Community Support Plays a Crucial Role in Athlete Injury Recovery at PHS

Strength in numbers extends beyond the field of play—and for injured athletes, it can make all the difference in recovery. A recent story published by The Piedmont Highlander, written by student Opinions Editor Luck Peterson, highlights how community support plays a critical role in healing after sports injuries.

For Piedmont High School lacrosse senior Ian Nguyen, that support became essential after he tore his ACL during his freshman year.

“At first I just twisted it and it felt like it didn’t hurt at all,” Nguyen said. Despite the lack of pain, he knew something was wrong when his leg gave out. “If you try to use it and it gives out on you then you just fall over,” he said.

Nguyen’s teammates and coach immediately stepped in, helping him off the field and staying with him until his parents arrived. After an MRI confirmed the torn ACL, Nguyen faced a standard nine-month recovery—much of it spent navigating campus on crutches.

“It made it harder to get to classes,” Nguyen said. “But it did make me really happy to see everyone who would help me out and get to class.”

Throughout recovery, Nguyen worked closely with the school’s Athletic Trainer, Bruce Valentine.

“Rest is a key part of it, but if you think you’re just gonna wait for the injury to go away, you’re going to wait on,” Valentine said. He added that his goal is simple: “I have kids coming in all the time… My goal is to make it so they don’t have to come back.”

After returning to play, Nguyen suffered a second setback, tearing his MCL and missing another season. Now fully healed, he says the most impactful part of recovery wasn’t physical therapy alone.

“Having people around that reach out to you and help you out when they don’t have to is really helpful,” Nguyen said.

The story also features former PHS athlete Maisy Richardson, volleyball coach Mariah Cardenas, and track athlete Claire Aubrecht—each reinforcing the same message: injury recovery is as much mental as it is physical. As Valentine noted:

“It is hard for these kids. It’s really hard.”

Together, their experiences underscore a powerful truth—when athletes are supported by teammates, coaches, and Athletic Trainers, recovery becomes a shared effort, not a solitary one. Read their full story here!