Stephenson Sails Away to Meredith
June 13, 2008 By Chris Mizelle of Northern Nash High School
Stephenson Sails Away To Meredith By Geoff Neville, Graphic Sportswriter
Ally Stephenson signs a letter-of-intent to continue her career at Meredith College. Joining Stephenson in the photo is (back, l to r) former NN coach Grover Battle, NN AD Dan Richwalski and NN Principal Chip Hodges; (front r) Jennifer Stephenson (mother) | | RED OAK -- Experiencing a torn anterior cruciate knee ligament always changes the life -- and perspective -- of an athlete.
Northern Nash’s Ally Stephenson can attest to that.
When Stephenson’s knee gave out on a defensive shift during a late-season game this winter against Southern Nash, she thought her basketball career was over.
But really, it’s just beginning. She just didn’t know it at the time.
“After I tore my ACL, I really didn’t even worry about (basketball),’’ Stephenson said. “It looked like I was done.’’
Until she received a phone call one month later from Meredith hoops coach David Zinn.
“When (Zinn) called and told me he wanted me to play at Meredith, I was so excited,’’ Stephenson said.
Even before her injury, Stephenson wasn’t sure if she wanted to experience college basketball. She had thought about attending a school as a student-only.
But only when the sport was taken away from her -- when she had to sit the final five games of the regular season while her teammates were clawing for a playoff spot -- did Stephenson realize how much basketball meant to her.
And how much she wanted hoops to be in her future for the next four seasons.
“When I got hurt, it made me view things differently,’’ Stephenson said. “It killed me to watch those last games on the bench. I cried at halftime of every one of those games because I wasn’t able to play.
“Before, I didn’t think I wanted to play basketball (in college). I then understood how much I missed it when I wasn’t playing.’’
Soon after Zinn reached her on the phone, Stephenson signed a letter-of-intent to continue her hoops career with Meredith, which is located in Raleigh.
Stephenson plays to major in Exercise and Sports Science at Meredith with the hope of one day become a physical therapist.
As her knee heals following surgery, Stephenson has received a mini-internship in the avocation during her weekly visits to Nashville therapist Kelly Shaffer.
In six weeks, Stephenson will visit a doctor, and she is expected to be cleared in order to play in 2008-09 for the Avenging Angels.
Stephenson was a four-year letterwinner at Northern Nash, and she competed in cross country and track and field in addition to her basketball heroics.
During NN’s season-ending Athletic Awards Ceremony this spring, Stephenson received the school’s prestigious Triple Crown Award -- along with a standing ovation from her peers.
“If we had a bunch of Ally Stephensons walking around school, our jobs would be a whole lot better, and a whole lot easier,’’ said NN Athletic Director Dan Richwalski. “Ally and Nikki Battle have been the heart and soul of the basketball team for the last four years.
“And academically, Ally is way up there. She was a Top-10 finalist in the state for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.
She has just been a tremendous asset for Northern Nash.’’ |
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