Michael Baginski and Caitlyn Rohrbach both faced challenges during their senior year.
The way the two Meadowdale seniors handled those challenges revealed a lot about their character and helps to explain why they were named their school’s athletes of the year for 2005-06.
The challenge Baginski faced was physical.
During the Mavericks’ homecoming game in November, Baginski tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). In an instant, Baginski’s football season came to an end and his entire senior year was in jeopardy. Baginski, who played linebacker, also wrestled and ran track.
Following his surgery, Baginski said he was feeling pretty down. At Christmas, Baginski received a gym membership as a gift and he started working out.
Instead of dwelling on his injury, Baginski focused on his recovery.
“That really helped me to get back faster,” he said. “(Working out) got my mind off it. I stopped feeling sorry for myself.”
Baginski still ended up missing the wrestling season, which was a huge disappointment. When he was entering high school, Baginski had to decide between playing basketball or wrestling. He settled on the latter sport and never regretted his decision.
“I liked the atmosphere of the sport,” he said. “Wrestling was probably my favorite just because of how hard I had to work.”
With his senior season of wrestling gone, Baginski set his sights on his final year of track.
Meadowdale track coach Aaron Cupp didn’t know what to expect from Baginski, a sprinter.
Baginski’s physical therapy was proceeding faster than he anticipated and he was able to start some light jogging. Baginski wasn’t 100 percent when the track season started but he estimated he was 80 to 90 percent recovered halfway through the season.
“He just kept getting better and better as the season went along,” Cupp said. “You really want athletes to peak at the end of the year. His performance was consistent with those types of goals.”
Baginski ran his career best times in the 100, 200 and 400 races.
“I kind of ended up surprising everyone,” he said. “It really takes something to come back from all that, to bounce back. I was a stronger person than I thought I was.”
Baginski wasn’t just focused on his recovery to the exclusion of his teammates.
Far from it.
Baginski was a strong leader for the Meadowdale track team.
“He leads mostly by example,” Cupp said. “He’s not a big rah-rah type of guy. He comes out and shows you how it needs to be done. He speaks when he needs to speak.”
At the end of the season, Baginski was recognized with the Maverick award. All five track coaches unanimously voted for Baginski, who they felt exemplified the best of Meadowdale track and field through his hard work, his performance and his leadership with the younger athletes.
“He works really, really hard,” Cupp said. “I just respect him. That’s the biggest compliment a coach can give an athlete.”
If there was one player the Meadowdale girls basketball team could turn to turn in times of trouble, it was Caitlyn Rohrbach.
When starting point guard Eryn Jones went down with a leg injury during the regular season, Mavericks coach Dan Taylor looked to Rohrbach to run the offense.
In the state playoffs, Jones again suffered a leg injury and Rohrbach again stepped in and even scored the go-ahead basket in a tight game as Meadowdale edged Western Conference South Division rival Jackson and then went on to take eighth place in the Class 4A tournament.
To bring home a state trophy was a surprise considering that the Mavericks were missing two starters, who were dismissed from the team during the regular season due to violations of the district athletic code.
Rohrbach never lost sight of the big picture in spite of all the distractions.
“The main thing … is just to keep reaching for your goals,” she said. “No matter what happens to people around you, persevere and keep your eyes on where you want to end up and you’ll end up there.
“You’ve got to keep persevering and not get caught up in it.”
Rohrbach, who also played volleyball, was Meadowdale’s leading scorer and rebounder. She earned first-team, all-league honors in basketball and second-team recognition in volleyball. Rohrbach is headed to the University of Alaska (Anchorage) on a basketball scholarship.
Taylor describes Rohrbach as both an assertive leader and yet someone who was very giving to her teammates.
“She puts others before herself,” Taylor said. “She does a great job of teaching others — younger players. She has great communication skills. She’s a great listener. She’s always making sure that everyone’s opinion is heard as well.”
Rohrbach has years of experience working with younger players. Since her freshman year, Rohrbach has been an instructor at her father Mike’s basketball camps where she works with youth from ages 7-14.
The key is just to stay positive and to offer encouragement, Rohrbach said.
For Rohrbach, leadership doesn’t end on the court. The decisions made off the court are just as important.
“Every choice you make is noticed,” Rohrbach said. “Being a leader is a full-time job, not only on the court. It’s getting your grades taken care of, setting an example in the community and just being yourself and staying true to your values, even through the tough times.
“It’s also helping others keep their eyes on their goals, too.”
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