The Junior Student-Athlete Turns Adversity Into a Championship Comeback
For Sydney Hupp, sports had always been a major part of life. Whether it was basketball or softball, competition gave her a place to push herself, represent her team and chase the next goal. Then, suddenly, she couldn’t play at all.
A torn ACL and MCL forced “Syd” to endure months away from competition. This injury eventually presented her with one of the most difficult decisions of her young athletic career. She had to choose to continue trying to play both basketball and softball, or close the door on basketball and devote herself completely to the sport she had always loved most.
For Hupp, the answer became clear.
“When I tore my ACL and MCL, I knew then I had to pick whether or not I was going to try to play a couple more years of basketball or just make the transition into just playing softball,” Hupp said. “I had always had my mind set that softball was my number one sport. So when the injury happened, I took that as a sign to just stick to softball.”
It was a decision that came with plenty of emotion. Her parents, Jim and Melissa Hupp, knew what basketball meant to their daughter and believed she had the ability to become an accomplished player on the court. At the same time, they understood that the decision ultimately had to belong to Sydney.
“Definitely sad,” Jim and Melissa said of the emotions surrounding the decision. “We think she could’ve been an above-average basketball player. Ultimately, we let her decide, but we talked about the risk factors involved and the good and bad that would come with it. It was tough, no doubt.”
Before Sydney could begin writing the next chapter of her softball career, however, she first had to overcome the injury and get healthy. The months without sports presented a completely different challenge for an athlete accustomed to constantly being on the court or on the softball diamond.
Hupp tried to remain connected to the game she loved, even when she couldn’t participate herself.
“I just tried to distract myself,” she said. “I watched more sports on TV, and we went to a lot of baseball, basketball, football and hockey games.”
Eventually, watching gave way to working. Once Hupp was able to turn her attention toward returning to softball, she didn’t immediately try to do everything at once. Instead, she returned to the foundation and fundamentals of her craft.
“I just zoned in and went back to the basics and worked on mechanics,” Hupp said. “I pushed myself to come back stronger and better than I was before my injury.”
The physical work was only part of the comeback. There were also questions that couldn’t necessarily be answered in a training room.
“What if I re-injure myself?” Hupp remembered thinking. “What if I go into a slide and hurt my knee again? Or what if I don’t perform well like I used to before?”
Those fears could have defined her return, instead, overcoming them became part of her story. Jim and Melissa had already considered their daughter mentally tough before the injury. Watching her navigate rehabilitation and return to competition only strengthened that belief.
“I think her mental toughness is off the charts,” Jim said. “I thought that before the injury, and after everything she has gone through, it’s only gotten stronger. It has absolutely helped her, from dealing with in-game mistakes on the field to knowing she has to work for everything and anything she wants in life.”
The Art of Hard Work
The countless practices, lessons, early mornings and late nights ultimately led Hupp back to where she wanted to be and then came a moment that made all of it worth it. As a sophomore at Wheeling Central Catholic, Hupp helped the Maroon Knights capture a state softball championship, defeating top-seeded Wahama 12-2.
For someone who had once wondered what her athletic future would look like, being part of a state championship team became Hupp’s proudest moment since returning.
“Winning the state championship my sophomore year and being able to be a part of something so memorable and special,” Hupp said of what stands above the rest.
The championship game itself didn’t begin with Wheeling Central in control. The Maroon Knights found themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 score before putting two runs on the board in the third inning. Once Central grabbed the lead, the momentum continued to build.
“It was an amazing feeling that I’ll never forget,” Hupp said. “Early in the game we were down 1-0 going to the third inning, and then we tacked on two runs. After that, we really got on a roll and never looked back.”
There was also another source of motivation that Hupp and her teammates noticed. A number four seed in the State Tournament.
“Coming into the tournament we were ranked the No. 4 seed,” she said. “I think my teammates, coaches and I all took that personally, and I think that’s what gave us extra motivation to go out and prove everyone wrong.”
For Jim and Melissa, seeing Sydney win a championship was special. Seeing everything that went into getting her there made it mean even more.
“Definitely satisfaction,” they said of watching their daughter thrive again. “Knowing how hard she worked to get back to the level she is today. Before and after her injury, all of the hard work, practices, hitting and pitching lessons, early mornings, late nights. To overcome what she has at such a young age, it has taught her valuable life lessons. She’s an inspiration. She is the toughest kid we know.”
Wearing Wheeling Central’s maroon and white has also carried special meaning for the family. Sydney has been a varsity contributor since her freshman season. Her success hasn’t been limited to the diamond, either.
“You only have four years of high school, and since Syd was 6 years old, softball was her love,” Jim said. “We wanted her to be at a smaller school where she wouldn’t get lost in the crowd and where she would get a fair shot and earn her position. She started on varsity as a freshman at first base, then catcher her sophomore year while winning the state championship. More importantly, in the classroom she has had high honors in every semester. Wheeling Central has definitely been a blessing for us.”
Softball also provides the Hupp family opportunities to travel together. One of Sydney’s favorite parts of those road trips is visiting universities and seeing their athletic facilities, but sports don’t always have to involve Sydney being the one competing.
She’s also a Pittsburgh Pirates fan who has spent plenty of time at PNC Park with her family.
“I’ve basically grown up at PNC Park,” Hupp said. “My favorite part is keeping score with my dad.”
Those moments are another reminder that Sydney’s journey has always involved family. The injury changed that journey, but it didn’t end it. It also gave Sydney an unexpected idea for what she may want to do beyond softball. Her parents credit physical therapist Justin Kiger with making such an impression during her rehabilitation that Sydney now has an interest in pursuing the profession herself.
The Hupp’s advice to parents facing a similar situation is simple: listen, ask questions and don’t rush the process.
“Listen to the doctors and find a good physical therapist,” Jim and Melissa said. “Don’t be afraid to seek other people out that have been in the situation and ask questions. Assume nothing. You can’t cut corners, but in Syd’s case, she came back stronger and faster than before.”
Sydney offers similar advice to athletes suddenly facing the long road she once faced.
“I’d say to just try to be positive about it all and try to make the best of it, even though it sucks,” Hupp said. “In the long run, it’ll make you stronger mentally and physically. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions to people who have gone through these injuries before.”
For Sydney Hupp, stronger isn’t simply a word used to describe her repaired knee. It’s who she is. It’s the player, and person, who chose to never quit and to continue the journey of accomplishing her goals.
