The bond between physical therapist and patient is ever-so unique, built on trust, nurtured by knowledge, and cemented in compassion and oftentimes humor. It is a bond rarely – if ever – broken. Such is the case of Ty Wagg, PT, DPT, Clinic Manager at Rock Valley’s Muscatine, Iowa-based (North Port) clinic, and William Penn University running back Jesse Reinier. Both have earned a sturdy branch in the other’s tree of trust. “I immediately thought about Ty after I got hurt this last time, and for sure, after my surgery,’’ said Reinier, a tough-as-nails-type, with the perfect give-n-take sense of humor. “I sent him a picture of my knee. I knew we had some work to do together, that he would be the one to get me back on the field. He has always understood my goals.’’ It is a shade past 1 on a cloudy spring afternoon. Therapist and patient are upbeat and ready to chase Reinier’s goal of playing a role in the success of William Penn University football. He is but seven days post-op from his second reconstructive knee surgery, a football-related injury that will see him (medically) redshirt his 2026 season with the Quakers but will have him back in time to compete in 2027 and beyond. “Simple corner post (route) with a couple weeks left in the season,’’ Reinier said of the fateful play. “I reached for the ball, came down and someone landed on my leg. I thought it was broken at first.’’ Wagg and Reinier have begun the tedious, sometimes laborious, and lengthy stretch that is rehabilitation from a surgically repaired knee. It helps that Wagg, a 24-karat gem on all of life’s fronts, and Reinier, comedian-funny, are friends. The athlete respects the therapist's athletic background, his knowledge, and his amazing ability to relate. The therapist respects the athlete’s skill, dedication, and desire to be back on the field, reach his goals, and live out his dream. Watch them first-hand and it’s easy to understand the appreciation they have for one another. In high school, Reinier produced a video seeking Wagg’s input on what life as a therapist entails. He also job-shadowed Wagg and is an exercise science major at William Penn, hoping someday to be a physical therapist. Therapy, between therapist and patient, is about care and respect. And humor…Lots and lots of humor. Their relationship is a biproduct of a young man and his family putting its trust in a gifted therapist. Not for the first time, mind you, but for a third time. Wagg guided Reinier through a football-related knee reconstruction during his junior football season in high school and treated him for a football-sidelining shoulder injury as well as the following campaign. The duo has lived rough times together, but have experienced a plethora of goal-reaching, back-to-the-field-and-doing-what-you love days as well. They know the journey. “I had no idea what to expect in high school when I first got to know Ty,’’ said Reinier, an All- District first team prep standout at Louisa-Muscatine High School, who followed Wagg from his days as a therapist at Rock Valley’s Cedarwood (Muscatine) clinic to his current spot as clinic manager at North Port. “When I first came in, I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect,’’ added Reinier. “But once I started talking with Ty – and after a couple of visits – we just kind of bonded – like we have known each other for a long time. He gives great advice. I have great respect for Ty. And he can take it when I give him crap, and I can take it when he gives me a tough time. The thing is, he knows and gets what my goals are, and he is right there with me trying to achieve them. He’s a really good dude.’’ Wagg and Reinier were brought together by Rock Valley’s Sarah Schoon LAT, ATC, following Reinier's first knee injury. “Sarah, who is tremendous in so many ways, decided we would be a good pair, the right fit,’’ Wagg said. “I have always had great communication with her. She saw that the first surgery was going to be painful and that we would have lots of precautions that you must drill home to a 16-year-old to make it work. I think she was right in that we would work well together.’’ Having shared the experience once before, Wagg says he has a grasp on what makes Reiner go. He knows he will not back down from the task before him and will – on many occasions – challenge Wagg. “Athletes need that competitive edge and Jesse is no different,’’ Wagg said. “We will get to weight-bearing, working to improve quad strength and motion in the first six weeks, then go from there. Jesse will be ready; he is always ready. Sure, there is some trash talking, that’s the fun and beauty of this. It’s not easy, but Jesse is motivated and has goals. And yes, we will wager something that involves squats and push-ups; that adds something to our time together and is motivation for us both. It’s about working the mental balance and building confidence. For Reinier, the road to making his way back to college football now has a bump in the middle of it. It has not – for one second – deterred him or kept him from chasing his dream and reaching his goals of “taking a hand off to the crib.’’ It helps to have someone in his trust tree sharing the same vision and goals. “I’m more motivated now than ever to get back,’’ Reinier said. “It seems like a long time, but it really isn’t. And I trust Ty and everyone here to help me with that. I know I am in the right place with Ty and Rock Valley.’’ By: Johnny Marx, Rock Valley Storyteller
"He’s great; he listens and will always talk me through something,’’ Dierickx said of Kersten. “He knows what he is doing and is always pushing me in a good way. It helps when he tells me that nothing is wrong; it’s just that something is going to be sore along the way."
