,” Wright said. “It was frustrating; let’s say that.”
Now back on the track, Wright said the time off has left her playing catch-up regarding her times and recruitment, but that gap has fueled a new sense of determination.
“I can tell I’m behind a little bit,” Wright said. “But I’m getting closer. So, the closer I get, the more drive I get to meet my goals again.”
That drive paid off during her sophomore year, where she had a moment of relief and a signal she had truly moved past her injury.
“I made it to state in all four of my events,” Wright said. “I just felt like I accomplished everything that I didn’t accomplish last year.”
Through the rehabilitation process, Wright credited her coach for maintaining faith in her ability to return to track in her full form.
“He just always knew that I was going to come back from it,” Wright said. “He never doubted that the injury was going to be the end of my whole career.”
The experience changed Wright’s perspective on the sport and how she viewed how important her body is to her.
“It just changed everything,” Wright said. “So I don’t take it for granted. Even when I do bad, I don’t I don’t feel as bad because I know I couldn’t be running at all, but I still am. So, it’s a privilege.”
