By Isabel Herbruger, age 12
Tuesday (Sept. 6) was supposed to be the opening game for the Lady Pirate Soccer Team against Thomas Jefferson and I was excited to start the year off with some great shots. August is a long time without sports. I was confused when I arrived at Highline Memorial Stadium and it was empty!
I found out the Lady Pirates spent their afternoon in the Highline ER waiting room after four of their starting teammates were in an accident on Ambaum Boulevard around 3:30 p.m. The team had been on their way to their normal pre-game meal when an elderly man turned in front of them and hit them.
The elderly man and his dog were okay and walking around at the scene. Susy, a junior defender, was taken by ambulance to Highline. Brittney, a junior defender, Bianca, a junior midfielder, and Gabby, a freshman forward, were taken by others to Highline to be checked out. I talked to all of them and their families at the hospital.
Bianca and Susy.
I asked them what happened. Susy told me:
“Everyone was telling me to put on my seat belt and I had just said to my cousin that ‘I trust Brittany, she is a good driver.’ Then like twenty seconds later I saw someone turning in front of us. The next thing I remember was waking up like I was in a dream. There was smoke around and I was laying on my back being asked questions.” Susy now has 21 stitches in her head, seven of them on the inside! Her mom wanted other Pirates to get the message: “Always wear your seat belt!”
Brittany and Gabby.
Brittany was sore in her back and neck, but remembers being scared when she pulled Susy from the car. Brittany’s dad told me he thought he could see a dent where Susy’s head hit behind the driver’s seat belt area. He told me the accident report said no one was speeding, otherwise it could have been much worse than sore backs and seat belt burns.
Gabby was the last one to be released. She has only been playing soccer for six months and was excited to start her first Varsity game tonight. I asked her what message she had for others, “It doesn’t matter if you trust the person driving, you do not know what the other drivers are going to do. You just always have to wear your seat belt.”
I did not talk to the coach, but the players told me they believe they have enough players for their game on Thursday in Eatonville. Susy may miss most of the season before she is healthy enough to return. The other three might be able to play next week if they get clearance from their doctors.
Reporting on accidents is hard to do. It is definately more fun to report about Pirates on the the playing field!
Thank you for your time and consideration,
– Isabel H.
The Official “Unofficial Pirate Photograpgher”