‘Backbone’ Is Healthy
East Rock Even More Talented This Season
Posted: December 31, 2012
HARRISONBURG — It was most unfortunate how Sarah Cameron decided she wanted to be a physical therapist when she grows up.
The do-it-all-17-year-old senior on the East Rockingham High School girls’ basketball team spent so much time in physical therapy the past two years, it was basically an internship.
“I knew I wanted to work with kids like me, and, just after spending so much time in there, I realized what a difference they made in my life,” Cameron said. “And I just wanted to carry that on into other people’s lives.”
Cameron has missed chunks of the last two seasons because of a stress fracture in her left foot and three torn ligaments in her right knee. Her sophomore year, the stress fracture cost her much of the Eagles’ playoff run, and last year as a junior, after ripping her ACL, MCL and meniscus during a left-handed layup in a midseason practice, Cameron missed the rest of the season — including East Rock’s Division 1 state championship.
“A lot of times, the girls went out and played for her because it’s hard,” ERHS coach Paul Comer said. “… We had such big expectations, and she got hurt. That was pretty painful to watch, because she’s such a hard worker and she put a lot of time in to help build this program. She’s just kind of the backbone of what we do.”
Also a tennis standout, Cameron missed a chance to defend her 2011 doubles state championship because of the torn ligaments.
Cameron estimated that she has spent nine months in physical therapy over the past two years, going to appointments three times a week. For the knee injury, Cameron had to drive more than a half hour each way to Weyers Cave for 7 a.m. appointments for six months.
“It’s really taught me to appreciate every game and every practice,” said Cameron, a former swimmer who joined the Valley Swim League’s Massanutten Marlins to help rehab her knee this summer. “My teammates and my coaches and my family really helped me through it. I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
Now, Cameron is back playing as well as she ever has.
The 5-foot-8 guard/forward, who can score in the lane or from the perimeter, is averaging 11.9 points per game, which ties her for second on the team with sophomore point guard Madison Comer. Senior guard Jessica Lam, averaging 15.8 points, leads the Eagles (10-0), who have won 38 straight games. The Virginia High School League record for consecutive wins by a girls’ basketball team is 80, set by Millbrook from 2010-12.
Cameron said she is very aware of her injury history when on the court.
“I’m definitely not going to take any charges this year, if you know what I mean,” she said with a laugh. “I’m not going to throw myself into dangerous situations, try to drive into a big crowd of people with a chance that I might get hit and something would get hurt. I’m more cautious. I’m trying to be smart about what I do with the ball.”
Cameron’s role this season goes beyond scoring. During her career — which started at Spotswood (she was redistricted to then-new East Rockingham as a sophomore) — she’s played every position for ERHS, including point guard as a sophomore. This year, she’s played power forward and even center in the Eagles’ four-around-one offense, playing with her back to the hoop more than ever — and she’s excelled.
In a game against Group AA Chancellor — it has 1,350 students to Group A ERHS’s 635 — Cameron had 14 rebounds in a 61-39 win. She leads the team with 6.1 per game. She’s also averaging 3.6 assists.
“She can do multiple things,” Comer said. “We’ve asked her to play with her back to the basket for a few years, much like we did with Chase Raynes [who graduated last year]. But we’ve given her the flexibility to get out on the perimeter and shoot the long ball a little bit.”
Cameron also has been crucial on defense, averaging 2.7 steals per game. The rangy Cameron clogs passing lanes, and with her quickness down low and height on the perimeter, creates mismatches wherever she goes.
Colleges have noticed her. Cameron said she’s been offered a partial scholarship to Division II Davis & Elkins (W.Va.). She’s also drawn interest from D-III Bridgewater and Lynchburg. For tennis, she said D-II West Liberty (W.Va.) and D-III Shenandoah have made overtures.
Cameron, who has better than a 4.0 grade-point average, said she will select her college based on which can best help her get into a graduate school for physical therapy. She also didn’t rule out not playing sports in college and going to larger school — she cited West Virginia University (she was born in Buckhannon, W.Va.) and Virginia Commonwealth as options — but Cameron hasn’t made any decisions, yet.
Right now, she’s just enjoying being healthy. She’s also hoping for another shot at a state championship. Physical therapy can wait.
“It definitely broke my heart not being able to play out there,” Cameron said. “It’s definitely my main goal this year to get back to Richmond, get back out there on the court and be holding up the trophy with the girls this year.”
The do-it-all-17-year-old senior on the East Rockingham High School girls’ basketball team spent so much time in physical therapy the past two years, it was basically an internship.
“I knew I wanted to work with kids like me, and, just after spending so much time in there, I realized what a difference they made in my life,” Cameron said. “And I just wanted to carry that on into other people’s lives.”
Cameron has missed chunks of the last two seasons because of a stress fracture in her left foot and three torn ligaments in her right knee. Her sophomore year, the stress fracture cost her much of the Eagles’ playoff run, and last year as a junior, after ripping her ACL, MCL and meniscus during a left-handed layup in a midseason practice, Cameron missed the rest of the season — including East Rock’s Division 1 state championship.
“A lot of times, the girls went out and played for her because it’s hard,” ERHS coach Paul Comer said. “… We had such big expectations, and she got hurt. That was pretty painful to watch, because she’s such a hard worker and she put a lot of time in to help build this program. She’s just kind of the backbone of what we do.”
Also a tennis standout, Cameron missed a chance to defend her 2011 doubles state championship because of the torn ligaments.
Cameron estimated that she has spent nine months in physical therapy over the past two years, going to appointments three times a week. For the knee injury, Cameron had to drive more than a half hour each way to Weyers Cave for 7 a.m. appointments for six months.
“It’s really taught me to appreciate every game and every practice,” said Cameron, a former swimmer who joined the Valley Swim League’s Massanutten Marlins to help rehab her knee this summer. “My teammates and my coaches and my family really helped me through it. I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
Now, Cameron is back playing as well as she ever has.
The 5-foot-8 guard/forward, who can score in the lane or from the perimeter, is averaging 11.9 points per game, which ties her for second on the team with sophomore point guard Madison Comer. Senior guard Jessica Lam, averaging 15.8 points, leads the Eagles (10-0), who have won 38 straight games. The Virginia High School League record for consecutive wins by a girls’ basketball team is 80, set by Millbrook from 2010-12.
Cameron said she is very aware of her injury history when on the court.
“I’m definitely not going to take any charges this year, if you know what I mean,” she said with a laugh. “I’m not going to throw myself into dangerous situations, try to drive into a big crowd of people with a chance that I might get hit and something would get hurt. I’m more cautious. I’m trying to be smart about what I do with the ball.”
Cameron’s role this season goes beyond scoring. During her career — which started at Spotswood (she was redistricted to then-new East Rockingham as a sophomore) — she’s played every position for ERHS, including point guard as a sophomore. This year, she’s played power forward and even center in the Eagles’ four-around-one offense, playing with her back to the hoop more than ever — and she’s excelled.
In a game against Group AA Chancellor — it has 1,350 students to Group A ERHS’s 635 — Cameron had 14 rebounds in a 61-39 win. She leads the team with 6.1 per game. She’s also averaging 3.6 assists.
“She can do multiple things,” Comer said. “We’ve asked her to play with her back to the basket for a few years, much like we did with Chase Raynes [who graduated last year]. But we’ve given her the flexibility to get out on the perimeter and shoot the long ball a little bit.”
Cameron also has been crucial on defense, averaging 2.7 steals per game. The rangy Cameron clogs passing lanes, and with her quickness down low and height on the perimeter, creates mismatches wherever she goes.
Colleges have noticed her. Cameron said she’s been offered a partial scholarship to Division II Davis & Elkins (W.Va.). She’s also drawn interest from D-III Bridgewater and Lynchburg. For tennis, she said D-II West Liberty (W.Va.) and D-III Shenandoah have made overtures.
Cameron, who has better than a 4.0 grade-point average, said she will select her college based on which can best help her get into a graduate school for physical therapy. She also didn’t rule out not playing sports in college and going to larger school — she cited West Virginia University (she was born in Buckhannon, W.Va.) and Virginia Commonwealth as options — but Cameron hasn’t made any decisions, yet.
Right now, she’s just enjoying being healthy. She’s also hoping for another shot at a state championship. Physical therapy can wait.
“It definitely broke my heart not being able to play out there,” Cameron said. “It’s definitely my main goal this year to get back to Richmond, get back out there on the court and be holding up the trophy with the girls this year.”