“He tapes up and he goes” said basketball Coach Dave Rosene. During the varsity boy’s first home game versus Chicago Academy, Will LaGrone ‘16, four year varsity player, took a nasty stumble when he tried to keep a ball passed his way inbounds, got caught up and used his hand to break his fall. For an athlete like LaGrone who has been playing basketball “forever. Well not forever, but since like 1st grade”, being out at such an exciting time of the season can be disheartening. LaGrone, however, is clearly determined to get back to the way he was playing prior to his injury.

LaGrone’s teammate, Nate Russel ’17 described the initial realization that Will was seriously injured like the wind being removed from a sailboat on a steady course .

“It took a lot of life out of the team for a minute,” said Russell. “It was kinda tough at first to think about the fact that we were going to be missing Will for a while. We had to band together, we had to bring that energy that he always brought to the court.”

LaGrone’s personality and leadership, according to his teammate and Coach Rosene, are what make him unique, thus, making losing LaGrone a big hit on the team spirituality and energy.
“I was supposed to be out for four weeks” LaGrone said, “but I decided to take this little thing (his thumb brace) off when I play basketball and tape it off”‘.
Rosene who’s been coaching LaGrone since he was a freshman thinks “it’s great” that LaGrone is coming back so soon.

“He hates to miss games like most players, but especially him” Rosene said. “He’s kind of the spiritual leader of the team. He adds life to it. When he’s up, everybody else is up. When he’s down, they’re down.”

Although LaGrone is mentally prepared to resume playing, he does admit that his injured thumb makes him a tad more conscious on the court.

“I think about it all the time when I do things. I’ll instinctively try to do something, but then I remember my finger is not right” said LaGrone.” I tend to ease up on stuff that I do, that my finger doesn’t allow me to do, that I want to do sometimes.”

LaGrone’s return to the team has been really uplifting, according to Russell. “He’s doing what he can and that’s all we can ask of him right now.”