Thu Sep 02 2010
By CHUCK MARTINEZ
AYERSVILLE -- In the world of sports there's one thing that is feared more than anything else. And at the beginning of what was supposed to be an unforgettable year for Ayersville senior Travis Flint, Flint was forced to tackle the monster head on.
Mere minutes into the first scrimmage of the Pilots' football season, Flint did what was expected of a four-year starter ... he intercepted a pass and looked to turn a big play into a bigger play.
On the return, however, Flint was grabbed awkwardly by an opponent and as they fell to the to the ground, Flint heard the sound feared around the world.
"I was wondering what the pop was," Flint recalled. "At first I tried to get up and couldn't and then I did get up and walked off (the field). Then when I got the news what it was I was wondering how long it would be before I could get back, I was hoping it was a short time."
Unfortunately for Flint, the "pop" in his right knee wasn't good.
It ended up being a tear of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) as well as a tear of both of his meniscus, while damage was also done to Flint's Medial Collateral (MCL) and Lateral Collateral (LCL) Ligaments. The damage meant surgery as soon as possible and while the Pilots were embarking on their season, Flint was having surgery at a Toledo hospital.
A senior year with promise seemed to be shot down.
For professional athletes, an injury of this magnitude takes years to recover from. For Flint, it more than likely meant a school year spent cheering his teammates on from the sidelines. And for the Pilots, it was the loss of their new starting quarterback, cornerback and most of all a leader.
Not only was Flint going to be a four-year starter for the Pilots, but he was also on the verge of owning the school's reception and reception yardage records.
"With Travis you have to start by saying that he's a good person with a great heart," explained AHS gridiron coach Chris Dales. "His loyalty to Ayersville, in all the sports that he plays is unmatched, and he's a kid you want on your team and what he's done this year enforces that.
"He's brought so much to Ayersville," added Dales. "For the football team it was a mental shock knowing we were going to lose a four-year starter and it hurt the team. We made it two rounds into the playoffs, but if I had a Travis Flint on the team, maybe we would have made it to the big show (the state finals)."
And while many were trying to stay positive by telling Flint there was plenty of life after high school athletics, he wasn't ready to call it a career.
"I was looking forward to a senior year and playing with my friends," said Flint. "It was terrible, it didn't feel right standing on the sidelines watching.
"A lot of people were telling me there was more to life," added Flint, who will have earned 10 varsity letters when he graduates. "And my family (at home and here at school) was there for me helping me through."
Despite all the positive reinforcement, it was the doctor's vote of confidence that was the push Flint needed for a "comeback."
"The doctor told me to go for it," said Flint about asking his doctors about returning to high school sports. "He was really the only one to say that. He said if you don't you can't slow down or be hesitant, because then you'll hurt it again."
The positive push was all Flint needed.
He began a rehabilitation schedule that had him doing any exercise necessary, every day of the week for hours at a time.
And by basketball season, Flint was ready to hit the hardwood. He wasn't quite up to par to regain his starting spot, but he was ready to return nonetheless.
And during the Pilots' regional run, Flint took part in 10 games and finished by hitting four of his 10 shots from the floor while going 7-of-12 from the free throw line.
And the night he returned had special meaning in more ways than one.
"Surprisingly enough the first game back was against the team that I hurt my knee against (Leipsic)," said Flint laughing. "It was a big first game back and I got in there and made a big foul and never got back in. But the way it all turned out, coming back against them, it's funny how things work out."
And now with the spring season in full force, Flint can be found right where he thought he'd be when school started in August ... in the Pilots starting lineup.
A three-year starter, Flint was a first-team all-Green Meadows Conference performer on the baseball diamond a year ago as a catcher. He was a .400 hitter with speed to burn on the base paths. With the injury, catcher was out of the question and his speed was limited, but all along Flint knew he could contribute to a Pilots' team that he helped to the district tournament a year ago.
"I was hoping that I would still be quick enough to beat out some throws when I hit the ball," said Flint. "With my knee now I don't know if a I'll ever know what 100-percent is again. I was hoping that I could fit in somewhere and not slow things down too much for my teammates."
If Flint has slowed, it hasn't been by much.
Heading into this week, Flint, the Pilots' lead-off hitter, was hitting at a near-.300 clip while leading the way on the bases. Through nine games, Flint had a team-best three steals while being second in runs (13). In the field, Flint caught on fast and has a .700 fielding percentage with three putouts and an assist.
"It's good to have Travis out there," said Pilots' head coach Steve Yenser. "Even though he's not really accustomed to the outfield, he's adjusted to it and he's still got a great arm. He's done good for us this year, and being a three-year letterman he's been in the big games and just his experience (alone) is helping us."
His experience in the sporting arena is invaluable, but through the turmoil of the injury, then rehab, then working his way back into the starting lineup Flint has also learned life lessons that he'll carry with him forever.
His father (Butch) also suffered a career-ending injury before being able to quarterback the Defiance High School Bulldogs during his senior season. The irony wasn't lost on the younger Flint, who admitted he wondered about bad luck being hereditary. But rational thoughts won over the even-keeled Flint and he began to look at the big picture.
"I tried not to compare the two, but I wondered if it was a curse or something," said Travis. "But really it was just coincidence. I learned there's life after injury, there's life after sports, after school. The days always go on and there's always going to be something in life to look forward to."
And last week, that coincidence reoccurred, when younger brother Dillon, who is also a varsity starter for the Pilots' baseball team, suffered a fractured finger during a game. But Flint was there to help his brother through it.
"It's been a blast to play with him," said the older Flint brother. "(With the injury) I told him, it's just one injury, it's just a finger. If you stay in shape you'll be right back out there."
And like his brother, Dillon has worked his way back into practice.
And despite the injury-riddled season, what Travis will remember most about his senior season doesn't have anything to do with ACLs, or hospitals or rehab.
"It's great to be out there with everybody again," ended Flint. "But my senior year, I'll always remember it for friendship. And how they changed for the better through everything this year and how all those friends helped me make positives out of negatives."
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