Torn ACL doesn’t derail Gibson
BUTLER TWP — A torn ACL short-circuited Maisy Gibson’s athletic career at Butler.
In terms of being a teammate and preparing to fulfill lofty career goals, the knee injury has done nothing.
“Maisy is an inspiration,” Butler girls basketball coach Mark Maier said. “I use her attitude as an example to our players now. I’ll be using it for a long time. Nothing is going to stop that kid.”
The 5-foot-7 Golden Tornado senior started for Butler’s girls volleyball team since her freshman year. She was a starting forward on the basketball team since her sophomore campaign. She throws the shot put and javelin in track and field, her shot put heave of 31 feet, 2 inches ranking fifth best in Butler County last spring.
She suffered a torn ACL early last track season and her athletic career came to a sudden halt.
Gibson missed the rest of her junior track season. She missed her senior volleyball and basketball seasons as well. She hopes to be cleared in time to participate in part of the outdoor track season this spring.
“I got hurt making a throw,” she said in recalling the injury. “I heard something in my knee. I felt something ... I knew it wasn’t good.”
Gibson carries a 4.44 grade point average and is ranked No. 2 in her senior class. She is headed to the University of Tennessee next fall and plans to major in aerospace engineering. Tennessee is nationally-known for its program in that field.
“I want to help design and develop rockets for NASA,” Gibson said. “That’s where I want to be.”
She also wanted to be with her teammates. Every basketball practice and game the Tornado played this season, Gibson was there to support the squad.
She did so despite the full academic plate she carries, which includes the National Honor Society, serving on Student Council and being part of Butler’s Best Buddies program.
“Once she got hurt, Maisy could have easily gone about her business, figuring her basketball career was over,” Maier said. “No one would have blamed her. I’ve had other players suffer season-ending injuries and we don’t see them again.
“Her schedule is so busy. She’s so strong academically. But she wanted to stay a teammate. She stayed with us all the way through this year. I know how badly she wanted to get on that court.
“We all took a different approach toward basketball ptactice. I told the girls, ‘you don’t have to practice. You get to practice.’ It’s a privilege. Sometimes we all need a reminder of that,” the coach added.
Though still not cleared to play, Gibson suited up on Senior Night for the Butler girls basketball team. She took the floor for the opening tip, hung out by the basket, took a long pass and laid it in uncontested for a token two points to begin the game against Karns City.
“I know it was all set up for me, that I wasn’t competing at that moment, but it still meant the world to me,” Gibson said. “Just the feeling of wearing the uniform and standing on that court ione last time ... It was emotional for me.”
It was emotional to the entire team.
“We all felt that,” Tornado senior guard Hannah Aldridge said. “Maisy’s supported us all season. She’s always giving us words of encouragement and advice at times if she sees something on the court that maybe we didn’t notice.
“She’s a true teammate and leader.”
Gibson said she was merely completing what she started by sticking around the team.
“Sports have done so much for me,” she said. “They helped build my leadership skills, taught me how to work well with a team, helped me learn how to budget time. I’d do it all over again. I’m going to miss it.”
But she has exciting times ahead.
“Designing rockets? I’m not betting against her,” Maier said. “Rough seas make better sailors. Maisy is a prime example of that.”
