Allendale's Gray
cheers up after ACL heals

Tuesday,
December 11, 2007

By
Steve Ungrey

The Grand Rapids Press

Gabby Gray knew the instant she
came down that something was wrong.

Gray, an Allendale senior, had
just finished a pole-vaulting drill last spring when she felt her right knee
give way. She knew it was something serious, and she was right -- the doctors
diagnosed a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"I was a pole vaulter and when I came down after doing a drill I
screamed bloody murder," Gray said. "The second I tore my ACL I
told myself I was never going to cheer again."

The doctors had other ideas.

Gray's doctors told her that it
takes about a full year to recover totally from an ACL tear, but it is around
six months before the knee regains part of its function.

"The earlier I had the
surgery the better the chance I had to come back and cheer for my senior
year," Gray said. "I tore the ACL on March 26 and the surgery was
set up for June, but I counted out the six months and realized my cheer
season was in jeopardy. So I got in and had the knee surgery on May 15."

Two days later, Gray was on her
feet singing "Danny Boy" at Allendale's spring arts collage,
although she doesn't remember a lot about the performance.

"I was on Vicodin
that doctors prescribed," Gray said. "From what I understand and
what people told me I sounded pretty good."

Allendale competitive cheer coach
Kendra DeRose had been through knee injuries before
with Morsuray Jackson, a track standout, so she
knew the timetable.

Still, even DeRose
wondered if Gray's season was in jeopardy.

"Gabby was really worried
about losing that last year," DeRose said.
"She did a lot of physical therapy after the injury in track and she
came back pretty quickly."

Not everything is at 100 percent.
Gray started walking three weeks after the surgery and started running in
August and jumping in mid-September. Her muscles in the knee weren't strong
enough to control the impact of coming down, so Gray was limited to cheering
during football season.

Gray is aware, even as the cheer
season goes on, that the recovery process continues. She is just happy to be
back on a mat doing something she loves.

"I worked a lot of physical
therapy through Physiotherapy Associates," Gray said. "I got to 80
percent at the end of five months but doctors said they were still very
concerned about my tumbling. I still get swelling in the knee and I need to
take more breaks than usual, but the coaching staff understands. I am
extremely happy to be back cheering."

Competitive cheer

Coach: Kendra DeRose, sixth season

Conference: O-K Silver

2006-07: Conference
champions, third at regionals

Top returners: Seniors Gabby
Gray, Rachel Wallace, Melissa Beck, Kristin VanderKooi
and Micha Pentico

Outlook: With 15 girls on the
team and a lot of senior leadership, Allendale should be among the
conference favorites.

Coach's comment: "Our
main goal for the season is to repeat as champions. We've been pushing
the girls hard for the season toward that goal. We have a lot of
experience back on our team."

Key date: Allendale
Invitational on Jan. 12