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As a junior, Mica Chadwell became a two-time All-State volleyball selection for Strafford.
“She works hard and she’s a gamer, she’s one of those kids that’s mentally tough,” said Lady Indians volleyball coach Ashley Bough.
But playing her senior year wasn’t always guaranteed for Mica.
“You hear if your leg goes numb you’re going to lose it, but I still had feeling, I could move my toes and stuff,” Chadwell said.
After helping the Indians to a 5th straight district championship in volleyball and playing basketball in the winter, Mica got in an accident.
“March 17th me, my cousin and sister went out for an ATV ride. We were just driving down the road, and [my cousin] went off the road and tried to over correct it, and it flipped onto my side, and it landed on my leg and broke my femur,” Chadwell said.
With that massive of a break, the doctors gave Mica a recovery time of six to eight months.
“They put a rod in and screws and said it was probably going to take awhile and be patient. I was like, okay, but I’m not very good at that but I can try,” said Chadwell.
“You hold your breath for a second because you’re like man you not only lose a valuable player physically on the floor, but you lose someone with experience,” Bough said.
But the thought of not playing her senior year kept Mica pushing forward, and four and a half months after surgery, she was cleared to play.
“I was like oh my gosh yes, I’ve been waiting for this day. It felt like 20 years, but it was only four and a half months, but it was the longest four and a half months in my life,” said Chadwell.
Now she’s back for her senior year, ready to go out strong.
“I worked my butt off to prove to people that they don’t have to take it easy on me because I got injured and broke my leg,” said Chadwell. “It’s go time, don’t take it easy on me. I just want to go out there with the same intensity as before.”
