Sitting in the bleachers in the Walter Pyramid, watching the women’s basketball team practice, the sounds of shoes squeaking up and down the court surrounded you.
On this day, LBSU’s women’s basketball point guard Chantel Dooley is talking to Head Coach Jody Wynn and it seemed like two friends just talking. At one point during practice, Wynn is holding two basketballs and talking to another player when Dooley runs up to her and steals one of the balls right out of her hands. Wynn and Dooley immediately started laughing.
Anybody watching could tell their relationship is special.
Sixth-year senior Chantel Dooley missed the entirety of the 2010-11 and 2013-14 seasons at LBSU through injury. The guard has averaged 5.7 points in her career as a 49er.
“We don’t really see a lot of relationships in basketball where you have a relationship off the court,” Dooley said.
She explained that many times coaches just feel that a player is just a player, “but not with her, [coach Wynn] takes the time to actually learn about you and grow with you.”
Wynn has been Dooley’s coach for six years now.
“Over the six years I’ve grown to know how she is…so I think that brings our relationship a little bit closer and a little bit better,” Dooley said.
Not a lot of college athletes can say that they’ve been with a coach, or even a team for six years. Dooley is a special circumstance. Because of all the injuries she’s endured during her athletic career at LBSU, Dooley was given a sixth year medical hardship exception and was allowed to play this season.
“I’m extremely blessed to have, not just her, but all of my coaches be who they are. For her [Wynn] to even petition to get me a sixth year, not a lot of coaches go through that,” Dooley said.
The guard explained the process of what she had to do to get the sixth year exception. She had to write a two-paged letter explaining why she thought she deserved a sixth year back, what she would do with the sixth year, and why she wanted it.
“I felt like I was bearing my heart out to the NCAA, like please let me get another year,” Dooley said.
The coaches provided the NCAA with Dooley’s medical records and list of injuries, while the athletic department had to do compliance paperwork.
“It was just a lot on their part. Which I’m really thankful for them for doing that,” Dooley said.
Dooley explained that while she waited for the approval, she hoped for the best but prepared herself for the worst.
“You don’t really hear a lot of stories of people getting their sixth year back…so I didn’t have my hopes up too high,” Dooley said.
Averaging 21 minutes, 5.7 points and 3.79 rebounds a game in her career at LBSU, onlookers watching Dooley play on the court wouldn’t suspect her to have sustained so many injuries.
Since her freshman year at LBSU, Dooley has had several injuries. A week before school started, in fall 2010, Dooley suffered a Jones fracture and had to have surgery the first day of school. Because of her injury, she had to miss the first three days of class. It was a six-month process until she was back into full practice with the team.
However, while trying to do a layup drill, Dooley tore her ACL. These injuries were both in her first freshman redshirt year.
In her second year, Dooley broke her thumb but also had meniscus surgery.
In her third year, Dooley found out she no longer had an ACL. It had disintegrated after her first surgery. Dooley had to have surgery for that as well and was out for the entire season.
Luckily, Dooley suffered no injuries during her fifth year. She did have to have clean up surgeries to remove scar tissue from her knee, but she didn’t feel it was extreme.
Dooley explained that the biggest obstacles have been her injuries. During high school she didn’t have any injuries, and then to come into college and have so many was emotionally difficult.
“I don’t know if a lot of people know, but having injuries really brings you down mentally,” Dooley said.
If it wasn’t for her amazing support system, Dooley said she probably would’ve quit basketball.
Her teammates would check up on her and ask her how she’s feeling, so she still felt like she had a purpose. Her mom also helped her get through it and motivated her.
“My mom’s my world. If anything would happen to her, I’d probably just shrivel,” Dooley said.
Because Dooley is a sixth year senior, she has the most experience in the game. She feels like it is her duty to help mentor the younger players. She explained that it’s good to have a teammate outside of the coaches that just talks to you and teaches you.
Dooley is currently in the sports management grad program and will graduate in January 2016. She wishes to pursue a career involved in social media, but said nothing is set in stone.
In her last season, Dooley said she wants the team to reach the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
Dooley said, “We’ve gotten close in my last years, but close obviously isn’t good enough. I want to take it to the next level.”