The 2023 sports season has been very successful for Central’s athletic programs. However, success doesn’t come without its hardships. There were many injuries throughout this year which varied in severity. Freshman Carlee Hofer suffered from a cam deformity femoral head hip impingement in the first month of the volleyball season. Hofer was out for two and a half weeks. She said she “learned to be more of a leader than a player all the time,” from her injury and realized, “not to take anything for granted because you never know what can happen.” Although she was able to return to finish out the season, her brother, Cody Hofer, was not as lucky.
During a kickoff in the first football game of the 2023 season, Hofer was tackled and landed on his arm. This caused a ruptured tricep and a tear in his UCL (ulnar collateral ligament). He was told he would be out for 4 to 6 months. Because it is his senior year, Hofer is disappointed that he didn’t get to play his last season with his friends and teammates. However, Hofer said that this experience has “strengthened him mentally,” and he has learned that “there is no point in being sad and down. It helps no one and can affect the team wrong and bring them down with you.”
Sophomore Ella Fairbanks also dealt with an injury that kept her from playing this season. Fairbanks was diagnosed with bilateral tibia stress strains. Fairbanks has dealt with this issue before but says that it resurfaced this year. Fairbanks unfortunately missed a majority of her sophomore season; however, she is planning on playing tennis again this year in the spring. Fairbanks has been sad about not being able to play volleyball this year but appreciated her experience as a manger and was glad she still was a part of the team.
