WASHINGTON, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — Senior Addie Kimler knows what it’s like to overcome adversity.
The Washington senior suffered a knee injury the summer before her sophomore year that sidelined her most of the that season.
“When I was hurt, I’d come to practice and ride the (stationary) bike on the sideline,” Kimler said. “I lost 25 pounds of muscle in an instant, like three weeks to a month.”
The 5-10 forward worked her way back into a key role for the Panthers and hasn’t missed a game the past two seasons. She’s one of the big reasons Washington has been state ranked all season and heads into Tuesday’s Richwoods sectional with a 25-4 record.
“I love these girls, I love being here. This is my happy place,” said Kimler inside Torry Gymnasium. “It’s where I’m able to let go of everything that’s going on outside of my life.”
Kimler’s toughness was really put to the test a couple weeks ago in a game at Richwoods. In the first minute of the game, she dove for a ball and hit the floor.
a Richwoods player fell on her head which slammed to the court. she lost a couple of teeth and broke her nose.
“My face was full of court. My teeth and my nose, they got all court,” Kimler said with a smile. “My dad came down (from the stands) and asked, ‘do you want to play?’ I said yeah!”
Kimler re-entered the game but eventually left for the emergency room at halftime.
“I said, ‘you’re tough.’ I don’t know a lot of boys that would have gone back into the game and wanted to play,” said Washington girls basketball coach Kim Barth. “But I think it’s kind of woke her up.”
The day after the game, Kimler underwent an eight-hour procedure that included a double root canal and temporary crowns being placed in her mouth. After her trip to the dentist, she went to watch her team practice.
She didn’t miss a game.
Now she’s determined now to help the Panthers take a bite out of their sectional opponent, Geneseo, on the same Richwoods floor where she lost her teeth last month.
“I’d do that hustle play all over again,” Kimler said. “I went back into the game because I wanted to be there so badly.”
