Determination drives sophomore athlete

Sophomore Jennifer Skursky has overcome surgury on both knees in the past year to make a comeback to the court.

Nina Scimenes ASST. SPORTS EDITOR 'JMS722@CABRIM.EDL

Jennifer Skursky has been playing basketball for as long as she can remember. Skursky, a returning sophomore, plays forward for the Lady Cavaliers basketball team. Her love of the game is what got her through recovering from several knee injuries.

Being a player on Cabrini's team has been enjoyable for Skursky. "We all click well together," Skursky said. This year's team has only three new players, which makes the team very compatible on the court. "It didn't take long for the freshmen to learn our style of play together," Skursky said. Skursky stresses that closeness between the teammates and coaches adds to their successful season.

Playingthroughpain has been something Skursky is used to since high school. She played with a snapped ligament in her knee the whole season of her senior year at Wyoming Area High School in Pennsylvania. It was not until the summer she received serious surgery on it and had to go through a major recovery process. Physical therapy bas become a routine in order to keep strong and be able to play.

What a great Super Bowl. Who would have thought when you got your numbers for your box pool on Friday and you saw a two and nine as your fourth quarter numbers that you would even have a chance at the big pot. Good thing for made and failed t\vo point conversions! Yeah right. The halftime show was not set up beforehand, when four out of the five performers are singing and performing songs from five- IO years ago. I guess you got to do something to get back into mainstream America. l guess that means next year we can hope for "New Kids on the Block" and Debbie Gibson pulling each others clothes off.

Sophomore Jennifer Skursky still feels that her knee surgeries are holding her bac:k.

Last year at Cabrini she was unfortunate to injure her other knee while playing and ended up getting surgery again. Now she must play with a knee brace. With the help of her optimistic attitude towards her injuries she did not think twice about continuing to play basketball even though she had surgery on both of her knees. She did not let anything get in the way of getting back on the court. "Playing with a brace slows me down a little, and it's frustrating but not bad," Skursky said.

A goal that Skursky and her teammates set out for this season was to beat Neumann's team. They were looking forward toward this game since last year when they lost a close game against Neumann College. Their goal was met this January effectively with the game ending with a score of 70-54.

Making it to the playoffs is another one of the team's goals for the season and they are almost there. As of now the Lady Cav's record is 7-2 in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference. The upcoming game against Gwynedd-Mercy College on Saturday, Feb. 7 will be the determining factor of how far they can go for the homestretch of the season.

"Our goals are all in check," Skursky said.