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Lisa Wheat

BUFFALO, NY - December 2001 marked a new beginning for outfielder Lisa Wheat (Olympia, WA/Tumwater). She was home in Olympia, WA for break after her first semester at the University at Buffalo when her car collided head-on with a pickup truck. Wheat spent four weeks in the hospital, where she received five operations to put titanium rods in her right arm and leg, since her bones had been shattered.

Wheat's doctors did not imagine that she would be able to walk in less than a year and a half, let alone play softball that fast. As an optimist would, Wheat said, "I was shocked and frustrated when I was told I wasn't going to be able to walk for a long time. But, I wasn't going to let the doctors tell me that I wasn't going to be able to play. I wasn't thinking about my injuries all that much. I thought to myself that I would be able to play and I would be able to work through it."

Without her family, friends, team, and coaches, it would have been difficult for Wheat to get back on track so quickly. "They pushed me at points when I wanted to give up because it was really hard for me to get through the injuries," said Wheat.

At first, coming back to UB after a semester was hard on Wheat. However, being far away from home was easier since she had friends who she had become close with as a result of the accident. Working with a fun and understanding team and coaches has made Wheat's recovery easier.

Three days before the one-year anniversary of her accident, Wheat was cleared to play softball for the 2003 season. "I was really excited but also at the same time, frustrated because I wasn't going to be able to play at the same level as I did last year," she said.

Something positive has come out of this negative situation. Wheat said, "I have changed a lot. As a person, I have become more open and don't take things for granted anymore. As an athlete, I've become stronger and know what it is like to work harder than I've ever worked before."

In preparation for the 2003 season, Wheat has been working out with the team, running and conditioning. Last semester, she went to physical therapy three times a week. Wheat continues to go through rehabilitation, with another surgery scheduled for May to reconstruct the nerves in her right arm.

The softball team kicked off its season on February 28th in Miami, FL at the Florida International Invitational. Wheat appeared in two games at the tournament as a pinch hitter, and she is projected to be the starting designated player for the remainder of the year.

Head softball coach Marie Curran summed up the team's feelings about how Wheat's courageous comeback affected them. "After seeing Lisa on crutches and not being able to walk a year ago at this time, it gave our whole team chills to watch her warm up and swing a bat in her first collegiate game last weekend," she said. "Almost losing a teammate has given our players a new appreciation for life. They have an understanding that softball is a game; it's not something we have to do. We do it because we want to and because we love it."

~ Written by Ariella Levine