Down 15 points in a crucial game to qualify for the play-in tournament, Emily Garcia drove hard to the basket, shaking off her defender. She jumped off one foot and landed on both feet to set up a quick pass. Then, Garcia heard it. Pop.

On October 3rd, a few weeks before the season started, Garcia tore her meniscus – a piece of cartilage in the knee joint, absorbing shock and protecting it from damage – during a scrimmage game. After playing on it for a few weeks, her doctor determined she needed surgery. 

“I ended up just going to the locker room and crying,” Garcia said. “You never want to hear your season’s over, especially as a senior.”

Garcia couldn’t accept that reality. Quitting basketball would’ve felt worse than another knee injury, so she kept playing – despite doctor orders. 

“I was supposed to come back in six to eight weeks, but I came back in four,” Garcia said. “Our chances of going to the playoffs would’ve been lower if I didn’t.” 

But the rush to return came at a cost. Her knee still hadn’t fully healed, and every step, dribble and shot was a reminder.

“I was in denial,” Garcia said. “It would be unbearable, but I’m not the type to sit out on the sideline. I’ll play through the pain. I wanted to play through the pain.”

And she did. But, eventually, her doctors told her that she couldn’t keep going. If she did, she would risk long term complications that went beyond the court.

“I had a telehealth call with my orthopedic surgeon, and he told me that I have to stop playing on it,” Garcia said. “He said, ‘You’re either going to be paralyzed or they’re going to be fighting to save or amputate your leg.’”

Just like that, it was over. No last game, no final moment to walk off the court on her own terms. One call, and her season had ended.

“I was devastated. I hated watching from the sidelines,” Garcia said. “Not only was my injury making me sad, but the fact that my teammates were also feeling down made me more upset.”

So, even though she couldn’t be on the court, Garcia decided to stay in the game. Not by playing, but coaching. She was the star point guard, so her insight into the game was still valuable, even if she wasn’t being subbed in.

“That was the biggest problem we had at first. I was the most vocal person on the court,” Garcia said. “So, everytime they would come off, I would tell them that we have to talk.”

Garcia’s impact on the team was undeniable. She tried to play through a season-ending injury for her team’s sake – and remained a great leader afterwards.

“This year, we had seven seniors on the team. These are girls I’ve been playing with since seventh grade,” Garcia said. “It’s like my family, and you can’t let family down if they’re relying on you.”