Schools
Softball Star Beats Illness to Lead Pisgah Team
Courtney Condon makes successful return to Pisgah softball.
[Story submitted by Mount Pisgah Christian School]
In the first round of the state playoffs last week, sophomore softball player Courtney Condon hit a second-inning home run and pitched seven innings in a 5-4 Patriot victory over North Cobb Christian. In the region championship game, Condon got the winning hit in the ninth inning of an 11-10 win over Wesleyan. She also picked up the win on the mound after relieving starter Jenn Sapp in the fifth inning.
Condon has been a force this year for the Lady Patriots both on the mound and at the plate, and this week will help lead the Lady Patriots in the second round of the GHSA playoffs. But just nine months ago there were serious doubts as to whether or not Condon would ever be able to walk again, much less play softball.
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In December of 2010, just two months after she was named All-Region 5-A as a freshman, Condon was diagnosed with blood clots in both legs. She spent 19 days at Eggleston Children’s Hospital and endured three surgeries. At the end of the 19 days the clots were still present, but Condon was told to go home and not use her legs – relegating her to a wheelchair. The doctors were also concerned about gangrene and discussed amputation.
An Emory doctor, Lewis Martin, suggested the family look at the possibility of taking Courtney to see Dr. Patricia Thorpe in Arizona who specialized in these types of cases.
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“It was an awful hard decision to take her to Arizona and subject her to more surgery and more treatment,” said Felicia Condon, Courtney’s mother. “There is not much history of people Courtney’s age with blood clots like she had. It was a real aggressive move to take her out there.”
“I wanted to go. I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Courtney said. “Plus, I thought it would be cool to go to Arizona.”
Ultimately, Courtney did travel to Arizona, and after 15 days in a hospital and three more surgeries, the blood clots were gone. But after so much time off her legs, Condon still had an uphill battle to return to the diamond.
“I had to relearn how to walk,” she said. Courtney endured hours of physical therapy, going from a wheelchair to crutches and finally back to walking unassisted.
“It was a really emotional experience for me. I kept asking why this happened to me,” Courtney said.
In addition to relearning how to walk, Courtney learned a lot about herself.
“I learned that I took [softball] for granted. Softball means so much more to me now,” she said.
“You can tell that her battle through all of her health issues has helped her mature in a lot of ways. She has definitely learned how precious life and the talents that we are blessed with are. I remember her telling me not too long after she returned home that she would never take softball for granted if she could just get back out on the field,” said Pisgah head coach Haley Brooks. “I can see that appreciation every day at practice. There is a drive that was not quite there last year. One thing I have also noticed is the difference in her faith. She is definitely playing with a passion for something bigger than softball.”
“I didn’t always practice very hard,” Condon admitted. “But I want to play in college now.”
“I am amazed how she has been able to learn and bounce back from all the odds that were set against her. She is a determined young lady that has truly risen and conquered many challenges that would have put a lot of other athletes out of their game. She is swinging the bat better than I have ever seen her, and that is a direct effect from the focused effort at practice to make herself better. Along the same lines, she is constantly striving to extend her game on the mound, perfecting pitches and adding other things to her arsenal,” Brooks said.
But it wasn’t just softball that Courtney now realizes she took for granted.
“I took school for granted. It sounds weird, but I just wanted to come back to school and be back in class with my friends,” she said. “I also took my family for granted. I am now much closer to my brother.”
Courtney’s brother, Garrett, is a senior at Pisgah. He plays on the varsity basketball and baseball teams.
“This experience matured her a lot. It put her more in touch with God. She used her spirituality a lot to get through,” Felicia said.
But it wasn’t just Courtney who grew from this experience – her family did as well. Felicia said the Pisgah community was amazingly supportive during this time. When Felicia and her husband, Gary, took Courtney to Arizona they had to leave Garrett at home. Felicia said they were comforted in this decision knowing that he would have so many people to watch out for him.
Felicia also said that Courtney’s pediatrician, Dr. Susan Traxler, and her husband, Dr. Malcom Traxler have been a constant source of assistance for the family. Felicia said she talks to one of the doctors almost daily.
This season Condon is 11-2 on the mound with a 2.76 ERA. Opponents are hitting .196 against her. Offensively, the middle infielder is hitting .424 with 3 home runs, 26 RBIs and 18 runs scored.
With all of her medical issues in the past, Courtney and her teammates can now focus on the state playoffs. The Lady Patriots (21-3) will host Georgia Military (21-10) in the second round of the GHSA Class A playoffs this week. The best of three series will begin Thursday at noon at Pisgah’s Patriot Athletic Campus, which is located at 9825 Brumbelow Road in Johns Creek.
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