Brandon Long's right leg is covered in bandages and wraps, his knee rendered useless for the next nine months. Just weeks ago, he was throwing and jumping for the Ohio men's track and field team. Today, he hobbles from class to class, supported by a pair of crutches, and it makes you cringe to see such a natural athlete debilitated and humbled to this extent.
The shame in this story is that none of it had to happen.
During the State Farm Games, held Feb. 9 in Morgantown, W.Va., Long was entered in the long jump, an event he had never before attempted, even in practice. Long was unable to train for the event because there was no available indoor area to practice such an event.
When Long prepared to jump, the ground was wet with snow, and disaster was very possible. Within seconds, something had, in fact, gone terribly wrong. Long slipped and felt pain sear through his right leg. He had torn both his anterior and medial collateral ligaments and lost some cartilage.
The injury would be a lot for anyone to digest, let alone a young man who has long been active in sports. Long also walked on to Ohio's swimming and diving team and started a recreational Ultimate Frisbee club. Though he is not bitter or resentful today, he easily could be, and maybe he should be.
Long should have been able to practice the long jump in practice, not during a meet. Long and all other Ohio athletes need a quality indoor facility.
Basketball players aren't asked to practice on the South Green courts during the winter, and swimmers and divers aren't directed to the Hocking for early morning swims. Why, then, are Ohio's track and field athletes forced to practice without a sufficient arena? The team meets daily in the Convo's lobby to stretch before dispersing to train, many of them venturing back into the cold. Sure, it might not be snowing today, but what about a month ago? While other students were bundled with coats and scarves, this squad carried forward.
How many more Ohio athletes could sustain serious injuries due to the lack of an indoor training facility? How many more injuries will it take before one is built? The track and field team needs to be given a fair chance to compete with other Mid-American Conference schools, many of which have their own indoor centers.
Right now, though, the team is just like Brandon Long's knee - handicapped because of what it doesn't have.
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Matt LaWell
