More than a year ago, the roar of the crowd became silent as they saw Ciara Byars sustain a major injury on the court; the cheers turned into gasps of concern, filling the air with a heavy sense of disbelief.
Ciara was faced with a long and difficult journey back to the court, but her determination never weakened. Now, she’s making an inspiring comeback, demonstrating remarkable resilience and great
leadership.
Byars’ injury occurred on Jan. 6th, 2024, and she had surgery shortly after on Jan. 25th, 2024. She completely tore her right ACL and tore her meniscus from all angles.
Having a key player watch from the sidelines is very challenging and has a big impact on the team.
“Losing Ciara was a tough blow to our program,” said Coach Robbie Graham. “She is such a hard working and dedicated young lady. So, when she went down, it definitely hit us hard mentally.”
Coach Graham said her loss was felt in many ways.
“Ciara is our leader; that is a role that can’t be taught. We definitely missed her presence on the floor. She was our leader in several basketball statistical categories.”
Through Byars’ hard work in recovery, she was able to hit the court again in late January, more than a year after the injury. She still maintains physical therapy weekly, and is getting stronger every day.
“I am fully recovered; now it’s just a matter of becoming more confident,” said Byars. “Then also, getting back in great shape to be able to play my best for as long as I’m out there.”
Being able to once again play with her teammates is something Byars has been eagerly anticipating for months.
“I missed competing with my teammates – win, lose, or draw,” she said. “I love being around them and just going out and playing for each other. It’s one of my favorite things about basketball with the leadership and the friends that you gain from it. So, not being able to help them as much as I wanted was tough, but I am very excited to get to play with my girls again.”
Watching a player return to the court and play again is an unbeatable feeling. It makes the team feel complete to have everyone back
together.
“When Ciara returned to practice it was very uplifting,” said Coach Graham. “The energy was crazy high. Probably one of the most spirited practices all year. Having Ciara back gives us something we didn’t have while she was injured. She is a major presence on both ends of the floor.”
With all of Byars’ hard work throughout the years, she has achieved many milestones and accomplishments.
She has committed and signed with the University of Michigan and was GRC’s first-ever McDonald’s All American nominee.
“I’m excited to play for a prestigious university in a top-notch basketball program with amazing coaches and teammates who will push me to be the best version of myself daily,” said Byars.
As Byars’ high school journey comes to an end, GRC Hoops will continue to support her in the years ahead.
“We will enjoy the rest of our time watching her wear a GRC jersey as her career at GRC is coming to an end,” said Coach Graham. “We will celebrate her next journey at the University of Michigan. It’s been an honor and a pleasure coaching Ciara.”
Byars’ experiences at GRC have been crucial in her growth, providing a solid foundation that she will carry to the University of Michigan.
“In high school, we are known to win at GRC and I plan to bring that winning attitude to Michigan, where it’s already tradition,” said Byars. “I also gained leadership skills from playing with great leaders and I want to take those leadership qualities to the next level.”
Even while Byars was battling her own injury, she never failed to show strong leadership to her teammates.
“Ciara’s leadership is unmatched,” said Coach Graham. “Throughout the injury her leadership never wavered whatsoever. As good a player as she is, her leadership skills may be one of her best characteristics.”
Throughout Byars’ journey over the past year, she maintained a positive mindset and knew that there would be a light at the end of the tunnel.
“Sometimes life is hard and there is nothing you can do about it,” said Byars. “But you can still be a great person and a great teammate while continuing goals that you want to achieve even though they may take a little longer to get there.”
