Fresno State Athletics
A Season on the Sidelines
12/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 1999
By Abby Wigstrom, Fresno State Media Relations
This is not the dream final season that Laura Paukert was hoping would end her Fresno State basketball career. After a junior year of leading the Bulldogs as team captain and taking the floor as a starting guard, the 5 foot 7 inch fifth-year senior Bulldog had aspirations of greatness for this team. What Paukert did not know however was that the first preseason team practice would shatter all of her 1999-00 season goals. Within the first ten minutes of drills, Paukert went down with a ruptured ACL.
"When I fell I knew right away it was over. I?d never had an injury before so this was a huge shock, a whole different state of mind," Paukert said.
When the injury sank in, Paukert said she had to change her season goals from being a dominate player in the WAC to rehabilitating her knee.
"Instead of wanting do well in the WAC, now I just can?t wait until I can run and jump," Paukert said.
It is an injury story that many Bulldog teammates have known well this season, but none better than teammate and sophomore Janie McCombs. McCombs, who started five of the Bulldogs? games last season, went up for a routine layup in practice early this year and came down with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
"It felt like someone had stepped on my heel," McCombs said. "It hurt but it wasn?t painful. I thought it was no big deal and I?d be back playing in a couple of days."
McCombs knew it was serious when she found herself in the doctor?s office ten minutes later.
"He asked me to flex my calf. It felt like I was flexing and he just stopped talking. When he got quiet I knew something was wrong," McCombs said.
Now, both Paukert and McCombs are sitting on the sidelines watching as game after game and practice upon practice passes them by.
"It?s very frustrating sitting on the bench," Paukert said. "I hate everything about it. I want to be in the game. Who would have thought I?d be sitting on the sidelines every single day of my senior year?"
"It?s hard and a little frustrating," McCombs said. "I try to stay on the positive side though. The first game of the season I was very upset. It was hard to see my teammates prepare for the game, put on the new uniforms and get taped. I just felt like I didn?t fit in wearing my sweat suit."
Although the limping Bulldogs do not suit up in the new Bulldog garb, the two are maintaining their positions on the team as strong leaders.
"The two see things through a different lens now that they are injured," head coach Britt King said. "They can?t get out there and participate when in their hearts they want to. So instead, they are positive vocal leaders that yell out encouragement and keep everyone pumped up. They know what it takes to compete at this level and they share their knowledge and experience with the others."
Particularly, King said, they help the five new freshman.
"I?m still a part of the team," Paukert said. "I?m a leader from the sidelines. I think the freshman are doing a good job. They came in with an attitude to work hard and they have all earned the positions they are playing."
"Since I can?t lead by example, my job now is to motivate the team and support them," McCombs said.
Supporting the team from the bench does not dissolve the competitive nature in these two Bulldogs. They are both anticipating the day when they can get back out on the floor. Unfortunately, however, it will not be in the 1999-00 season for either of them.
"I will get to play again in July," McCombs said. "The team doesn?t know how lucky they are to be out there. Next year I?m not going to complain about anything. They are going to have to pull me off the floor because I will not pull myself out."
As for Paukert, her Fresno State basketball career may not have the anti-climactic ending that now seems so grim. Paukert and the Bulldog coaching staff will be petitioning the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility once this season has ended. Paukert used her redshirt year her sophomore season due to illness.
"We are pretty confident that I will get the extra year to play," Paukert said. "I would love to play again and I look forward to playing with the freshmen. Going out this way is something I?ve never wanted to do but if I don?t get to play I can?t be too sad about it. I know that life takes different steps and I?m ready to take the next one."
