Jackson Shaw is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Paradise Valley High School for AZPreps365.com

Battling back from a serious knee injury, Tatum Berrington’s resilience and determination served as an inspiration not only to her teammates but to everyone who witnessed her incredible comeback. 

The Paradise Valley senior suffered a torn meniscus in her left knee on Aug. 28, just four days after the first volleyball match of her senior season. The tear caused swelling in the knee and immensely limited her range of motion. 

It was not until about two weeks later that Berrington received the MRI results and learned the extent of her knee injury. On top of the physical pain she was experiencing, the anticipation added mental anxiety as she awaited the results. 

“The biggest mental struggle I had was being afraid that I had torn something more important than my meniscus. … I was afraid that my senior season was over,” Berrington said. 

With the help of Paradise Valley’s athletic training staff and a family friend, Berrington was slowly able to increase her range of motion in her knee and begin to recover. Until then, Berrington was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch as her team struggled to adapt to the less experienced setters.

“We had to quickly readjust our plan for the beginning of the season. Tatum is a very smart person and a super smart volleyball player. She can read the court and knows where to put the ball,” Paradise Valley head coach Jessica Spencer said. 

The loss of Berrington forced the whole team to adjust to her absence. The team’s leading hitters, seniors Amanda Plisko and Lauren Patentreger, were forced to get used to receiving sets from the younger setters. Spencer also said that Berrington was a great server and that missing out on those points was a big loss. 

“We quickly learned that she was an integral part of our team and we struggled to make up for her absence. It was definitely a learning curve, but we were forced to become more resilient as a program overall,” sophomore Julia Yoder said. 

Berrington eased her way back into playing by practicing in small intervals to ensure she knew the extent her knee could handle. She practiced for two weeks before making her return to the court on Sept. 27 in a home match against Sunrise Mountain. 

“I wasn’t expecting my coach to immediately throw me back in,” Berrington said. “But I'm glad she did because I feel as though her trust in my ability to play helped me feel more confident.”

While the average recovery time for a torn meniscus is about two or three months, Berrington played in her first game back just a month later. She still is scheduled to undergo surgery, but says she is unsure if she will follow through with it as her knee feels better every day.

Berrington felt support from all of her teammates as they encouraged her throughout the whole process. Even though her first few practices were a struggle, she knew her teammates were right by her side. 

“Tatum is a workhorse like any good setter has to be. ... She’s a really dedicated person in all aspects of her life, definitely including volleyball,” Yoder said. 

Berrington plans to play for her club team starting soon and is as excited as ever to continue playing the sport she loves.