Scribd
Upload
95 views

Gast Returning To School Team After Recovery: Malick Swimming The Extra Lap

The documents provide biographies on three Coppell High School student athletes - Brandon Gast, a senior soccer player who returned to the team after recovering from an ACL injury; Bella Malick, a junior swimmer with a rigorous training schedule; and Shreya Kumara, a senior swimmer who praised Malick's work ethic and improvement.

Uploaded by

api-439619160
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
95 views

Gast Returning To School Team After Recovery: Malick Swimming The Extra Lap

The documents provide biographies on three Coppell High School student athletes - Brandon Gast, a senior soccer player who returned to the team after recovering from an ACL injury; Bella Malick, a junior swimmer with a rigorous training schedule; and Shreya Kumara, a senior swimmer who praised Malick's work ethic and improvement.

Uploaded by

api-439619160
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

THE BROTHERHOOD P. 22 AT YOUR SERVICE P. 23 FOUR YEAR FAMILY P.

23

Gast returning
to school team
after recovery
Shreya Beldona I had torn my
EXECUTIVE ENTERPRISE EDITOR ACL just from
@BeldonaShreya doing certain
movements with
On the morning of March 6, 2019, my knee,” Bran-
Tannya Gast received a call from Cop- don said. “My mom
pell coach James Balcom in which she and I were just sitting
learned her son, Coppell senior forward there, emotional, and I
Brandon Gast - then a sophomore - had just looked forward and
been in an accident during practice. I said, ‘In nine months
As she arrived to see her son lying from now, I’ll be able
on a stretcher, the trainers informed to play again.’”
her they suspected a right ACL tear, but Determined
Mrs. Gast hoped it was a sprain or a pull. to come back as
Three days later, the trainers’ suspicions quickly as pos-
were confirmed. sible, Brandon
“Within 10 seconds, [orthopedic sur- fought against
geon Dr. Daniel Cooper] had told me the recovery time
frame, chal-
lenging the nine
Scored winning goal at
month process. But
July Youth Soccer National
Championships with Solar as he saw his leg after
2017 coming out of surgery
Soccer Club U-16/17
and the difficulty of just
walking, Brandon realized the mental
six-month timeframe he had set for Coppell senior forward Brandon Gast fights against Frisco Rock Hill
Joined the Coppell varsity
August soccer team during his
himself was not realistic. sophomore defender Nicolas Arango on Jan. 9 at Buddy Echols Field.
2018 sophomore year “I was in so much pain after sur- Gast suffered an ACL injury his sophomore year and is now back on
gery” Brandon said. “I was super emo- varsity this school year. Photo by Angelina Liu
tional. [My leg] looked like a chicken
leg [after surgery]; it was so skinny. [All
my muscles] were gone; it was erased.” school soccer] this year because I actually “We adopted the philosophy that you
Tore his right ACL during
March 6, morning practice at Buddy
After passing the final test clearing quit club, because it wasn’t the best thing lead by example,” Coppell senior center
him for returning to soccer, Brandon for me. I wanted to have my last soccer sea- defender Collin MacDonald said. “[Bran-
2019 Echols Field
returned to his Solar team, hoping to son with the kids I grew up with.” don] showed up and worked hard, especial-
fast track regaining his skills. Within four months of playing for club ly during a grueling, long off-season. I ha-
“The competitiveness [of club soccer] soccer after his injury, competing at club ven’t seen this fire from him before and it’s
Returned to playing school is a little higher [than school soccer],” level was not as feasible as Brandon had great to see again that he’s itching to play.”
August soccer on the Coppell Brandon said. “Unfortunately, I came thought. With a call to Balcom, Brandon
2020 varsity team back not the player I was before my in- returned to the Cowboys. Now, Brandon SHREYA ‘21 can be reached at
jury, and it set me back. I came back [to serves as a role model. [email protected].

Malick swimming the extra lap


Sapna Amin day and heads over to the Coppell High new day brings. However, according to cord for the 200-yard individual medley,
STAFF WRITER School. She returns to the pool for manda- Coppell senior swimmer Shreya Kumara, setting her new personal best at 2:22.
@sapnaamin6 tory practice in fourth and eighth periods. Malick comes to the pool every morning Malick’s academic course load con-
Finally, she spends a couple of hours with a smile on her face and a joke to sists of AP classes. Though, with her time
Time. For Coppell junior swimmer on homework and gets a well-rested night’s make her teammates laugh. management skills and positive attitude,
Bella Malick, life is all about time. sleep to do it all over the next morning. “Even in the mornings, she has that she is able to keep her priorities in order.
Ten years of swimming. Two hours “Whether it’s swimming or school, I’m intrinsic motivation that keeps her con- “She is one of the smartest people I
of practice per day. Two minutes and 22 completely dedicated and do every- stantly improving each week,” Ku- know,” Kumara said. “She is on top of
seconds to swim the 200-yard individual thing in my control to excel,” Malick mara said. “I’ve seen her improve her academics and swimming. She never
medley. Five days a week. said. “Going to those extra prac- drastically over a short period complains and is good at time manage-
The moment Malick wakes up at tices helps me compete against of time, and now she is one ment in general.”
6:30 a.m. to her alarm of cheerful chirp- myself and my old times.” of the fastest swimmers on Time may not stop for anyone, but when
ing birds, her mind immediately goes to With a firm and consistent the team.” Malick steps in the water, it might as well.
the pool. By 7 a.m., she is at the Coppell schedule such as Malick’s, it Malick is proud of is
YMCA for an optional school practice. Af- may be difficult to see the the drastic 13 seconds she SAPNA ‘21 can be reached at
ter 8:15 a.m., she prepares for her school variance and beauty every shaved off her personal re- [email protected].

Coppell junior swimmer Bella Malick practices a butterfly stroke at the Coppell YMCA on Jan. 26. Malick’s self drive about her goals motivates
her to attend optional practices every school day. Photo by Precious Onalaja

You might also like