Sonoma Academy’s Chloe Colbert vows not to let basketball injury interfere with soccer

Sonoma Academy standout athlete Chloe Colbert had some explaining to do to her coaches at the university where she will play soccer next year.

Colbert, a senior and two-time All-Empire Small School Soccer Player of the Year, had long ago committed to Loyola Marymount University.

But Colbert also plays basketball, earning a starting spot as point guard for the Coyotes all four years of school. Last year, she was a second-team All-Empire selection in that sport as well.

But on Jan. 20, Colbert drove in for a layup in a game against Tomales just before halftime. She came down wrong on her right ankle, rolling it severely.

“I’ve rolled it in soccer a bunch,” she said. “But the way I landed on it, (a break) was my first thought.”

The doctors returned with X-rays and bad news: She was out for the season and needed surgery on her ankle.

Now she had to explain it to her university coaches.

“Telling them was interesting,” she said with humor. “I said. ‘I promise, I’ll come back stronger.’?”

The injury, which doctors said should heal completely with no long-term effects, delays Colbert’s training for soccer.

“It’s a big bummer because I’ve been wanting to train super hard for college next year. I feel like this is a big setback, but it’s not the worst. It’s not like it’s a knee injury.”

Colbert, who attended her team’s game this week in a wheelchair, hopes to be back on the soccer pitch in April.

You can reach Lori A. Carter at 521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.