Estella Bognar remembers the day and the moment. She was at the net during volleyball camp, preparing to jump, strike the ball and land.
Ah, the landing.
That’s when Bognar’s left knee went one way and the rest of her body went another.
“I knew something was wrong when I landed,’’ said the outgoing and personable sophomore-to-be at Rockridge High School. “You just know…And I knew when I landed there was trouble.’’
Bognar tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee. Surgery and rehabilitation followed, costing the multi-sport athlete all but one game of her freshman athletic campaign.
Everything surrounding the injury would test her will, her determination and force her outside the bounds of comfort. It would also give Bognar the chance to create a special bond of trust and strength with her physical therapist, Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s Ashley Schurr, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS.
“Sure there was frustration in knowing I was going to be on the sidelines, but PT was so very helpful for me,’’ Bognar said during a break in play at the ASA national softball finals in Tennessee. Bognar is a member of the Heartland Havoc, a Quad-Cities-based club and one of the premier ASA programs in the Midwest.
“Ashley pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but pushed me for the better. It got to a point where I was looking forward to therapy, because I knew the good it was doing for me and it would lead me back to competing again,’’ added Bognar. “Ashley helped me stay positive, to continue to be a part of all my teams and contribute in any way I could until I got back to competing.’’
Schurr, a Reynolds, Ill native (one of the communities that feeds into Rockridge High School), says Bognar was focused on the goal of getting back to competition and carried a tremendous, upbeat attitude throughout therapy. Not once did she shy from the work it would take to return to play.
“She rehabbed with me for about 10 months and was a fantastic kid and a very hard worker,’’ said Schurr, who earned her undergraduate degree from Monmouth College and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from St. Ambrose University.
The culmination of many months of hard work and dedication came to light in May of 2022, when Bognar took the field in a Rockridge junior varsity softball game. The moment was inspiring for all involved.
“That sure felt good,’’ Bognar said of the return to the diamond, singing the praises of Schurr and Rock Valley Physical Therapy, one of the largest therapist-owned, therapist-led private physical therapy practices in the nation. Rock Valley Physical Therapy also provides the athletic training services for Rockridge High School.
“It had been a long road, but I had so much help just to get back to that. Now I’m back to doing everything and doing it with confidence. I cannot thank Ashley enough for all she did to get me where I am.’’
With talent, enthusiasm and desire in hand, Bognar remains humble and on task, taking nothing for granted these days, having lived through an injury that puts everything on hold. Playing at a high level with the Havoc has been a great experience, one she believes will help her in the future.
“I’m excited about what is ahead for me,’’ Bognar said, noting that volleyball is next on her list of athletic challenges. Bognar is also a part of a high school softball program with a 60-plus game varsity winning streak and back-to-back state softball championships. “It was a long road to get back, but I had great family support, great friend and teammate support and had a great therapist in Ashley. I’m looking forward to all the challenges.’’
By: Johnny Marx, Storyteller