By Marty Hastings/Kamloops This Week
Meghan Faust heard two sounds, neither of which she cares to hear again.
The first was the sound of an ACL tearing and the second was Emma Parmar screaming in anguish.
Faust, head coach of the Kelowna-based Okanagan Mission Huskies, knew her Grade 12 student害羞草研究所檚 season had ended before it started, the injury coming in the team害羞草研究所檚 last practice before their first game of the 2017-2018 B.C. Secondary Schools Girls Basketball Association campaign.
害羞草研究所淚 ended up on the ground screaming,害羞草研究所� Parmar said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e never been in that much pain before. It was devastating knowing I害羞草研究所檓 in Grade 12, this is my last year and it was all over. It was heartbreaking.害羞草研究所�
What made the moment worse was it stamped out three years害羞草研究所� worth of rehab. Parmar sprained her left ACL in Grade 9 and missed most of her Grade 10 and 11 seasons.
Parmar toiled strenuously to rehab the knee last summer.
害羞草研究所淏asketball has always been a passion of mine,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 was doing really well with my rehab and I was ready害羞草研究所擨 was ready to play this year. I was super excited.害羞草研究所�
Her torn right ACL on Nov. 29 should have been the sad ending to the story.
Then the Saints came marching in.
One of the saints was coach Faust and the other was Cassie Ferguson, a Grade 11 point guard for the NorKam Saints. The Kamloops school was invited to play in Okanagan Mission害羞草研究所檚 New Year害羞草研究所檚 Classic last weekend in Kelowna.
Parmar is still a registered member of the Huskies. She has gone to practices and games all season. If she can害羞草研究所檛 play post, she害羞草研究所檒l post up on the sidelines and cheer.
害羞草研究所淲e had our team picture on Friday,害羞草研究所� Faust said. 害羞草研究所淚 could see the tears in her eyes. She had her uniform on. I knew it was going to be a really hard weekend for her. I害羞草研究所檝e known her since Grade 8. She害羞草研究所檚 always been that one kid that sticks out as the hardest-working, that wanted it the most.害羞草研究所�
Fast-forward to Game 1 of the tournament, the Saints and Huskies playing during school hours in front of a partisan Okanagan Mission crowd.
The Huskies, the fourth-ranked AA school in the province, went up big in a one-sided affair that would end 75-31, a scoreline rendered meaningless and forgettable by an act of sportsmanship by NorKam害羞草研究所檚 Ferguson.
Coach Faust remembered Parmar had her uniform with her at the team picture. With the game already in the bag and a competitive schedule ahead, it may have been the only time to give the hobbled athlete a chance to reach the scoresheet in her senior year.
害羞草研究所淚 looked down and thought, 害羞草研究所極K, let害羞草研究所檚 just put her in and see what we can do,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Faust, who has been teaching for 11 years. 害羞草研究所淗er face was something I害羞草研究所檒l never forget. She walked off to put her uniform on. She had the biggest grin. It was one of the most special moments of my coaching career and life.害羞草研究所�
Parmar was having a moment of her own in the locker room.
害羞草研究所淭he smile on my face was huge and I could not get it off,害羞草研究所� Parmar said. 害羞草研究所淚 went to put on my jersey and looked at myself in the mirror for the first time. I just started crying. It was really emotional.害羞草研究所�
With 1:58 remaining in the fourth quarter, Parmar entered the game.
She was unable to run or jump. She could barely even move. But she set up shop in the offensive zone and her teammates fed her the rock.
One shot害羞草研究所攎iss. Another attempt害羞草研究所攏o good. A third and surely final prayer害羞草研究所攗nanswered.
害羞草研究所淚 was embarrassed,害羞草研究所� said Parmar, whose peers in the crowd could barely watch. 害羞草研究所淢y stomach was in knots. I was super anxious. I just wanted it really badly.害羞草研究所�
Ferguson害羞草研究所檚 elder sister, Emily, played with Parmar on a select club team two years ago. The Saints害羞草研究所� point guard knew enough about Parmar害羞草研究所檚 situation to do something about it.
害羞草研究所淗er shots just weren害羞草研究所檛 dropping,害羞草研究所� Ferguson said. 害羞草研究所淢y teammate inbounded it to me. There were five seconds left. I just passed Emma the ball and told her to shoot.害羞草研究所�
Once again, Parmar was unable to drain the basket. Ferguson snared the rebound and gave her opponent one last shot.
害羞草研究所淎t that point, there was only one second left on the clock,害羞草研究所� Ferguson recalled.
The Huskies held their breath. 害羞草研究所淭he shot went in, the buzzer went and everyone started crying,害羞草研究所� Faust said.
Parmar was mobbed.
害羞草研究所淭here was not a single person in the gym who had a dry eye,害羞草研究所� Parmar said.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檒l never forget that moment and that feeling. I害羞草研究所檓 so thankful and grateful to her [Cassie]. I was in shock. We害羞草研究所檙e not little anymore. It害羞草研究所檚 very competitive. For her to make it about more than the game and recognize that, for me, it was greater than that害羞草研究所t was just incredible.害羞草研究所�
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