ULMER TAKING NOTHING FOR GRANTED GOING INTO DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

Sara Ulmer has dealt with plenty of adversity over the past 13 months so she’s taking nothing for granted now.

During volleyball last September Ulmer suffered a knee injury that took the rest of her volleyball season, both sideline and competitive cheer, and softball from her junior season.

There were hopes of seeing the softball field but, the knee just wouldn’t heal fast enough and actually led to another problem.

“It took three months longer than expected,” Ulmer said. “It was supposed to be about six months. I had trouble with my quads.

“I had to take my return to sports test twice. I just couldn’t pass it. My quads would not take it.”

Ulmer said that to build the quads she turned to Ross Kent, father of teammate Karmen Kent, due to his extensive body building knowledge.

Of course, then she had to get match ready. The extra quad work helped.

“I thought it was going to be a lot harder than it was to get in shape,” she said.

She made it back to competition this summer, conditionally on wearing a brace she hopes to shed soon with competitive cheer and softball on the horizon.

But first she’ll gladly strap it on for tonight’s match.

Anxious? Nervous?

“Not really,” said Ulmer. “I just want to play and keep going along,” said Ulmer.

Although the Bearcats have beaten West Fork twice this season, the state tournament is on the line tonight when they face the Tigers in the district tournament in Charleston. The match is set for 6:30. The match will be live streamed on Charleston Tiger Sports' Youtube account.

In the first meeting between the schools West Fork took a set and in the second match, at Booneville, the Bearcats swept but all games were close, including a come-from-behind 28-26 middle set win.

The winner of tonight’s match draws a date with Paris at 6:30 Wednesday and has a spot in next week’s state tournament which is being hosted by Harding Academy in Searcy.

To get there Ulmer will be mostly on the edges of the front rows and serving, giving way to Teagen McMaster for back row duty.

“She plays on the back row. She digs better,” Ulmer credits McMaster.

Ulmer is also appreciative of the break for the knee.

“I’d probably get worn down if I went all the way around,” she said.

Ulmer is also thankful for her senior teammates, like McMaster and Kent, who are hoping to extend their careers tonight.

There are an unusually high number of 13 seniors on the roster who simply really, like each other.

“We get along really well,” said Ulmer.

Ulmer’s knee injury has carried on a family tradition her brother Brandon started, suffering an injury in the season opening football game of his senior season. He returned during baseball season and is now playing college baseball.

While it’s not necessarily because of the family’s trek through knee injuries, but the medical field is currently the expected calling for Ulmer.

“I expect to go to Tech Ozark and do ultrasound,” said Ulmer, who is on track to be an honor grad.

Ulmer, who was the football Homecoming Queen, is the daughter of BHS counselor Ginger Loyd and BHS teacher/coach Darby Ulmer.